Why is this forum dominated by big red wines from SA?

[Stu]

I am just wondering why 90% of the talk on this forum is about:
1 - Big red wine styles
2 - South Australian wines, in particular Barrosa and McLaren Vale.

I'm not trying to be negative or argumentative, I'm just interested.
I have not been viewing this site for long. Maybe I have missed talk on cooler climate styles, or whites or sparkings or fortifieds.
Personally I have a penchant for cool climate styles - particularly pinot and caberbet. I find these wines to be a bit more intersting to my palate.

What are the reasons for these wines popularity?

[corcoran]

Well, I don't agree that there isn't time wasted on that other stuff. But, speaking for myself, I like the big South Australian reds, particular Shiraz, better than just about any other wine in the world. The fuller, fruitier, darker fruit characteristics (blackberries, plums, licorice, dark chocolate, vanillin) are favorites of mine.

I get the sense that a lot of people are arguing against this style as over the top, not refined, not elegant, blah blah blah.

I've always found that type of attitude somewhat snobbish.

Brian

[Adair]

I am just wondering why 90% of the talk on this forum is about:
1 - Big red wine styles
2 - South Australian wines, in particular Barrosa and McLaren Vale.

I'm not trying to be negative or argumentative, I'm just interested.
I have not been viewing this site for long. Maybe I have missed talk on cooler climate styles, or whites or sparkings or fortifieds.
Personally I have a penchant for cool climate styles - particularly pinot and caberbet. I find these wines to be a bit more intersting to my palate.

What are the reasons for these wines popularity?

Hello Stu,

I believe that your assessment is mostly correct and there are good reasons for this. First and probably foremost is that this forum is owned and paid for by a fine Adelaide wine Internet retailer, Australian Wine Centre. The fact that this is not well publicised is a credit to Gavin (owner of AWC) because he allows the site/forum to be taken wherever it naturally (without Gavin's intervention) goes. However, as the site is in Adelaide and many of the participants are from Adelaide, big red wines are the wines mostly discussed, as Adelaide is close proximity to 3 of the greatest warmer climate wine regions in the world.

So really, an Internet forum is only what its participants make of it. Personally, at the moment I feel like only talking about Yarra Valley Cabernet and powerful, European styled dry whites but I simply don't have the time to contribute enough to change the focus a great deal. However, in April I will be at a Burgundy wine dinner that I am sure everyone will read about it here in great detail.

So please, start a topic about cooler, more elegant styled wines or post a few tasting notes of these wines that you have had recently. I am sure your efforts will be appreciated.

Kind regards,
Adair

[Adair]

Oh, and by the way, in case you did not recognise it, my avatar is of the chapel at La Mission Haut-Brion... big and powerful, but definitely not South Australian.

Adair

[Red Bigot]

I am just wondering why 90% of the talk on this forum is about:
1 - Big red wine styles
2 - South Australian wines, in particular Barrosa and McLaren Vale.

Hi Stu,

I'm sure it hasn't been over 80% recently so I'm going to have to try harder . Seriously though, just scrolling down the first page there is a heap of posts about Victorian wineries/wines (including the excellent and often massive Warrabilla reds ) as well as Seppelts, Giaconda and Victorian Shiraz in general. Also one Riesling, a Semillon/SB tasting and one fortified.

I think it's a bit cyclical, the past 12 months or so has seen the release of a lot of pretty nice reds from 2002, where the vintage in Barossa and Mclarenvale/Langhorne Ck was pretty good.

From a personal perspective, I like the bigger reds and for me SA still produces the best and best valued reds of the styles I mostly like. I've been stuck in this rut for about 20 years now after working out that for me whites (and Pinot Noir) that I could afford were essentially a waste of time. My cellar contains about 2/3 SA reds, including a lot of Coonawarra Cabernet, with Victoria and WA making up almost all the remainder.

The other main Oz wine forum has much broader range of interests, sometimes even including wine , I guess you can visit there for more whites and european wines in particular, this one seems to draw those who prefer more of a red diet. Personally I'm too old and boring to join in the social chit-chat and too lazy and poor and lacking opportunity for tastings (in Canberra) to find the gems amongst all the imported dross, so I stick to what I like and can easily taste (or read a review from someone whose palate I know matches mine reasonably well) before I buy.

[707]

The forum has a fairly eclectic bunch of contributors who do range over a fair bit of ground but it will of course tend to reflect personal interests and what the participants have been drinking.

Personally I like the bigger styles and therefore that's what I mainly drink and comment on.

I find others comments about wines I haven't tried most interesting and often seek out those wines to try myself. I'm always happy to take on board new wines from other regions.

Please keep contributing yourself about what you like, we like to read it.

[McLaren Vale Lover]

1.Because it is really really good
2.Because more people enjoy it - thats why they sell more of it.
3.See point one
4. Because they sell more of it than the cool climate crap more people tend to talk about it.
5. See point one

[707]

Stu, ignore McV Lovers comments, you contribute whatever YOU like. Cabernets and Pinots are welcome. There's room for everyone on this forum.

[Gavin Trott]

I am just wondering why 90% of the talk on this forum is about:
1 - Big red wine styles
2 - South Australian wines, in particular Barrosa and McLaren Vale.

I'm not trying to be negative or argumentative, I'm just interested.
I have not been viewing this site for long. Maybe I have missed talk on cooler climate styles, or whites or sparkings or fortifieds.
Personally I have a penchant for cool climate styles - particularly pinot and caberbet. I find these wines to be a bit more intersting to my palate.

What are the reasons for these wines popularity?

Hi Stu

Gavin Trott here.

A forum, well certainly this forum, is just a collection of people with similar tastes or interests.

As such, the topics and conversations follow their own path, there is no agenda or preferred style.

We chat about what the members and visitors want to chat about.

I don't even think its geographical as there are many more members in the eastern states than SA, so where I am based is fairly immaterial.

I'd love diversity, lots of tasting notes, more about imported wines and other wine styles, but it comes down to who posts or asks about what?

Join in, add to the group, and discuss the wines and wine styles you like!

[McLaren Vale Lover]

Stu, ignore McV Lovers comments, you contribute whatever YOU like. Cabernets and Pinots are welcome. There's room for everyone on this forum.

You should talk about what you like! My "Cool climate crap" statement was out of line but I see that SA wines get bagged too often because of their success.

Trendy so called cool climate wines have a place and are often spectacular wines that I drink often but my preference is for bigger fruit bomb styles that I can drink now if I want.

My point is that this BB does not make me feel like I am out of place for liking these wines. Lets keep it that way.

[707]

I get fed up too with the bagging our great wines get, tall poppy syndrome at work of course.

I like them big and juicy but can appreciate they are not everyone's style.

I think our wines also cop it just because Uncle Bob loves them too, look at the frenzied bagging he cops every time his points come out with a whole raft of people saying he's wrong. He's not, we're not, our wines are not, it's just personal opinion.

I'm happy for those who like lighter styles to leave more for me.

[Adair]

Auswine Top 20 Posters Breakdown:

5 of the Top 20 are from Adelaide, plus there are the 2 Red Bigots (NSW & ACT) who spend more time metaphysically in South Australia than anywhere else. So that is 7... including 6 of the Top 8.

Number of Posts: 7070
These 7 contribute 3388 of the 7070 - 48%.

... and the Top 8 have posted a total of 4142, with these 6 in the Top 8 contributing 3137 of these. (76%)
Adair

[707]

How does the saying go? Lies, damned lies and statistics!

Now I just looked up my contribution and see I've contributed just 2% of the total posts on this forum. Am I one of the five?

I looked at the other likely suspects here in Adelaide and the two bald brothers from the east but could get to no more than 15% of the total based on their profiles.

I think you need to explain where the numbers came from and the calculation then made. I think your total posts on the forum is incorrect, it's nearly 17,000 not 7,000ish.

Come on, give us the raw numbers for everyone and lets see how they really stack up.

[GrahamB]

When you check out your own stats, sort of makes you feel insignificent really doesn't it:

1.03% of total / 0.31 posts per day

And they said size doesn't matter.

I'll just go sit in the corner until I learn to post like the big boys.

Graham

[Gavin Trott]

When you check out your own stats, sort of makes you feel insignificent really doesn't it:

1.03% of total / 0.31 posts per day

And they said size doesn't matter.

I'll just go sit in the corner until I learn to post like the big boys.

Graham

Graham

but quality, every one a gem!

[Adair]

Auswine Top 20 Posters Breakdown:

5 of the Top 20 are from Adelaide, plus there are the 2 Red Bigots (NSW & ACT) who spend more time metaphysically in South Australia than anywhere else. So that is 7... including 6 of the Top 8.

Number of Posts: 7070
These 7 contribute 3388 of the 7070 - 48%.

... and the Top 8 have posted a total of 4142, with these 6 in the Top 8 contributing 3137 of these. (76%)
Adair

Sorry for the ambiguity. I tried to do that very quickly.

The Top 20 posters have made a total of 7070 posts. There are 277 registered users that have made a total of 14041 posts. I don't know how many posts unregistered users have made but it is probably quite a few.

Kind regards,
Adair

[GrahamB]

When you check out your own stats, sort of makes you feel insignificent really doesn't it:

1.03% of total / 0.31 posts per day

And they said size doesn't matter.

I'll just go sit in the corner until I learn to post like the big boys.

Graham

Graham

but quality, every one a gem!

Gee thanks Gav - Don't you just love stats. Now I'm in the top 27. Don't feel so bad after all.

Graham

[Gavin Trott]

Auswine Top 20 Posters Breakdown:

5 of the Top 20 are from Adelaide, plus there are the 2 Red Bigots (NSW & ACT) who spend more time metaphysically in South Australia than anywhere else. So that is 7... including 6 of the Top 8.

Number of Posts: 7070
These 7 contribute 3388 of the 7070 - 48%.

... and the Top 8 have posted a total of 4142, with these 6 in the Top 8 contributing 3137 of these. (76%)
Adair

Sorry for the ambiguity. I tried to do that very quickly.

The Top 20 posters have made a total of 7070 posts. There are 277 registered users that have made a total of 14041 posts. I don't know how many posts unregistered users have made but it is probably quite a few.

Kind regards,
Adair

Don't know but I was checking some time back (today) and three registered users on line at that time

and

9 guests!

That ratio is often there, come on guests, in or out of the industry, join us and post!

Let's hear a lot more about non SA reds

Challenge, any one who tries a non big SA red over the next few days, post a tasting note, good bad or indifferent.

Love to hear from you.

[GrahamB]

Think I just might nominate for the Wimbledon of wine this year with my new ranking.

Graham

[Mark G]

Think I just might nominate for the Wimbledon of wine this year with my new ranking.

Graham

Any of the grand slams you'll be fine as they seed the top 32, however in the masters and other ATP tour games you'll be in with the rest as they seed only 16 .... just a small point as I'd hate to see you up against Federer (or wine equivalent - TORB?) in the first round

Cheers

Mark G

PS: I believe my ranking equates to Mark Phillipoussis, hardly inspiring!

[Gavin Trott]

PS: I believe my ranking equates to Mark Phillipoussis, hardly inspiring!

I know, but you get bonuses, Paris Hilton etc!!

Thats if Paris is a bonus?????

[Red Bigot]

Auswine Top 20 Posters Breakdown:

5 of the Top 20 are from Adelaide, plus there are the 2 Red Bigots (NSW & ACT) who spend more time metaphysically in South Australia than anywhere else. So that is 7... including 6 of the Top 8.

Number of Posts: 7070
These 7 contribute 3388 of the 7070 - 48%.

... and the Top 8 have posted a total of 4142, with these 6 in the Top 8 contributing 3137 of these. (76%)
Adair

Adair, I'm not sure I'm looking at the same list, but with descending order of total posts I get 4 from ADL in the top 20 (Nos 3, 4, 8, 15), however I'm sure Ric and I are happy to be counted as honorary SA residents despite Steve's "bald brothers" comment . But that only makes 5 of the top 8 or 5 of the top 10 or 6 of the top 20 or 6 of the top 30 or 6 of the top 40 or 7 of the top 50. Numbers can be fun, but as John Howard teaches us, 450 is not a substantial increase on about 450

[Craig(NZ).]

Perhaps its because not enough people with other tastes bother to post here

I dont think many people would argue with the fact that most australian wine fans are more parohicial than most, they tend to full there cellars up with local red stuff more than most. Not saying that is right or wrong, its just how they are.

Ive been posting here for probably about 7 years, I keep people abreast with the existance of marlborough sauvignon blanc and have been pushing the merits of Hawkes Bay Syrah for since the 1999 Matariki etc hit the shelf (and in some cases some have even started listening and trying)

I still drink Big Aussie Shiraz on a cold winters night but enjoy many other wine styles too which are just as appreciated.

So post away, all styles appreciated from this regular.

C.

[Red Bigot]

I keep people abreast with the existance of marlborough sauvignon blanc and have been pushing the merits of Hawkes Bay Syrah for since the 1999 Matariki etc hit the shelf (and in some cases some have even started listening and trying)

One out of two ain't bad, I've even bought some Hawkes Bay Syrah last year, nice stuff, definitely 9000+ on the 10000 pt scale

[Maximus]

Brian (and Craig),

What Hawkes Bay Syrah have you tried? I'm yet to try any of them but it's quickly catching up with me when I'm surrounded by Kiwis. It's extremely difficult to pick a NZ red off the shelf when there are so many Aussie reds that I'm yet to try.

I'm looking at the Craggy Range Syrah (Le Sol or something?), Te Mata Bullnose, Matariki Aspire, Morton Black Label Syrah and Stonecroft. There's a couple others too but I forget.

I'm also intrigued by the Vidal "Joseph Soler" Cabernet...

[Maximus]

Oh and I realise that many of those wines I mentioned are not Hawkes Bay - just following the Syrah path..

[Serge]

I am just wondering why 90% of the talk on this forum is about:
1 - Big red wine styles
2 - South Australian wines, in particular Barrosa and McLaren Vale.

What are the reasons for these wines popularity?

Maybe because they just taste good and one shouldn't be a Rocket Scientist
to appreciate the taste?

[Bob]

When you check out your own stats, sort of makes you feel insignificent really doesn't it:

1.03% of total / 0.31 posts per day

And they said size doesn't matter.

I'll just go sit in the corner until I learn to post like the big boys.

Graham

I'm just happy there are no stats on how much discussion my posts generate. That would really be humbling.

[n4sir]

PS: I believe my ranking equates to Mark Phillipoussis, hardly inspiring!

I know, but you get bonuses, Paris Hilton etc!!

Thats if Paris is a bonus?????

That reminds me,

I've gotta change my phone number since her little black book is now public.

Cheers
Ian

[707]

Dream on Ian, I've seen her in action on THE video clip. If you can put up with the bimbo brain she seems to be fairly adept at what she does!