News
KEY NEWS - TONY KEYS
Evolution: The wine business is chock-full of tradition as fine as it is one has to consider that if we fully embraced it the trade/industry would be moribund. Garry Crittenden recently sent a bottle of Crittenden Estate ‘Les Adieux’ Mornington Peninsular Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 along with a note detailing the vineyard history.
The cabernet vineyard was established in 1982 the five acres planted then doubling the total vineyard planted on the Peninsular. Helping on that day was son Rollo (aged six) and daughter Zoe (aged eight.)
Twenty six vintages later both Rollo and Zoe are involved in the family business and Rollo made the last Cabernet from the vineyard he and Zoe helped plant in 2009. Cabernet vines no longer occupy that five acres Rollo convincing Garry it should be grafted over to pinot noir. Death and rebirth the ongoing story of life.
The Mercury (Tasmania) 16 August: Wine writer Graeme Phillips investigates the success of Tasmanian wines in the 2012 edition of James Halliday’s Australian wine companion. Regarding pinot noir, “Although he [Halliday] writes that Tasmania is the “El Dorado” for pinot noir, only one from the East Coast, two from Northern Tasmania and four pinots from the south, each with 96 points, were included in his Best of the Best list of 32.”
The Adelaide Advertiser Wednesday 31 August: ‘Pinot the new sav blanc?’ Wine writer Tony Love puts forward the argument of New Zealand Pinot Noir gaining Australian market share. He says in the past 12 months Australians have increased domestic consumption of pinot noir to $9 million $4 million of that coming from New Zealand.
Wall Street Journal 6 September: Jay McInerney writes about the rise and fall of Australian wine in New York
“Somehow the Australian wine boom went bust in the last few years, at least from the point of view of imports to the States. Despite (or perhaps because of) the success of Yellow Tail, Australia lost its mojo. Overall imports dropped by 15% last year and the wine cognoscenti seemed to snub the category, partly out of a shift in fashion toward alleged (buzzword alert!) finesse and elegance, away from sheer power and alcoholic punch.
Whatever the reality, Australian wines were perceived as being fruit bombs, unsubtle and overripe. Pinot was suddenly king and sommeliers were railing against high alcohol. It certainly didn’t help when Robert Parker, a big champion of premium South Australian Shiraz, stopped visiting, handing responsibility for the country to a subordinate.”
The Weekend Australian Magazine 17 September: James Halliday writes ‘The team at Felton Road led by owner Nigel Greening and winemaker Blair Walter, wouldn’t dream of suggesting they make the best pinot noir (and stellar riesling and chardonnay) to come from New Zealand and Australia. But they do.’
Point for debate: A Burgundian thinks the world should drink Burgundy a New Zealander or Australian winemaker thinks the world should drink Pinot Noir. There is a difference but is it as much of a difference those involved in wine (i.e. reading this article) could bring argument to? James Halliday raises the point of 700 years of winemaking in Burgundy and an appreciation of the fact that pinot noir can be grown elsewhere in the world, but there can only be one Burgundy.
David Bicknell, (winemaker/part owner Oakridge Wines Yarra Valley): says the traditional regions are known, our new world ones are typically not. Bicknell also thinks regions have, ‘greater clout’ but Australia has so many it’s made it difficult for consumers to understand.
Jacob’s ladder
Or is it snakes and ladders? French drinks company Pernod Ricard owners of Australian wine brand Jacobs Creek take the decision to bottle UK exports of the brand in the country of destination.
In Australia there was a small media flurry over decision Somehow Winemakers’ Federation CEO Stephen Strachan was drawn in to an article, saying it was due to the strong dollar.
TKR wrote, ‘A strong dollar will have something to do with it but the main reason is being able to send twice as much wine in a standard 20-foot container in bulk then bottled and boxed. Even if the dollar were better positioned TKR believes UK bottling would still be on the increase. Facilities are first rate and the checks and balances are in place to prevent any adulteration of the wine. There appears to be plenty of concern about the wine, which is not the issue. Not much is being said about the people who lose their jobs on the bottling line, which is an issue.”
The issue had hardly hit the airwaves when Nick Blair, global communications director, Premium Wine Brands, Pernod Ricard responded. Cutting it short, no staff lost jobs, and there is a huge environmental element (23 per cent reduction in our carbon footprint) etc and so on. The point Blair skipped over was the savings.
Over in the UK Simon Thomas, deputy managing director for wine at Pernod Ricard UK, in an interview with The Drinks Business maintained that the bottling of Jacob’s Creek in the UK was “part of the group’s commitment to environmental issues and was not about cutting costs”.
Silence and denial is closely related to smoke without fire. A very smart trade person in the UK told TKR, “savings wise, I would estimate that Pernod Ricard have pocketed about £2.3 million as an annualised saving by moving to UK bottling, this is based on their current off-trade volumes (UK) which look to be 18m bottles of the classic range. They have of course made a significant impact on CO2 emissions with a saving of around 12m tonnes on an annualised basis. These cost saving may not be intact if the supermarket buyers have their thinking hats on.”
Exports: The Wine Export Approval Report to the end of September is out. Read the commentary and be reassured. Read deeper and the sun is not shining as gloriously as the commentary suggests.
Commentary: “The volume is stabilising towards the lower end of the range that has been established over the past five years.”
TKR: Five years ago volume exports were just over 800 million litres. Three years ago they dipped to just below 700 million litres then went back up 758 million. Last year was 772 million, now volume is tabled at 720 million. Wine Australia has no idea if the 700 million litre mark is “stabilizing”.
Next September the figure could be 600 million litres or, worse still, 900 million litres because inferior wine dumping is taking place. Using fictitious words only give confidence to the intellectually challenged. Let’s not forget the influence the overuse of positive Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC) stats had on the rabid investment in the industry in the 1990s.
Bottled exports below $2.50 per litre fell by 34 per cent in value to $69 million and 37 per cent in volume to 33 million litres. Taking the maximum figure of $2.50 a litre, that equates to $22.50 for a 12 x 75cl bottle case. Using the WA figure of packaging being worth $15 a case that means the wine is worth 83 cents a litre at the top rate. The question this raises: is the reality that much of this wine was dumped at below cost of production?
The cost of rushed planting decisions in the ’90s, resulting in an over-abundance of chardonnay and shiraz, is beginning to bite. The former declined 24 per cent in export value to $207 million and the latter 4 per cent to $432 million. Shiraz at 4 per cent could be within tolerance levels but chardonnay shows a fashion trend away from the variety.
The bulk value has crept up to 99 cents a litre, from 98 cents in June 2011, 97 cents in March 2011, 94 cents in December 2010 and 95 cents in September 2010. Depending on the scale of production, this should be a profitable price, although margins will still be tight. Bulk wine accounts for $342 million of export value.
There are many ways of reading the figures and it is the job of Wine Australia to highlight the positives. It may be right: the settling mark could be around 700 million litres exported per year and the value around $2 billion. However, two pages of stats (wine exports by country, container and colour; value and volume) have nine columns; the totals in seven of the value columns show decline and in eight of the volume columns show decline. Need more be said?
Tony Keys
|
|
|
 |
News Archive
Langton's Classification V Set
Len Evans Foundation Auction
Behind Bindi: The Life of a Winemaker
Champagne –all about marketing or worth the hype?
London Launch of Burgundies 2011
The State of New Zealand Pinot Noir
Beauty and Balance the Razor's Edge
Yalumba Tasting – Aussie Rules
Hospices de Beaune Auction 2012
Langton's Classification Auction 2012
Hill of Grace 50th Anniversary Lunch
History of Langton's Classification
Melbourne Private Cellar - An Extraordinary Auction
Dr Ray Beckwith OAM - a Tribute
The Future of the Australian Wine Show System
The Jura's famous yellow wine
Clonakilla - A special Shiraz Viognier Tasting
Key News - September 2012
October Langton's Cellar Club
Single Vendor Flood Damaged Auction
Robert Parker & Jancis Robinson MW
A great Burgundian domaine restored
Seppelt Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny Collection - Special Auction
Vega-Sicilia - A special Single Vendor Auction
Opera Australia Christmas Auction
Out of the Blue Comes a Farm
The competitive Mr. Basset OBE, MW, Best Sommelier in the World
Uncorking Penfolds Clinic
Fruit of the Forest: Wild Fungi
Innovation and Experimentation
The Risk Taking Wine Psychologist
Sydney Single Vendor Auction
Hill of Grace 50th Anniversary Lunch
Australia's Top 100 Auction Wines for 2011
Grenache Day Blogger's Breakfast
A French Sleeping Beauty Awakes
Black Blue & Grey-Wolf Blass Luxury Release
An Enviable Inharitance - Olivier Leflaive
Key News - December Edition
Cross[x]Species Adventures
The China Syndrome: Shanghai International Wine Challenge 2011
Christmas and another great vintage in Alsace
Down in the Woods: Franciacorta and Ca' del Bosco
Foie gras and sweet wine in the Loire
Key News - October Edition
Bordeaux Masterclass & Dinner
Invisible Touch: Benchmark Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Key News - September Edition
The Unsung Heros of the French Wine Harvest
Penfolds White Winemaking Overview
It's only Natural: Torbreck Natural Wine Project
On Organics, Biodynamics and Sustainable Viticulture
Key News - March 2011 Edition
Langtons is now on Twitter & Facebook
The Nine Network: Burgundy 2009
Key News -February 2011 Edition
2007 Hospices de Beaune Review
Penfolds Rewards of Patience - Decant Guide
The Drinks Interval: Wine & Cricket
Last outpost of the Bristish Empire
Trevor Mast Charity Auction
Shipping for the Festive Season 2010
Keys News - November Edition
From Northern Ireland to New Zealand: Te Mata Coleraine 2006-1991
Charity Lot - 123 Classified Wines
BUY CLASSIFICATION POSTER
Variations on a Theme: Coonawarra Reds 2006-1982
Key News -October Edition
Key News - September Edition
Flaming Ferrari: Yalumba the Signature and Single Site New Releases
Classification V - Coming Soon!
Key News - August Edition
Blood, Sweat & Tears: Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1987-2006
Bordeaux 2009 Reflections
A Perfect Ten? Bordeaux 2000 reassessed 10 years on
2005 Grange: Where do the Grapes come from?
Is it a Bird? A Plane? It's 707!
Meet the Winemakers Behind Today's Penfolds Great Reds
Bin Files: Penfolds 389 vs Grange
Treasured Bottles - Yarra Yering
The Evolution of New Zealand Pinot Noir
SINGLE VENDOR AUCTION DEC 2009
Opera Australia Christmas 2009 Auction
Classic Wines of Australia 1961-1970
Parker Review - Tuscany 2006 & 2007
French wine remains the worlds reference point
PINOSOPHY – Brian Croser’s Pinot Noir Manifesto
Penfolds Primary Reds Rise Above Stock Market Blues.
Langton’s Top 500 Australian Wine Prices 2007
The Great Wine Estates of Western Australia “2007 En-Primeur Campaign”
147 Vente Des Vins - Des Hospices de Beaune
LANGTON’S Classic PENFOLDS Wine Auction
Jasper Hill – The life and works of Ron and Elva Laughton
McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon – Hunter Valley
Robert Parker Jr.’s top 180 Wines of the 2006 Vintage + Andrew Caillard's Bordeaux Impressions
Opening Gambit - Andrew Caillard MW en route to Bordeaux
Heritage & Evolution: A Tasting
Certainty! The Claret Drinker's Song
Wine Investment – Swim between the flags
Penfolds Classified Wines
Classic Penfolds Wine Auction
The Siren’s Song – Bass Phillip
Exchange Current Listings
Andrew Caillard MW reviews Bordeaux 2005
Bordeaux 2005 – Does it get any better than this? What the international reviewers are saying
Nicky Riemer – the new Head Chef at Langton’s Restaurant
Langton's Exchange in 2006
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV – International Reception, Predictions and Tastings
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV – International Reception, Predictions and Tastings
LANGTON’S EXCHANGE – BUY NOW and SAVE 15%
Great Wines Estates of WA Live Auction (V) – Open for Bidding Online October 21 to November 12
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV
2005 Classification in Gourmet Traveller WINE
Bordeaux 2004 – A Classic Vintage
Penfolds Grange Auction – Now Open
MCWILLIAMS Celebrity Blend-Off for Charity Wine Auction
Grange Auction Open for Bidding
LANGTON’S EXCHANGE – BUY NOW!
1998: Vintage of the Century
A Vertical Tasting of De Bortoli Noble One
The Story of Grange by Max Schubert (1915–1994)
Penfolds Grange Auction June 13 - July 14, 2003
A Lazy Eye on Pink Cliffs & One Eye
Henschke Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone
Selling at Langton’s in 2003
Australian Wine Exchange offers Giaconda Chardonnay
Large Format Grange Sets Records
The Sensational 2002 Central Otago Pinot Noir Vintage
Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration and Barrel Auction
The John (Jack) W Henderson Collection - Auction Closes February 3, 6pm
Shiraz Australia II Auction
Seppelt Para 100 Year Old Liqueur Vintage Tawny Barossa Valley - Vintages 1878-1903
|