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| This month’s newsletter is all about Australia and I’m pleased to say that we have a guest editor who is known as Mr Australia in the wine trade, John McDonnell |
History of Australian Wine
Though most people only become familiar with Australian wine in the 1990’s, grapes have been grown in Australia and wine made out there for over two hundred years. Many of the great regions (Barossa, Hunter, Clare, Yarra Valleys, Mc Laren Vale and Rutherglen) and great names of the Australian wine community (Brown Brothers, Hardys, Yalumba, Penfolds, Lindemans, Yering Station, Mc Williams, Tyrells) were all originally established in a period between 1830 and 1890.
Yes, there are many producers who have only been established in the last 20 years, but this mix of tradition and innovation is what makes Australia and her wines so exciting.
Since those 1990’s Australian wine has been very successful in many overseas markets including both Ireland and the UK, were about one in every 4 bottles sold is Australian. This, along with the fact that Australia is such a huge country, leads many to believe that she is also a huge producer of wine. Whereas in fact Australia’s 2400 wine producers only produce about 4-5% of the world’s wine. This is about the same amount of wine that is produced in Bordeaux. |
Why is it so popular?
I suppose the late 1980s was when Australia wine began to be popular here in Ireland and my belief is that a big contributing factor to this was that Australia started to become popular then. The America’s Cup was hosted in Perth (my reason for going to Australia originally), Crocodile Dundee was one of the big movies of the time, neighbours was a hit on TV, many Irish kids were starting to choose Australia instead of America as a destination for their year out (or in my case 7 years!).
Now I know today some of these reason sound a bit silly, but back in the 1980’s the sunshine, outdoors, can do life style (and Kylie) as seen on our screens appeared exotic and very attractive. Many wanted a part of it. And if you couldn’t go out to Australia, well at least you could enjoy a bottle Australia. However this was underpinned by great quality and value wine in that bottle. Delicious ripe fruit flavours, labels that were easy to understand, that told you what grape variety the wine was made from, and a back label that told you how it was made, what it would taste like and what food it went deliciously with. I’m sure many people got their first wine lesson from the back label on an Australian wine bottle.
For many people who had not enjoyed their wine drinking prior to this, or had been disappointed by the vagaries of vintage variation or confused by the intricacies of appellations controlee, Australian wine welcomed people into the wine drinking world and those brands on our shelves provided tasty, affordable and reliable drinking. |
My personal views on Australia and Australian wine
I mentioned above that it was the large brands (Hardys, Jacobs Creek, Wolf Blass, Rosemount) that introduced many Irish people to pleasurable wine drinking.
In fact so popular have these wine become that there are many people who believe these are the only wines Australia produces. I sometimes find this very frustrating, but also it gives me a great reason to do the work I do. For although these wines are delicious and deliver great drinks at their prices, there is so much more to what Australian wine has to offer wine drinkers. From wines that truly reflect the plot of land they come from to wines made from unusual grape varieties and wine making styles to those that are considered to amongst the best in the world. Many of these are made by small to medium sized producers who are truly passionate about what the do. (But even the larger brand producers very often endeavour to produce the very best wines possible.)
Our 2400 producers offer a huge diversity of wines and stories that contribute to the uniqueness of what the Australian wine community has to offer. Start or continue your journey of discovery by visiting our new web site www.apluswines.com
After that explore the great range of Australian wines offered by your local Superquinn wine shop.
Enjoy your journey ..... |
JOHN MCDONNELS FAVOURITE AUSTRALIAN AREAS
Clare Valley, South Australia.
The Clare Valley is considered to be among South Australia’s most picturesque wine regions. Known as the home of Australia’s Riesling, local examples of this variety display exceptional quality and elegance and share the common property of being dry. The same features that make the Clare Valley inherently beautiful-steep north-south ranges rising from the flats to the west, deep narrow gullies, high windswept plateaus, wide open valley floors and austere slate escarpments are the foundation of Clare’s famed vineyards. Warm days and cool nights lend the region to producing not only outstanding Riesling but also some stand-out Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Barossa Valley, South Australia.
The Barossa Valley is one of the most famous wine regions in Australia and is located just one hour’s drive north-east of Adelaide. A combination of gentle rolling hills and fertile valleys combine with the region’s continental climate to produce full bodied red wines, excellent fortified wines and robust white wines. Established by German settlers in the 1840’s, the region has flourished in production for both domestic and export wines and still boasts vines over 100 years in age.
Mc Laren Vale, South Australia
Enthusiastic, energetic and passionate are often used to describe the community of winemakers that live and work in McLaren Vale. The unique marriage of wine region and beach lifestyle has created a melting pot for all things culinary, vinous and artistic.
Located on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, McLaren Vale enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cooling on-shore breezes. The principal wines of this region include rich, velvety Shiraz and wonderful old vine Grenache with a recently restored enthusiasm for Cabernet Sauvignon. Varying exposure and changes in altitude and soil types throughout the region ensure an inspiring mix of food, wine and lifestyle. |
John McDonnell
Originally from Virginia in Co Cavan, John survived schools senior cup rugby and a degree in Hotel Management before leaving Ireland in 1987 on a one way ticket and a few hundred pounds bound for the America’s Cup in Fremantle, Western Australia.
John stayed in Australia for 7 years with much of his work during this time within the wine industry, from jobs in vineyard, to winery to sales and marketing. This led him to completing a diploma in Wine Marketing at the famous Roseworthy campus of Adelaide University.
On returning home to Ireland in 1993, he ran the Whitethorn Restaurant in Ballyvaughan with his wife Sarah for 10 years. During this time he did some part time work on behalf of the Australian wine community, and since leaving the Whitethorn in 2002, John has taken up a full time role as Regional Manager, Ireland for Wine Australia. (an industry body established to provide promotional support to the Australian wine community).
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