It can take awhile for new drinkers to appreciate wine though when you look at the phenomenal growth of RTD's you would have to say we are doing a poor job in attracting new customers. Some days I'm confident that over time today's young drinkers will discover the merits of wine and drift our way and on other days I'm not so sure and they may be lost. Is there something missing in our approach to young drinkers? more...

What a ride it's been, the export growth of wine has been phenomenal and what an industry it has made. The first hiccup for many years has brought an unbroken run to an end. The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation reports that the volume of exports declined 8.5 per cent in the year to the end of April while the value of these exports fell 4 per cent to $2.81 billion. Bulk wine and soft pack shipments are both down and account for some of this trend. The small 2007 vintage dried up the need to quit stocks of the cheap wines. more...

Montana is celebrating 30 years of Marlborough sauvignon blanc which began with the release of the first vintage in 1979. At that time I owned a few liquor shops and enthusiastically supported the wine. In the early 1980's I imported New Zealand sauvignons which were made by Selaks. Indeed reflecting on this remarkable variety which is synonymous with New Zealand and Marlborough I feel a lot of my wine career has been spent following its fortunes. more...

This quote is from the art editor of the International Herald Tribune, Souren Melikian, and appeared a few months back. Where you see the word 'art' substitute the word 'wine'. The upper end of the wine market left reality some time ago and I would be surprised if the same forces as seen in the art market were not at play. more...

The managing director of the London based Antique Wine Company is Stephen Williams and his firm recently sold a collection of Romanee Conti for US$500,000. Congratulating the buyer he added; "In the past, the Chinese have been drawn to the magnificent but simplistic qualities of the wines from the great chateaux of Bordeaux." more...

Vineyards have spread to another nook and I think this was my first encounter with a wine from the Southern Highlands of NSW; the SHW Southern Highland Wines Chardonnay 2007 wasn't too bad at all. Who knows as the years roll by what will emerge and I really do admire the pioneering spirit of those who throw caution away and just plant to see what will happen. more...

I found this beautiful obituary for John David Burton of Rock Hill, South Carolina on the South Carolina HeraldOnline website. A lot of effort has gone into remembering this man who could safely be described as the town drunk. Deserving of a wider readership. more...