Irregular Update
Sydney Time
Copyright © Ric Einstein 2009
Welcome to this week's Irregular Update which features the last Chapter in this series of the Tour Diaries, and the Second Book End. But before we get to that, there are a few other items for your reading pleasure and information.
Firstly, regular reader and sometimes correspondent, Gerald from Weimax Wines in San Francisco, and I exchange a few emails during the week. The result of his views and comments have been compiled into a Readers Views Article titled, Comments, Thoughts and Feedback from Gerald in the US. It covers a range of subjects and provides an honest, from the retail coal face perspective.
There are also two new Snippets. During the week, Constellation Wines Australia announced they were selling off twenty three vineyards in McLaren Vale; selling both their Mt Barker facility and the Leasingham Winery, making three hundred and fifty people redundant, and chopping their number of labels by about one third. Hardy's Chickens Come Home to Roost provides commentary on the CWA current position. The only surprise in this announcement was that it took them so long to do it.
The second snippet is aptly titled This Weeks BS Alert. This one names and shames those involved in practices that stretch the limits of credibility. The wine industry is in danger of losing its honest reputation thanks to this sort of behaviour, and those engaged in it should be held to account.
Chapter Seven of the South Australia 2008 Tour Diary sees us back in McLaren Vale. Although its a normal length chapter, about ninety percent of it covers just one winery. It is the most extensive coverage of one winery and its winemakers I have completed. Why? What makes this one winery so interesting? Simple; it is Australia's most controversial winery. Mention their name and it will ignite passions and opinions like no other winery. Everyone has an opinion about their wines. Some love them and think they are great value; with Robert Parker being one of their greatest fans. On the other side of the divide, there are those that think their wines are the greatest abominations ever to be called wine. Such is the passion this wine generates. They have been interview before and bits of their story have been told, but this is the most complete and in-depth account of their enchanted path through the wine business, although as the story shows, it has not always been an easy journey. I asked the hard questions, the personal ones, and got frank and honest answers. The questions that had never been asked before. The story also includes the reasons behind the way they make their wine, and those methods are both unique and controversial. Probably even more controversial than Max Schubert was in his day, when his unique perspectives lead to a most controversial wine at the time, Penfolds Grange. Will history show these winemakers to be revolutionary visionaries or heretics? I don't know, but getting their story was fascinating. It can be found here.
The News section looks like it is back to normal now that the US has finished its summer vacation. Stories of interest include...
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Australia's wine region threatened by drought
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Aussie wine goes for gold in Beijing
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Bottle Shock' details '76 wine competition between America, France
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Constellation Brands puts $200m of wine on the market
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Wine exports slipping in Australia
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Riesling stretches the boundaries of international exploration
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Electronic tongue set to beat human wine tasters
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Oatley family moves on US
Those stories and more can be found here.
This weeks wine quote. "Alcohol - the cause of and solution to all of
life's problems" - Homer Simpson
Until next week .... Cheers Ric
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Copyright © Ric Einstein 2008