Very important: The New Australia

[Tom Munro]

UK wine journalist Andrew Jefford is currently in Australia for 12 months and he complains that he is not receiving enough samples of regionally specific or stylistically interesting wines from Australian producers. Among many other major achievements, Andrew is the author of "The New France", the book which helped re-launch French wine after its spell in the doldrums in the late 90's, early '00s. For the duration of his stay in Oz, Andrew will be officially linked to the University of Adelaide as their Wine Writer in Residence. Andrew is also here under the umbrella of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation and his mission (he has been hired by the Australian wine industry) is to show the world that Australia is capable of producing interesting, regional wines - and not just industrially-produced goon from "South East Australia" (wherever that is!?!!?). In his own words:

"I thought I’d swing into the sample circuit here, and that this would give me a big cross-section of wines to try. To date, though, this hasn’t happened (though a big thanks to those who have sent samples), perhaps because I’m not regularly writing for any Australian newspapers. Another shock has been the price of wine here: interesting wines seem to start at AU$20 to $30 a bottle (roughly £10 to £15 – higher than the entry point for interesting wine in the UK), which inhibits extensive self-funded discoveries. Needless to say, I’m keen to taste and try as many wines as possible, particularly those from less accessible regions, and those produced using techniques designed to maximise the sense of place in the wines, or anything stylistically adventurous. (The address is 12 Rawson Penfold Drive, Rosslyn Park, SA 5072.) "

So if you are a wine maker or marketer with something interesting for Andrew to try, why not send him some samples? The future and international reputation of Australian wine is at stake! Seriously...
To read his blog in full, go to http://www.andrewjefford.com/node/639

[Daryl Douglas]

So, Tom, what's your job? Are you an assistant to Jefford? You should know, seem to know, Australian wines. Andrew seems a bit hung-up on ph levels - if that's all it takes to be a respected critic perhaps I should get some graduated litmus paper - seriously! Does he really expect to be inundated by complimentary bottles of wine?

Take him to Tahbilk or even somehere in the Hunter, perhaps the Grampians or Forest Hill in Great Southern, the Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania. Do the effing tours instead of sitting around being nonplussed, out of place and totally irrelevent in the local wine market.

FFS the wine producing regions of Australia don't begin and end in the freaking Adelaide Hills (though Judy Press is a lovely lady and I really like Mike's cabernet - my apologies) at Ashton Hills nor the Barossa. From reading the link you provided, Jefford is just another displaced Pom who can't wait to go home, even though he likes celery trees and real capsicums. I thought the SA government/Adelaide Uni were paying the cost of his temporary relocation so was a bit bemused by his reference to the costs involved.

Have I missed something here? What's it all about? A guru with no clue?

What's in it for you?

You need to do a lot more than exhorting, demanding deference to a displaced wine scribe if you think you can benefit the Australian wine industry using an apparently tenuous or even non-existent connection.

Rant over

Daryl

[jeremy]

Hmm, have only read about Jefford's visit in "Grape Growers and Vignerons" monthly rag. This does seem difficult to believe. Maybe he should do a little more than posting on his own blog to raise awareness of what he is wanting/needing? Not sure.

[Tom Munro]

So, Tom, what's your job? Are you an assistant to Jefford? You should know, seem to know, Australian wines. Andrew seems a bit hung-up on ph levels - if that's all it takes to be a respected critic perhaps I should get some graduated litmus paper - seriously! Does he really expect to be inundated by complimentary bottles of wine?

Take him to Tahbilk or even somehere in the Hunter, perhaps the Grampians or Forest Hill in Great Southern, the Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania. Do the effing tours instead of sitting around being nonplussed, out of place and totally irrelevent in the local wine market.

FFS the wine producing regions of Australia don't begin and end in the freaking Adelaide Hills (though Judy Press is a lovely lady and I really like Mike's cabernet - my apologies) at Ashton Hills nor the Barossa. From reading the link you provided, Jefford is just another displaced Pom who can't wait to go home, even though he likes celery trees and real capsicums. I thought the SA government/Adelaide Uni were paying the cost of his temporary relocation so was a bit bemused by his reference to the costs involved.

Have I missed something here? What's it all about? A guru with no clue?

What's in it for you?

You need to do a lot more than exhorting, demanding deference to a displaced wine scribe if you think you can benefit the Australian wine industry using an apparently tenuous or even non-existent connection.

Rant over

Daryl

To answer your question, yes you have missed something here. I work in the wine industry and I met Andrew when he visited the vineyard where I am based in the course of his tour of the Adelaide Hills. He had just got back from Canberra and he he is certainly not sitting at home and waiting for the world to come to him (as you rudely suggest) - on the contrary: during his stay here he is undertaking probably the most thorough exploration of the Australian wine scene that has ever been undertaken by a foreign journalist. He will certainly be visitng all the places you recommend - and many more besides. But the reality is that there are over 2,000 wine producers in Australia and so even if he went flat out every day (without a day off) he still could not get to everyone. Hence the importance that he receive samples. This isn't the kind of spoiled indulgence you suggest and is totally standard practice in the wine business (as in any other business) that people provide samples to the professionals who have an expertise in communicating to others the qualities of their product. The only issue here is that I am unsure that enough winemakers across the country are aware that Andrew is in the country and keen to try their wine and potentially include details of them in the book that is going to result from his year down under. And that's why I made my original posting. When they find out that this opportunity is available the majority of winemakerswill be more than happy to send in samples (standard marketing theory suggests that 7% of a winemaker's annual production should be available for tasting/promotion).
And you ask what's in it for me? you should really ask what's in it for us because, and you seem unaware of this, sales of Australian wine are sliding at home (slightly) and overseas (dramatically). One of the reasons for this is that AUstralia has earned a negative reputation for its ability to produce interesting fine wine. Andrew's job for us then is to help reverse this trend. If you enjoy drinking wine then you would probably appreciate having a good selection available to you - but you won't have a good selection if grapegrowers and wineries start to go bust because of collapsing markets. And if you're in the wine industry and you are reliant on export (which represents two thirds of national production) then the stakes are even higher. So, believe it or not, what Andrew is doing here is not just important for the wine industry but it is also important for every wine drinker who has a passion for quality and choice. And that, I assume, also includes you.
When we met Andrew we were impressed by his knowledge of our area. In fact, he had done his homework to such an extent that in some respects he seemed to be starting out with as much knowledge (if not more) than many people who have worked in the Australian wine trade for years. This ability to absorb the fruits of your research is one of the skills of a wine journalist. It's not just a question of purchasing some litmus paper and mouthing off. And if that's what you think a wine writer does then you had better not give up the day job just yet. Seriously.

[Wizz]

UK wine journalist Andrew Jefford is currently in Australia for 12 months and he complains that he is not receiving enough samples of regionally specific or stylistically interesting wines from Australian producers. Among many other major achievements, Andrew is the author of "The New France", the book which helped re-launch French wine after its spell in the doldrums in the late 90's, early '00s. For the duration of his stay in Oz, Andrew will be officially linked to the University of Adelaide as their Wine Writer in Residence. Andrew is also here under the umbrella of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation and his mission (he has been hired by the Australian wine industry) is to show the world that Australia is capable of producing interesting, regional wines - and not just industrially-produced goon from "South East Australia" (wherever that is!?!!?).

Tom, if Jefford is here in the employ of the AWBC then ask them why they aren't they doing more to support the exercise. Without the AWBC mandate and some specific backing, is he just another wine writer who has to do the hard yards like everyone else?

I don't recall any of the very knowledgeable body of punters on this or the other Australian fora ever quoting a Jefford review of an Australian wine.

So if you are a wine maker or marketer with something interesting for Andrew to try, why not send him some samples? The future and international reputation of Australian wine is at stake! Seriously...
To read his blog in full, go to http://www.andrewjefford.com/node/639

Judging by your replies so far you actually believe this.


Regarding interesting wines only starting at $20 to $30 - well hello - did anyone notice that the big Australian success stories overseas that come in below this price range are industrial scale wines that taste like industrial scale wines? Also remember our local tax system makes bottom end wines ridiculously expensive compared to their direct competitors bought in their local markets. I'm not sure why this is a surprise.

Perhaps Andrew could join and contribute to this forum - he would get some good direction on whats interesting at the sub $20 price range,

cheers

Andrew

[dazza1968]

Margaret River ,For Whites and Cabenet(in Westen Aust)

Regards Dazza

[DaveB]

I don't get it....Andrew is writing in Decanter while he is here + The World of Fine Wine, The Adelaide Review and is about to start contributing to several Aussie and U.K. wine mags on the subject. He has only been here a couple of months and is starting to undertake trips to various wine regions after settling in to Adelaide with his family.

+ writing a book on fine wine in Australia

What's all the anamosity about?

Has anyone actually read any of his columns in FOFW,Decanter or his books??....The New France is probably one of the best books ever written on French wine and he plans to do the same for Australia....he's doing a public lecture in Adelaide later this month so doubters can go there and heckle I guess

[jeremy]

If my post read as animosity it was not intended. I really wasn't sure what to make of the comments or his blog. I was just really suprised people were not rushing samples to him and wondered exaclty what ways he was getting the info of his visit and its purpose out there.

And I also don't know if you are referring to my post either DaveB? Once again unsure, but "all this animosity" would surely be more than 2 people so forgive me for thinking I may have been included in this camp.

[rooman]

Tom

In setting up your profile, there is a provision to link it to a website. I suggest you may wish to link yours to your vineyard site. Don't be shy

Mark

[rooman]

I don't get it....Andrew is writing in Decanter while he is here + The World of Fine Wine, The Adelaide Review and is about to start contributing to several Aussie and U.K. wine mags on the subject. He has only been here a couple of months and is starting to undertake trips to various wine regions after settling in to Adelaide with his family.

+ writing a book on fine wine in Australia

What's all the anamosity about?

Has anyone actually read any of his columns in FOFW,Decanter or his books??....The New France is probably one of the best books ever written on French wine and he plans to do the same for Australia....he's doing a public lecture in Adelaide later this month so doubters can go there and heckle I guess

Yes, I have read most of his blogs including one posted in a thread that degenerated into a protracted discussion on .... umm let me see....terrior. Ring a bell. Personally I have found them vaguely condescending in that typical Englishman abroad sense and was going to raise the point but thread drift had locked in before I got the chance.

I also have New France at home and regularly use it as an excellent reference book but I have real problems with a Pomme coming over here and attempting to write The Definitive Book on Aussie Wine based on one year's experience. It makes about as much sense as me heading off to France and trying to do the same thing in that country.

It is nothing personal against Andrew, I have never met him and I am sure his intentions are honest. I just fail to see how one can produce a work of any depth based on this approach. To make matters worse, he appears to be relying on people sending him decent samples upon which he will then form his opinions. We all know Australia is a hot place and wine which is incorrectly stored can go off. Are people sending him their samples supposed to certify storage condition?

If the New Australia is going to be written, I would have preferred to see it written by one of the many very good Australian critic who have a depth of knowledge on the subject borne out of years of tasting, collecting, sampling etc. Not someone who arrives for a 12 month holiday with his family and complains he can not locate high end quality end in the $20 price range. Perhaps someone should have informed him more fully about Australia's gouging taxation of wine before he made his slightly superficial comments.

[DaveB]

I don't get it....Andrew is writing in Decanter while he is here + The World of Fine Wine, The Adelaide Review and is about to start contributing to several Aussie and U.K. wine mags on the subject. He has only been here a couple of months and is starting to undertake trips to various wine regions after settling in to Adelaide with his family.

+ writing a book on fine wine in Australia

What's all the anamosity about?

Has anyone actually read any of his columns in FOFW,Decanter or his books??....The New France is probably one of the best books ever written on French wine and he plans to do the same for Australia....he's doing a public lecture in Adelaide later this month so doubters can go there and heckle I guess

Yes, I have read most of his blogs including one posted in a thread that degenerated into a protracted discussion on .... umm let me see....terrior. Ring a bell. Personally I have found them vaguely condescending in that typical Englishman abroad sense and was going to raise the point but thread drift had locked in before I got the chance.

I also have New France at home and regularly use it as an excellent reference book but I have real problems with a Pomme coming over here and attempting to write The Definitive Book on Aussie Wine based on one year's experience. It makes about as much sense as me heading off to France and trying to do the same thing in that country.

It is nothing personal against Andrew, I have never met him and I am sure his intentions are honest. I just fail to see how one can produce a work of any depth based on this approach. To make matters worse, he appears to be relying on people sending him decent samples upon which he will then form his opinions. We all know Australia is a hot place and wine which is incorrectly stored can go off. Are people sending him their samples supposed to certify storage condition?

If the New Australia is going to be written, I would have preferred to see it written by one of the many very good Australian critic who have a depth of knowledge on the subject borne out of years of tasting, collecting, sampling etc. Not someone who arrives for a 12 month holiday with his family and complains he can not locate high end quality end in the $20 price range. Perhaps someone should have informed him more fully about Australia's gouging taxation of wine before he made his slightly superficial comments.

Super idea....get an Australian wine critic to wax lyrically about Australian wine and sell it in an overseas market....maybe as a compliment to Mr Jeffords article but otherwise whats the point?....whats the pull?......name me an Australian wine critic....that has written widely on regions outside of Australia as a benchmark, that is widely respected in overseas wine publishing?

Just for the record, I think Andrew might have tried a couple of Australian wines before moving here to write the book so hopefully that will set him up a little better.

FWIW, as I'm sure you are aware Andrew wrote an article in The World of Fine Wine magazine a couple of years back on terroir in Australia....directly after Allen Meadows article on terroir in Burgundy in the same issue....that might give you some idea as to how he might aproach it?

But then again maybe not......

[DaveB]

If my post read as animosity it was not intended. I really wasn't sure what to make of the comments or his blog. I was just really suprised people were not rushing samples to him and wondered exaclty what ways he was getting the info of his visit and its purpose out there.

And I also don't know if you are referring to my post either DaveB? Once again unsure, but "all this animosity" would surely be more than 2 people so forgive me for thinking I may have been included in this camp.

Ohhh not at all mate.....it just seems people are getting wound up his visit

As for the samples....I reckon most wineries probably knew Ansrew was actually in the country by reading his blog so maybe that could have been better planned.

[jeremy]

Thanks for the clarification Dave.

[DaveB]

Thanks for the clarification Dave.

No worries .....anyhoo I'm done on this subject

[rooman]

David

I am sure you have read all the blogs but somehow comments such as these make me wonder where he is coming from:

"But is it better? Most Australian bread is as dismal as most British bread; we can’t even seem to find good stone-milled hard flours to bake our own. Fine cheese can be had, by contrast, but for a fearsome price; the affordable domestic stuff is awful. Most of the fruit juice proved to be contaminated with sugar, and food labelling regulations almost amusingly lax, permitting all manner of fakery and chicanery. I bought a jar of mayonnaise which contained more sugar than egg. We quickly learned not to buy any prepared products in the supermarkets" - I could understand this comment if he was Italian or French but Lord help me, he's a Pomme. Have you eaten in that country recently or simply been to a supermarket on the High Street. Heavens it has taken me close to 30 years of trips to the UK before I can confidently leave behind my own expresso machine.

or perhaps this

"I don’t think I’ll ever get used to richly fruited reds from obviously warm, sunny regions (perfect for ripening black grape skins) which fetch up with titanium-hard pH, a swingeing TA of 7 g/l and the barest dusting of fine-talc tannins which may or may not have come from grape skins. They just taste too made, too sour-and-sweet, almost wholly unvinous: wine-drink, but not exactly wine. They’re what Australian consumers are used to and enjoy, though. No other wine-producing country seems to have such a high percentage of wine made within relatively confined stylistic parameters. The downside of the show system?", heavens sounds as though he has been trying some of your stuff.

Of course this bit titbit really encourages me:

"Of course my sampling is almost certainly inadequate. I thought I’d swing into the sample circuit here, and that this would give me a big cross-section of wines to try. To date, though, this hasn’t happened (though a big thanks to those who have sent samples), perhaps because I’m not regularly writing for any Australian newspapers. Another shock has been the price of wine here: interesting wines seem to start at AU$20 to $30 a bottle (roughly £10 to £15 – higher than the entry point for interesting wine in the UK), which inhibits extensive self-funded discoveries. Needless to say, I’m keen to taste and try as many wines as possible, particularly those from less accessible regions, and those produced using techniques designed to maximise the sense of place in the wines, or anything stylistically adventurous. (The address is 12 Rawson Penfold Drive, Rosslyn Park, SA 5072.)" - yeah this really encourages me to think the book will have the same degree of depth as The New France.

The truth is he is probably correct in alot of what he says. I just believe as a country we have moved past the point of evolution where we need an Englishman to come down here and write the definitive book on Australian wine.

[JamieH]

Does he really expect to be inundated by complimentary bottles of wine?

why not? our industry needs as much outside promotion as possible. give visiting wine writers crap and thats what the outside perception will become. i understand you may be cosy with what you enjoy everyday, but some people actucally need a worldwide market to sell their aussie wine (because some people are so hung up on red, shiraz etc). i think its great Jefford is here, who gives a #uck if he is english, kiwi, french or fijian, his race has no bearing whatsoever to his or her ability to access good and great wine. our producers need every support (especially the small ones, the ones Andrew will probably write about) so lets get off the bashing bandwagon and get behind them.

I am upset by this thread. If this is what sums up Australian wine lovers we are in dire times indeed.

We embrace the Emperor but reject the Bard?

Australia, your underwear is showing and it seems you have a lot to hide.

could not have said it better myself!!!

[marsalla]

Bloody hell, he is a pom journo, do you think he is not going to make some sweeping statements to whip up a bit of controversy.

[JamieH]

Does he really expect to be inundated by complimentary bottles of wine?
Quote:

why not? our industry needs as much outside promotion as possible. give visiting wine writers crap and thats what the outside perception will become. i understand you may be cosy with what you enjoy everyday, but some people actucally need a worldwide market to sell their aussie wine (because some people are so hung up on red, shiraz etc). i think its great Jefford is here, who gives a #uck if he is english, kiwi, french or fijian, his race has no bearing whatsoever to his or her ability to access good and great wine. our producers need every support (especially the small ones, the ones Andrew will probably write about) so lets get off the bashing bandwagon and get behind them.

I am upset by this thread. If this is what sums up Australian wine lovers we are in dire times indeed.

We embrace the Emperor but reject the Bard?

Australia, your underwear is showing and it seems you have a lot to hide.

could not have said it better myself!!!

Geez i really stuffed this one up!!

[n4sir]

I really don't get some of the negativity being directed towards Andrew's visit in this thread.

We've got a renowned international critic spending a year in Australia trying to be enlightened and pass on that we're in fact not one big industrial wine factory, that there are excellent examples of wines as good as anything else in the world in regard to variety, vineyard site and the ability to age. It's something the industry has been trying to say and promote overseas (IMO rather badly) and his presence here should be welcome to say the least.

He's already mentioned that the majority of his observations will be going into his book and he will be giving little away in his blog/website, and I don't have a problem with this. We should really cut him some slack, at least until the book is out.

My 2c,
Ian

[rooman]

Ian

Perhaps you are correct. Personally I have a lot of English friends who live in Sydney. But I get really annoyed once they begin the whole things-were-better-back-in-England routine. To a man when I suggest if they feel that way why not return, they look at me as though as I am mad and respond :" Have you been to England recently".

I know Andrew is a world class wine critic but perhaps he might have been better keeping some thoughts to himself whilst he settled in and really got to understand the lie of the land. For example, rather than complain about the price of wine, why not give some considered comments on what drives the price so high ie a tax regime out of control.

I also wonder how he can come out here and write the definitive book based on one year's experience. DaveB has caustically pointed out that he will have drunk Australian wine offshore. But anyone who has read any of the current articles coming out on Australian wine offshore at present will know the problems we have created for ourselves by mass marketing a homogenous style of red. The better stuff doesn't appear to leave these shores. Perhaps Andrew will be the saviour of the Australian wine industry as it stands at this new and perilous crossroad but personally I think it is one bloody big gamble given the really tight timeframes.

(And I still think some of the blogs have been condescending)

[DaveB]

Sorry if I came across as caustic....I just find it amazing people are negative about his visit

[orpheus]

If you have lived in a foreign country for a period of time, you will understand the tendency at first to compare the new place unfavourably with the place from where you came.

From those parts of the blog reproduced, I don't think Andrew is anything other than a normal stranger in a strange land.

My own instinct is to try to help in whatever way we can to make his stay in Australia memorable, enjoyable, and positive.

We all know that it is possible to drink great wine here, that many different styles are made, and that there is a rich tradition of wine-making going back 100 years.

Why don't those who have the knowledge and the influence help to make him feel welcome, and help to educate him, which seems to be what he wants?

And those who do so will have both the opportunity to teach him, and learn from him; his criticisms are bound to be worth considering.

[DaveB]

I know he has a pretty interesting schedule this week.....he'll be kept pretty busy with visits to various regions from now on I reckon....I've got dinner with him on Thursday night which should be excellent.

[orpheus]

I know he has a pretty interesting schedule this week.....he'll be kept pretty busy with visits to various regions from now on I reckon....I've got dinner with him on Thursday night which should be excellent.

Good on you, Dave. It is both the human response, and also common sense if we want to create good will for Australia and Australian wine.

[pstarr]

It seems the thread has been updated with a bit more comment:
http://www.andrewjefford.com/node/639

[orpheus]

Go to his website and have a browse through his tasting notes; he is a good writer (apologies to those who, unlike me, are already well familiar with his writing), and writes really rather poetic notes.

He knows that Australia is not just the Adelaide Hills; have a look at his review of the Jasper Hill, Georgia's Paddock 2003.

[rooman]

I know he has a pretty interesting schedule this week.....he'll be kept pretty busy with visits to various regions from now on I reckon....I've got dinner with him on Thursday night which should be excellent.

Ah in that case he is in good hands. What wines are you going to serve up? The fate of a nation may be in your hands. Any decent '96s tucked away to show what really can be achieved. Do share.

[Davo]

I see all is going well as he is being offered a tasting of French wines at a CD in the Vales. That should do the Oz industry a world of good

[DaveB]

I see all is going well as he is being offered a tasting of French wines at a CD in the Vales. That should do the Oz industry a world of good

Yeah....WTF?

[Daryl Douglas]

So, Tom, what's your job? Are you an assistant to Jefford? You should know, seem to know, Australian wines. Andrew seems a bit hung-up on ph levels - if that's all it takes to be a respected critic perhaps I should get some graduated litmus paper - seriously! Does he really expect to be inundated by complimentary bottles of wine?

Take him to Tahbilk or even somehere in the Hunter, perhaps the Grampians or Forest Hill in Great Southern, the Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania. Do the effing tours instead of sitting around being nonplussed, out of place and totally irrelevent in the local wine market.

FFS the wine producing regions of Australia don't begin and end in the freaking Adelaide Hills (though Judy Press is a lovely lady and I really like Mike's cabernet - my apologies) at Ashton Hills nor the Barossa. From reading the link you provided, Jefford is just another displaced Pom who can't wait to go home, even though he likes celery trees and real capsicums. I thought the SA government/Adelaide Uni were paying the cost of his temporary relocation so was a bit bemused by his reference to the costs involved.

Have I missed something here? What's it all about? A guru with no clue?

What's in it for you?

You need to do a lot more than exhorting, demanding deference to a displaced wine scribe if you think you can benefit the Australian wine industry using an apparently tenuous or even non-existent connection.

Rant over

Daryl

To answer your question, yes you have missed something here. I work in the wine industry and I met Andrew when he visited the vineyard where I am based in the course of his tour of the Adelaide Hills. He had just got back from Canberra and he he is certainly not sitting at home and waiting for the world to come to him (as you rudely suggest) - on the contrary: during his stay here he is undertaking probably the most thorough exploration of the Australian wine scene that has ever been undertaken by a foreign journalist. He will certainly be visitng all the places you recommend - and many more besides. But the reality is that there are over 2,000 wine producers in Australia and so even if he went flat out every day (without a day off) he still could not get to everyone. Hence the importance that he receive samples. This isn't the kind of spoiled indulgence you suggest and is totally standard practice in the wine business (as in any other business) that people provide samples to the professionals who have an expertise in communicating to others the qualities of their product. The only issue here is that I am unsure that enough winemakers across the country are aware that Andrew is in the country and keen to try their wine and potentially include details of them in the book that is going to result from his year down under. And that's why I made my original posting. When they find out that this opportunity is available the majority of winemakerswill be more than happy to send in samples (standard marketing theory suggests that 7% of a winemaker's annual production should be available for tasting/promotion).
And you ask what's in it for me? you should really ask what's in it for us because, and you seem unaware of this, sales of Australian wine are sliding at home (slightly) and overseas (dramatically). One of the reasons for this is that AUstralia has earned a negative reputation for its ability to produce interesting fine wine. Andrew's job for us then is to help reverse this trend. If you enjoy drinking wine then you would probably appreciate having a good selection available to you - but you won't have a good selection if grapegrowers and wineries start to go bust because of collapsing markets. And if you're in the wine industry and you are reliant on export (which represents two thirds of national production) then the stakes are even higher. So, believe it or not, what Andrew is doing here is not just important for the wine industry but it is also important for every wine drinker who has a passion for quality and choice. And that, I assume, also includes you.
When we met Andrew we were impressed by his knowledge of our area. In fact, he had done his homework to such an extent that in some respects he seemed to be starting out with as much knowledge (if not more) than many people who have worked in the Australian wine trade for years. This ability to absorb the fruits of your research is one of the skills of a wine journalist. It's not just a question of purchasing some litmus paper and mouthing off. And if that's what you think a wine writer does then you had better not give up the day job just yet. Seriously.

Tom, your pertinent, informative reply with less criticism than my post deserved, is much appreciated. Though much of what it contained was intended as rather tongue-in-cheek.

I'm sure that all here offer Mr Jefford the best of wishes for his in-depth examination of the Australian wine industry, hope that his writings will inform wine consumers in the UK of the considerable variation in styles from the geographically different wine-producing regions of Australia and the depth of quality wine that is available here.

And, no, I'm not about to leave my day job, at least until the value of my 29+ years of superannuation fund investment largely recovers. Anyway, most of the people I work with appreciate my sense of humour

Cheers

daz