Archive for April, 2009
Happy Easter in Australia and all over the world
Painted vines on egg
Our team here at Downunderwines wishes all our readers a happy Easter. For many of us a long 40 day period of lent reaches its end, a period of no alcohol and for some of us even no chocolate.
This year we have a friend from South Australia stay with us – she carefully crafted this egg to be presented on Easter Sunday.
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Wir wuenschen allen unseren Lesern und Ihren Familien ein frohes Osterfest. Besten Gruss aus dem inzwischen herbstlichen Down Under.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Barossa Breakfast
How do you start your day, when in the Barossa Valley?
With a Sparkling Shiraz and Fried Eggs
The Barossa Valley
Enjoy!
Australian wine exports down – now focusing on new markets in China and India
Last week the International Organization of Vine and Wine reported that after years of non-stop growth, global wine consumption started to retreat last year. It is not a big drop in percentage terms, the organisation says its initial estimates for 2008 show consumption down 0.8 percent, at 243 million hectoliters compared to 2007′s 245 million hectoliters. There are some shifts happening with the US market for the first time overtaking Italians in terms of wine consumption.
Looking into what Australian wine exports were doing, the news aren’t good at all: Australian wine exports by volume went back by more than 5% to 7.09hl and it gets even worse when you look at the value of these wine exports: Australian winemakers achieved revenues of 2.43bn Australian Dollars, representing a decrease of 16% in that year. Bad news for those wineries in export!
Australian wineries adapt
The consumption dropped most significantly in Europe, where the big wine drinking nations France, Germany and Italy all slowed, mainly due to a changed economic climate. Our Australian Wine producers are now pinning their hopes for growth during the financial crisis on Asia. China is the only country that only recently entered the ranks of the world’s top ten wine drinking countries. And India is following close behind with a growing number of wealthy, international Indians discovering the taste of Australian wine in Mumbai’s and Delhi’s leading restaurants.
The times are changing, you just have to be able to adapt.
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Der weltweite Weinkonsum ist im vergangenen Jahr um 0,8% zurueck gegangen. Im wesentlichen wird das auf den Einbruch der Nachfrage in Frankreich, Italien und Deutschland zurueck gefuehrt, hier sitzen die Weintrinker, die viel und gerne internationale Weine trinken. Australian selbst hatte einen Rueckgang zu verzeichnen, nach Wert gemessen ist dieser Rueckgang mit ca. 16% dramatisch.
Ich werde mich daher in einem naechsten Beitrag der Frage widmen, was denn mit dem ‘uebrig gebliebenen’ Wein hier Down Under so geschehen ist.
Ihr Michael Brecht
A ‘Ladies only’ release of wine
What a shame: I am not invited! Tertini Wines from one of Australia’s upcoming wine regions Southern Highlands is surprising me with a ‘Ladies only’ Launch of the 2008 Tertini Wines Noble Riesling tonight. They will even serve Italian soft cheeses and Italian desserts to accompany this dessert wine.
I decided to send my wife and buy a bottle for me to try later tonight. More info about where to head for this event here.
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Eine wirklich ausgefallene Einladung erreichte mich heute von Tertini Wines aus den Southern Highlands. Sie laden zum Launch ihres Noble Riesling, grossartige Sache, doch leider mit einem Haken: Ladies only.
Ihr Michael Brecht
The Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival in the ACT and surrounding hills
The Australian Capital Territory is not really known for its funky lifestyle and its population doesn’t include too many extravagant food and wine addicts. But despite its reputation of being the most boring of the bigger cities here in Australia, the Canberra region itself has become home of about 180 vineyards with 32 cellar doors. And when the harvest is done, the winemakers, their families and friends celebrate the Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival.
Magnificent Lake George just outside Canberra
More than 2 million bottles are produced this year in the region alone, many of which have gained a strong following thanks to the rise of cool climate tastes in the past years. The famous Helm Rieslings for example have long been one of the favourite drops in the Qantas first class wine list with many locals missing out on the drop as the Australian carrier bought so many of them.
For the last 20 years the first weekend in April has become the time to celebrate the wine harvest. The wineries in the area invite you to come and taste their wines and participate in all sorts of activities:
- gain insight in bio-dynamic winemaking at Lark Hill
- have your kids scarecrow making at Yarrh wines
- play petanque at Lerida Estate
- have a picnic at Mt. Majura Wines or
- walk the Lake George Vineyard’s Walk between 10am and 5pm starting at Lerida Estate.
All in all a great way to taste the wines made in this region, I will most certainly be there and tell you all about it next week.
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Die Canberra Weinregion hat mit 180 Weinbergen und 32 Cellar Doors inzwischen einen sehr guten Ruf in der umkaempften Weinindustrie Australiens erworben. Die Weine gelten als cool climate, wohl mehr wegen der angenehmen Nachttemperaturen, als wegen der manchmal sehr heissen Sommertage. Und wenn die Ernte eingeholt ist, dann ist es Zeit zu feiern, so auch an diesem Wochenende, dem Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival.
Ihr Michael Brecht
