AUSTRALIA Australia has come to represent the most successful New World producer to date, the benchmark by which other new world producing countries have come to judge themselves. It has been achieved however not without significant cost to a industry which has been forced to consolidate in every decreasing circles in order to keep the wheels from falling off the Brand Australia juggernaut. In 2003/4, twenty businesses accounted for 86% of all production. The prize has been a 24% share of the UK market (& a rapidly improving one in the USA), a position it ironically held before the Wars as a supplier of fortified Empire wine. Commercial viticulture was established during the early part of the 19th century, with South Australia the last to plant in the 1840s before quickly establishing itself as the major source of fortified wine. A post (WWII) move towards consumption of still dry table, encouraged by the stream of immigrants, was accelerated by the introduction of (German) pressured fermentation vats, stainless-steel & refrigeration units during the 1970s, enabling the winemaker to ferment to dryness. At the same time, French barrels made their debut, adding complexity & a premium allure, while fruit from the likes of new cooler zones of Coonawarra & Padthaway facilitated a lighter style to be made. These seismic improvements were not lost on the UK market, itself in near revolution during the early 80s as Thatchers government bounced the economy back to life. With Neighbors dominating the airwaves, supermarkets were given carte blanche to spread far & wide, immediately creating a demand for a new style of wine, a brand; consumers only too willing to move from Bulgarian plonk to an Aussie fruit bomb (especially one with an Emu on the label). The Australians grasped the opportunity, only too willing to supply the right product at the right price, supported by aggressive pricing & discounts. On the supply side, the structure of their industry allowed them to cross-border blend & so maximizes production. Corporate consolidation further improved their effectiveness to compete on volume yet has not hitherto allowed them to grow sales value. TOnly the ramifications of a current chronic seven year dry/drought, with saline levels at unprecedentedly high levels & the evaporation of the Murray Darling River (S.Australias only real source of irrigation since viticulture began) to a virtual trickle has prompted the AWBC (Australian Wine & Brandy Corp.) to finally inflict water quotas. And yet even when an oversupply still exists, key Australian brands are now being forced to import wine from the likes of Chile to meet demand. 40% of wineries are running at a loss, largely the result of over-capitalization. Meanwhile theres a significant minority of winegrowers making regionally expressive, terroir wines of real distinction clamoring to make themselves heard; unfortunately it is the corporate not them that control how the marketing budget is spent; the big five being Fosters Wine Estates (Wolf Blass, Penfolds, Rosemount, Lindemans), Hardys Wine Co. (Banrock Station, Leasingham), Orlando Wyndham (Jacobs Creek), McGuigan Simeon, Casella Wines (Yellow Tail). Maybe global warming will have the final say. Though blending away regional differences has essentially been key to Australias brands competing, there is a range of regional styles clearly defined & demanding recognition, notably: Barossa Valley Shiraz, Eden Valley Riesling, McLaren Vale Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon, Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley Riesling, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, Hunter Valley Semillon, Margaret Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Climatically the continent could be divided into two: a tropical weather pattern affecting New South Wales & north, while the southern half of the country, covering the key viticultural states of W Australia, S. Australia, Victoria & Tasmania, enjoys a less extreme band of warm to hot weather oscillating between 25 - 35 celsius. But without the cool oceans enjoyed by California or mountain ranges of Italy, the climate does not benefit from significant diurnal shifts in temperature (between day and night). There are however notable cooler spots such as Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, Adelaide Hills, Macedon Ranges, Yarra Valley, Tasmania. High relative humidity (55%) seems to be a prerequisite for successful photosynthesis in these climes. Of the 167,000 ha, producing 14.3hl of wine, in 2005, the state of South Australia accounts for 43% of the vineyard area (Riverland, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale); New South Wales 24% (Riverina, Murray Darling, Hunter Valley); Victoria 23% (Heathcote, Swan Hill, Yarra Valley); Western Australia 8% (Margaret River, Great Southern).
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 05:07:24 +0000
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