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Here we go! At last Australians have a greater range of fantastic European wine to enjoy, confident in the knowledge that they have been made with loving care, chosen by an enthusiast and transported in refrigerated trucks and ships to preserve their condition perfectly on the long journey down under. It's an expensive process, what with all the taxes, shipping charges, a crashing Australian dollar and a global credit crunch, but there is no point in cutting corners to save a few pennies and ruining the wine in the process. Wine imports to Australia have grown by 43% in the past year, with Burgundy alone up 80%, but we still account for a very small portion of the world market, and competition from other countries is fierce despite the economic downturn. Alcohol certainly appears to be recession proof. It's time to get a foot in the door with some of the world's leading producers and rising stars to ensure we have good supply well into the future. We're starting with a collection of four great Mosel producers -- three of only 19 five-star wineries in Germany (as rated by Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide, Vol 7), and one on the fringe of the top echelon. All are thrilled to be able to share their nectar with discerning buyers, whether your tastes range from the dry trockens to the super-sweet trockenbeerenausleses or any one of the taste sensations in between. Still to come are the Pfalz's only five-star rated winery, Rebholz, the Nahe's hottest label, Shafer Frohlich, as well as Carl von Schubert's legendary Maximin Grunhaus, the Erden upstart Andreas Schmitges, and the five-star Zilliken property in the Saar. We have the highest-ranked boutique producer in Champagne, Ployez-Jacquemart, rated by Revue du vin de France as 14th of all producers -- the only small house in the top 29. If you have other champagne needs, it would be worth your while inquiring about some things that we just can't share here! And we have made a nice start in Burgundy, with producers who get a healthy share of impressive reviews from Allen Meadows, the Burghound. Dupont Tisserandot is one of the largest land holders in Gevrey-Chambertin and is defying the ever-spiralling prices of the region, producing enticing wines from village level to grands crus that regularly score in the mid-90s with Meadows and Wine Spectator. Alex Gambal is a negociant operation involved in every aspect of the wine-making process and with access to some of the best parcels of fruit across the Cote d'Or. A second shipment due early in 2009 will contain the impressive 2006s and some back vintages from Camille Giroud; two premier crus from Burgundy's next cult producer, Domaine des Croix; Montagny's leading chardonnay producer, Stephane Aladame (on the wine list of every three-star restaurant in France, yet inexpensive); Domaine Matrot, with some of the best premier cru white Burgundy around; German rieslings and gewurztraminer from the sensational 2007 vintage from Maximin Grunhaus, Schafer-Frohlich, Rebholz, Zilliken and Andreas Schmitges; and much more champagne, from reliable NV brut aged underground for twice as long as the generic big brands, to rare super cuvees. The sheer number of Italian restaurants in Australia demands we source some better wines from there, and we haven't yet seen the best the Rhone can do in terms of quality at an affordable price. If you have something else you'd liked sourced, feel free to suggest it! |
