DAN'S WINE BLOG- TOPICAL UPDATE

Friday, September 22, 2023

?This week’s Blog covers some interesting wine updates from around the world.

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ORGANIC:? Alsace Wines reports that they have just achieved 35% of all vineyards in the region have become Organic – probably the highest percentage of any wine region in the world.

?EU RULES UPDATE:? The EU has under L198 made several changes to their wine laws which come into effect on December 8, 2023.

??Firstly, sparkling wines no longer need to have to have a foil over the muselet. It will be optional, however, the producer must still ensure that the closure cannot be tampered with.

?The dosage added to sparkling wine must be listed in the ingredients of the wine.

?De-alcoholised wines under 10% in alcohol must show a “Minimum Durability” date on the label.

?The ingredients and additives used in making the wine must be listed on the label.

?Furthermore there is a push within the EU to have energy data added to the label as is the case with other food stuff i.e. calories, fat content, salt content, etc.

?Top 100 World’s Best Vineyard Awards:? The magnificent Austrian winery, Dom?ne Wachau (which I visited in 2019), has been listed at No.14 in the Top 100 World’s Best Vineyard Awards. It was the only Austrian vineyard on the list.

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Rather chuffed that d’Arenberg McLaren Vale was listed at No.17 just ahead of Sauterne’s most famous Chateau, Chateau d’Yquem, with Henschke coming in at No.26, Penfold’s Magill No.44 and Seppeltsfield at No.96.

?No.1 was Argentina’s Catena Zapata, in Mendoza.

?IN TROUBLE:? For the first time in the last 30 years, spirits have overtaken wine as the second most preferred alcoholic beverage after beer in the USA. Just another small indication that the wine industry is in trouble globally as people drink less, go for lower alcohol products and now switch from wine to spirits.

?France has just commenced a “Vine Pull Scheme” called, “grubbing up”, in Bordeaux, which will see thousands of hectares of vines ripped out. Some farmers are planning on removing all their vines, whilst others are seeking to remove some and keep their best performing vines. Either way the Government will pay €6,000 per hectare that is approved for removal. The authorities have already received over 1,000 applications in the pre-event registrations of interest.

?This is the result of sales having fallen 23% in the last year, as French people move away from bigger reds towards Rosé, China sales keep on diminishing and other Asian markets like Japan move towards the lighter style of Burgundy wines.

?According to OIV figures the total wine consumption in France has fallen by 4,750,000 litres between 2009 and 2022. This reduction is roughly four times the total amount of wine that Australia produces annually at around 1,060,000 litres.

?THE SPIRIT OF THINGS:? China’s Vino Joy News recently advised that for the first time this century, spirits imports exceeded the imports of wine, and in fact they were almost double the value of wine imports. This spirits boom is being led by Brandy and Whisky. As previously reported wine sales in China have fallen back to below the 2009 figures, which was just before the start of the wine boom in China.

?So even in the unlikely event that China lifts its iniquitous tax on Australian wine, we have been out of the market for two to three years and at the same time wine sales have been dropping quite considerably and there is also a big push for people to buy local wines rather than imports.

?So watch this space but please, please don’t hold your breath.

?Have a great week, #choseaustralianwine and when possible enjoy #emergingvarieties.? Cheers, Dan T.