Qualitycontrol.

Having recently returned from China – a place I visit regularly – I am more certain than ever that Australia has found itself in an unprecedented place in the wine world. e last boom (1995-2007) saw exports hit an all-time high of 798 million litres generating $2.989 billion; the last bust (2008

2014) slashed volume to 694 million litres worth $1.808 billion. Seemingly insatiable demand for grapes saw absurd prices for Riverland chardonnay, and frenetic plantings and a sadly misplaced feeling of security. Overnight, so it seemed, shortage became surplus, and initially favourable exchange rates were shredded as the dollar reached (and for a period, exceeded) parity with the US.

e focus on volume led winemakers to reduce the cost of goods (wine and packaging) in a largely unsuccessful attempt to keep pace with falling wine prices in the UK and intense competition in the US, our two big markets at the time. e domestic market was left with the challenge of soaking up oversupply, giving

Coles and Woolworths a golden opportunity to increase turnover exponentially and drive down retail prices – great for consumers in the short term.

But things beyond the control of the majors started to change, now (if not yet fully) at the tipping point. e old saying ‘success breeds success’ was proven once again. Winemakers began to feel good about themselves, aided by a string of good to very good vintages from 2012 to 2017 (with the exception of the low yield in 2014).

In a long discussion with Brian Croser AO, he argued that Australian wine has been way underestimated in the ne wine markets around the world. “ is has had two e ects,” he said. “First, we found it was very di cult to sell ne wine, so there was less volume and less value. e second was a generation of winemakers starved of funds and incentives for reinvestment in improvement of the breed, to use Len Evans’ expression.

“We’ve got all the raw ingredients,” Brian said. “We’ve got great kids coming out of university, we’ve got wonderful vineyards, and a range of high-quality terroirs unequalled by any other country. ‘Terroir’ is now used as a word right around the industry without shame or resentment by the branded commodity producers. at’s feeding back into innovation.” He concluded by saying that in another decade, he believes we will be on track to being a major competitor in ne wine with France.

Before I come to the elephant in the room, what have been the drivers of this new-found con dence? First, chardonnays of world class have been consistently made for a decade or more, prompting unstinting praise from Jancis Robinson MW (the Queen Bee of international wine writers, see jancisrobinson.com) and from the hitherto caustic observer Andrew Je ord, a sublime writer

(his e New France is full of unique insights).

e Len Evans Tutorial pits Australian chardonnays against the cream of White Burgundies every year in several blind tastings and always catches out a sommelier or two. And only a few days before writing this, I attended the annual White Burgundy tasting heroically staged every year featuring the most recent vintage of note. is year it was for the 2014s, a stellar vintage for White Burgundy, with 18 premier crus and 18 grand crus, with six Australian chardonnays like lambs for the slaughter – except they weren’t, standing proud once revealed. e cost of the Burgundies ($466) is eye-watering, those of Australia ($57) a pittance by comparison.

In the 2018 Halliday Wine Companion, eight chardonnays – which came from the Adelaide Hills, Beechworth, Denmark, Margaret River (2), Tasmania, Yarra Valley and a Yarra/Tasmanian blend – received 98 points, while another 36 chardonnays received 97 points. For some, pinot noir is a lady-in-waiting, but not in the 2018 Companion, where Mount Mary (with 99 points, crucial in Mount Mary being acclaimed as Winery of the Year) was supported by another six pinot noirs on 98 points (three coming from Tasmania, one each from the Adelaide Hills, Geelong, and a second Yarra Valley wine), and another 29 on 97 points. In all, Tasmania contributed 11 wines, the Yarra Valley 10, and the Mornington Peninsula eight. Shiraz was the Big Dog – the 2012 Penfolds Grange and ’12 Henschke