Cabernet Franc║<B>Principal synonyms</B>Carmenet, Bouchet, Grosse-Vidure (Bordeaux).<B>Australia</B>A grape which so far makes a greater contribution to press releases and back labels than it does to wine in the bottle; very frequently, token percentages are grown simply to satisfy the Bordeaux model. It is strictly a blending proposition, providing a wine very similar to, but slightly softer and more aromatic than, Cabernet Sauvignon. Its problem is its weak structure, and the statistics show that, and makers are somewhat disenchanted with it.<B>New Zealand</B>The grape fulfils almost exactly the same function as it does in Australia, being grown in small quantities purely as a blending variety.cabfrancCabernet Sauvignon-<B>Principal synonyms</B>Bouchet, Vidure, Petite-Vidure (France).<B>Australia</B>Just when it looked as if Cabernet Sauvignon would sweep everything from its path, Shiraz has made an export-led recovery and shares viticultural and market dominance with Cabernet Sauvignon. Nonetheless, it is an extraordinary performance for a grape which in 1958 barely existed, and reflects its adaptability to varying regimes of climate and terroir as well as its sturdiness in the winery. In both respects it is similar to Chardonnay, as is the largely unquestioning acceptance of its multitudinous faces by the wine drinking public. It has one great advantage in the vineyard: the thick-skinned, small berries and loose clusters stand up almost indefinitely to rain, a characteristic which more than compensates for its moderate yield. In the winery, the winemaking techniques and options are fairly well known and understood. In South Australia it finds its greatest expression in Coonawarra, although differing viticultural and winemaking practices lead to a greater diversity in style than the uniform terroir and climate of that region would suggest. Thus one moves from the almost thick, juicy opulence of Wynns John Riddoch through the scented, complex, oaky wines of Penley Estate and Lindemans to the much more classic cassis/cigar box/ herbaceous characters of Petaluma. In the Barossa Valley it produces a dark, fleshy wine, high in tannin and rich in body, while in the McLaren Vale wines of somewhat tighter structure, often with a touch of dark chocolate, are produced. In central Victoria eucalypt/mint character is a hallmark, though best when it is not too pronounced; in southern Victoria that mint character all but disappears to be replaced by more classic flavours of blackcurrant, a touch of green capsicum and softer tannins. The Margaret River imposes its particular qualities: a curious mixture of slightly gravelly astringency and soft red berry fruit at the core. Further south, the Great Southern area provides truly great Cabernet Sauvignon, tight, reserved, and long-lived, but correct in every nuance of aroma and flavour. The Hunter Valley emulates the Margaret River, and perhaps exceeds it, in placing its regional thumbprint on the variety, a thumbprint which tends to increase rather than decrease with age. Finally, there is the cabernet sauvignon of the Riverland, usually consigned to cask but which is capable of better things. Throughout all these regions shines the Australian expression of abundant, easily accessible fruit flavour.<B>New Zealand</B>The dominance of cabernet sauvignon is even more complete than in Australia, for there is no other red variety to challenge it in terms of planting or production. While the largest plantings are to be found in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough, the best Cabernet Sauvignon wines are made from Hawke╒s Bay and Auckland grapes, with Hawke's Bay being to New Zealand what Coonawarra is to Australia. The Hawke's Bay climate is more reliable than that of Auckland, where growing season and vintage rainfall frequently causes problems. Of course, it is here that cabernet's tough skin comes to the fore, and it is not surprising that the grape is Auckland's most successful variety. The large Marlborough plantings have tended to produce rather light-bodied wines lacking the extract and body which international markets expect to find in the variety, and it is significant that Montana has made its move into Hawke's Bay via the McDonald Winery.Stonyridge, Matua Valley, Kumeu River and St Nesbit all produce top quality wines from Auckland region fruit; Te Mata Estate, Villa Maria and Vidal lead the formidable Hawke╒s Bay charge; while Vavasour shows just how dangerous it is to generalise about the Marlborough region (even if the Awatere Valley in which Vavasour is situated is a new and quite distinct subregion). All of the Cabernets of these makers, and all of their frequent Cabernet Merlot blends are distinctively New Zealand in character: the tannins are softer, the fruit at once more supple yet more herbaceous than the Australian counterparts.cab_sauv
Chardonnay æ<B>Principal synonyms</B>Pinot Chardonnay; Beaunois (Chablis); Pinot Blanc (incorrect).<B>Australia</B>It is little more than a statement of self-evident fact to point out that plantings of chardonnay have increased over the past 20 years at a greater rate than any other variety, and that this rate of increase is projected to continue through to the end of the century. It is no less trite to observe that chardonnay is Australia's premium white wine grape variety, and, although a few myopic observers would have it otherwise, will continue to retain that status for as long as wine is made in this country.There are three reasons for this: first, in world terms it is regarded as the premium white wine grape. Secondly, it is an immensely adaptable variety, producing well and providing wines of distinctive varietal character in almost any combination of climate and terroir. Thirdly, it is a wonderfully malleable grape in the hands of the winemaker, responding well to a wide range of making techniques, and even putting up a measure of defence against incompetent or lazy winemaking. Yet there is no question there was an extended honeymoon between producers on the one hand and consumers on the other: love blinded all concerned, and chardonnay assumed a quite illogical status in terms of price and profile. It became accepted that chardonnay would bring two, three or four times the price of all other grapes, and that the price of the wine on the retail shelf would reflect that differential. With the rapidly increasing supply, chardonnay has assumed a more rational role: appearing in casks, in low-priced bottles and in high-priced bottles and both in oaked and unoaked versions. The interaction of climate, terroir and winemaking philosophy and practice results in Chardonnays of extraordinarily diverse styles being made, but with a common thread of pure fruit, that hallmark of Australian white winemaking. Those from the leading warm to temperate areas (Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Cowra, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and selected parts of the Riverland) are unctuously rich, creamy, peachy mouthfilling wines with a warm afterglow. Those from the cooler areas (Southern and Highland Victoria, Padthaway, Coonawarra, Tasmania, Margaret River and the Great Southern) are much more delicate and restrained, with citric/grapefruit flavours and length to the finish which augurs well for their longevity.<B>New Zealand</B>The rate of increase in New Zealand is every bit as dramatic as that of Australia. The variety made its appearance more recently, but has found similar acceptance. There have been two distinct phases in the development of style. In the 1980s the taste and texture of Chardonnay was a new and wonderful thing, and winemakers and consumers alike sought maximum extract and flavour. As the 90s have progressed, the style has become markedly more elegant and subtle, without in any way sacrificing complexity. New clones, reappraisal of existing clones and better winemaking techniques have all contributed to the changes. Auckland, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury and Otago are all capable of producing world class Chardonnays.chardon Chenin Blanc<B>Principal synonyms</B>Pineau de la Loire (and other specified districts in France); Steen (South Africa).<B>Australia</B>Yet another of the army of white varieties to have made substantial inroads in Australia since 1970, although its rate of growth has slowed markedly. Moreover, neither in Australia nor California does it show more than a fleeting glimpse of the wonderful flavour and character it achieves in Vouvray and Anjou (in the Loire Valley of France). In Australia it exhibits a soft, fruit salad flavour which I often describe as tutti-frutti, which is intended to gently disparage the variety. It is grown almost everywhere; the Swan Valley and Margaret River regions produce by far the best wines from chenin blanc, either as a straight varietal or in proprietary-labelled blends.<B>New Zealand</B>Chenin blanc rose from nowhere to briefly hold a position of importance in the New Zealand industry. However, its susceptibility to botrytis, and its failure to produce a wine of distinctive character, has seen its growth stall, and future predictions are that hectareage will in fact decrease. It is concentrated in the Hawke╒s Bay and Gisborne areas, with smaller plantings at Marlborough and around Auckland. It is used in New Zealand in much the same way as colombard is used in Australia; its high acid (under New Zealand growing conditions) makes it useful for blending with varieties such as mƒller thurgau. The Millton Vineyard in Gisborne has produced a number of exceptional botrytised examples in the 1990s.chenin_b Colombard <B>Principal synonyms</B>Colombier (France); French Colombard (California); Colombar (South Africa).Colombard has been the quiet achiever in Australia over the past 15 years, and its surprising rate of increase is expected to continue. In California, South Africa and Australia it has one highly desirable characteristic: it retains high levels of acidity in warm climates, providing a very fresh, crisp and fruity wine which does have a distinctive, slightly oily, acid finish. It is also high yielding, and the two characteristics make it ideal for cask and low-priced bottle wine, the latter formerly masquerading under the name Chablis in Australia. As has happened with many other varieties, Brown Brothers (King Valley, Victoria) was one of the early pioneers, and released a varietal Colombard early in the 1970s. However, since that time it has usually been relegated to the anonymity of generically labelled wines or (at best) blends. The one maker to achieve something special from it is the small Primo Estate in the Adelaide Plains region, where Joe Grilli waves his own magic wand to produce a tangy, lively wine which can look uncannily like a Sauvignon Blanc. Its origin, incidentally, was as the third ranked grape for making Cognac and Armagnac, coming after ugni blanc and folle blanche.colomb Doradillok<B>Principal synonyms</B>Blancet (incorrectly, Australia).<B>Australia</B>A fugitive from Spain (where it no longer exists) doradillo is heading on a firm downward path in Australia. It was once a highly productive and popular variety in the Riverland region of South Australia, producing large yields of neutral wine with both table and fortified wine uses. Grenache <B>Principal synonyms</B> ╤ grenache Garnacha, Tinto, Carignan Rosso (Spain); Alicante, Rousillon (France).<B>Principal synonyms</B> ╤ mourvedreMataro, Esparte (Australia).Grenache (the senior partner) and mourvedre (the junior and still commonly, albeit incorrectly, called mataro) have always occupied a significant place in the viticultural scene in Australia. Indeed, together with shiraz, these RhÖne Valley varieties once totally dominated red grape plantings in Australia, in South Australia in particular. During the long reign of fortified wine in the first half of this century, these grapes provided the oceans of port (tawny, ruby and vintage) made and consumed here and in the United Kingdom.In the wake of the resurgence in the popularity of shiraz, and even more so the value placed on old vines (typically bush-pruned and unirrigated), grenache was rediscovered as a table wine producer in the 1990s. Significant amounts of old vine grenache and mourvedre had been removed by the Vine Pull Scheme of the 1970s, but substantial areas remained, and are now in such demand that the 30-year decline in the fortunes of these varieties has been reversed, with plantings once again on the increase (albeit modestly). McLaren Vale produces marvellous Grenache, opulently fruity and spicy; that of the Barossa Valley is even riper in flavour, indeed to the point of being quite jammy. Mourvedre provides a counterbalancing streak of toughness, and blends extremely well with Grenache. Both varieties in turn are ideally suited to blending with Shiraz. Merlot!<B>Principal synonyms</B>Nil.<B>Australia</B>Merlot╒s projected rate of increase in production through to the end of the century far outstrips that of any other variety, and (from an admittedly low base) is twice that of shiraz or cabernet sauvignon. Whether the tonnes come in through winery doors remains to be seen; the plantings are there, but (unless grafted) merlot╒s yield can be decimated by adverse weather or soil conditions during flowering.The rate of increase is doubtless driven as much by marketing as by winemaking consideration, for it has become extremely fashionable as a varietal wine in the United States. Shortages there have forced leading producers such as Gallo and Mondavi to source their merlot from the South of France, a remarkable development in the latter part of the 1990s. The opportunity for Australia to help fill the gap is all too obvious.In the longer term it remains to be seen whether its primary use will be as a blend mate with Cabernet Sauvignon (as it has been to date) or whether (marketers to one side) it can stand as a varietal in its own right.<B>New Zealand</B>Merlot is used in New Zealand in much the same way as it is in Australia, although it is more a case of compliementary use given the softer structure of the Cabernet Sauvignon with which it is blended. Clearly, New Zealand winemakers are pleased with the result, and plantings are steadily increasing. Cabernet Franc, incidentally, is also used in blends in both countries, but is relatively more important in New Zealand than it is in Australia.merlot Mourvedre <B>Principal synonyms</B> ╤ grenache Garnacha, Tinto, Carignan Rosso (Spain); Alicante, Rousillon (France).<B>Principal synonyms</B> ╤ mourvedreMataro, Esparte (Australia).Grenache (the senior partner) and mourvedre (the junior and still commonly, albeit incorrectly, called mataro) have always occupied a significant place in the viticultural scene in Australia. Indeed, together with shiraz, these RhÖne Valley varieties once totally dominated red grape plantings in Australia, in South Australia in particular. During the long reign of fortified wine in the first half of this century, these grapes provided the oceans of port (tawny, ruby and vintage) made and consumed here and in the United Kingdom.In the wake of the resurgence in the popularity of shiraz, and even more so the value placed on old vines (typically bush-pruned and unirrigated), grenache was rediscovered as a table wine producer in the 1990s. Significant amounts of old vine grenache and mourvedre had been removed by the Vine Pull Scheme of the 1970s, but substantial areas remained, and are now in such demand that the 30-year decline in the fortunes of these varieties has been reversed, with plantings once again on the increase (albeit modestly). McLaren Vale produces marvellous Grenache, opulently fruity and spicy; that of the Barossa Valley is even riper in flavour, indeed to the point of being quite jammy. Mourvedre provides a counterbalancing streak of toughness, and blends extremely well with Grenache. Both varieties in turn are ideally suited to blending with Shiraz. Mƒller Thurgauv<B>Principal synonyms</B>Riesling-Sylvaner (New Zealand and Switzerland).<B>Australia</B>Tiny patches of the variety do exist, but are too small to fall into the statistical net. Rare commercial releases have been made, but one wonders why.<B>New Zealand</B>Mƒller thurgau was the first <I>vitis vinifera</I> grape to establish itself in New Zealand in effective competition with the <I>vinifera-labrusca</I> hybrid crosses which had dominated the scene for the first half of this century. Plantings grew at a phenomenal rate through the 1960s and 1970s; by 1975 it accounted for 50 per cent of all new vineyards, and in 1989 still represented just under 30 per cent of New Zealand's total plantings. Since then its position has continued to decline, and its future is even bleaker. By 1996 it had shrunk to only 12 per cent and by 1999 it is expected it will account for only 6 per cent of the country╒s plantings. This rate of change is quite extraordinary, and was inconceivable 15 years ago. New Zealanders were then very proud of their Mƒller Thurgau, and ever ready to leap to its defence. I vividly remember judging at the 1983 Auckland Wine Show, and thinking to myself ╘Mƒller, Mƒller everywhere, and not a drop to drink╒. There were endless classes of Mƒller Thurgau, each containing 5 grams more of residual sugar than the class before, with the fruit flavour never changing, and the sweetness simply building. Its high yield, and the inoffensive (if exceptionally bland) wine it produces ensures it will always have a place in the scheme of things, fulfilling much the same function as sultana and muscat gordo blanco do in Australia.muller_tMuscat Gordo Blanco9<B>Muscat Dr Hogg (New Zealand)</B><B>Principal synonyms</B>Muscatel, Lexia (Australia); Moscatel (Europe, with various other words added); Hanepoot (South Africa).<B>Australia</B>Muscat gordo blanco (more correctly called Muscat of Alexandria) is one of the two multipurpose grapes which were the engines driving the dramatic explosion in the sale and consumption of cask white wine through the 1970s and ╒80s.With the radical restructuring of the nation╒s viticultural resources described in the introduction to this section, the proportional contribution of muscat gordo blanco to the annual crush is in continuing decline. But it does have the advantage of possessing a quite positive spicy/grapey aroma and flavour, diluted when yields are very high but intensifying when they are less extreme.<B>New Zealand</B>The New Zealand muscat is not in fact muscat gordo blanco, but another member of the vast muscat family which started life as a table grape in England's greenhouses. It performs as one expects it should, making wine with a strong grapey, aromatic scent and flavour; it is used in precisely the same way as it is in Australia ╨ that is to add flavour to cask wines (in this case blended with Mƒller Thurgau), to make limited quantities of semi-sweet varietal table wine, and in spumante-styled sparkling wine. Palomino and Pedro Ximinezu<B>Principal synonyms</B>Palomino-Sweetwater (Australia).<B>Australia</B>The statistics have always unceremoniously lumped palomino and pedro ximenez together (palomino being the dominant partner in any event). The pragmatic genesis of this practice is the near identical use of the two varieties, but also a certain degree of confusion with a third and lesser Spanish variety, canocazo (which one suspects is still treated as being within this statistical group). Although the use of the two grapes may be identical, it is in fact multipurpose: in years gone by, the principal use was in making sherry, but with the decline in sherry consumption, increasing quantities are diverted to cask wine. The vast bulk of the plantings are in South Australia spread between the Riverland region, the Barossa Valley and the Clare Valley. Given the decline in the fortified wine market, and the increasing availability of premium white varieties, it is not the least bit surprising to see that production has declined continuously (and sharply) since 1969.<B>New Zealand</B>The grape is used almost exclusively in the production of New Zealand's motley band of sherries; the plantings, concentrated around Auckland, with smaller hectareages in Hawke╒s Bay, Gisborne and Marlborough, are in sharp decline. In New Zealand as in Australia, the variety is popular with growers because of its high yield.
Pinot Noir <<B>Principal synonyms</B>Pineau (France and archaic Australian); Spatburgunder (Germany); Klevner (Switzerland).<B>Australia</B>Pinot noir is still much the debutante, pretty, but unsure of herself and of what dresses she should wear ╨ and with a few adolescent spots on her complexion. Although plantings have significantly increased over the past decade, much of the production is still used to make sparkling wine. Most of the early plantings were in regions which have proved unsuited to making table wine, and in any event demand for sparkling wine base remained strong.This classic grape of Burgundy is grown in practically every country in the world, but is generally thought to produce wine of real quality in cool climates only. There are those who would say that these (warm) regions are little more suited to growing pinot noir for sparkling wine than they are for table wine, and such critics are right.Pinot noir╒s real success as a table wine first came from the five areas around Melbourne (Geelong, Macedon, Mornington Peninsula, South Gippsland and the Yarra Valley) which have achieved a consistency of style and quality unmatched by other regions, the Yarra Valley leading the way.Slowly but surely, other regions are nonetheless inching their way forward. The Adelaide Hills around Lenswood and the Piccadilly Valley; Tumbarumba in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales; Drumborg in Far South West Victoria; the Great Southern region of Western Australia (some real achievement and an abundance of potential) are the mainland contenders. Then there is Tasmania; here the east coast (conspicuously Freycinet Vineyard year in, year out), the Coal River, the Huon and Derwent valleys and Pipers River have all come up with excellent Pinot Noir when vintage conditions are right ╨ which they aren╒t always.<B>New Zealand</B>Here, too, Pinot Noir has come into its own as a table wine in the 1990s. First Canterbury, then Wellington/Wairarapa pointed the way, but now Marlborough is joining in as the second rate clone of Bachtabel gives way to clones suited to red wine production.Indeed, as the new century approaches, New Zealand is poised to become a significant player in the worldwide production of pinot noir, its quality potential in the whole of the South Island being significantly greater than that of cabernet sauvignon.pinot_nRiesling><B>Principal synonyms</B>After being incorrectly called Rhine Riesling in Australia since time immemorial, now given its correct name.<B>Australia</B>Until the end of the 1980s, there were more 750 millilitre bottles of Riesling sold than any other variety, white or red. The mere fact that Chardonnay has surpassed it in popularity does not mean the end of Riesling: it will remain Australia╒s most important white grape, and sixth most important overall. Nor should the popularity of Chardonnay be taken as evidence of any want of character or quality in Australian Riesling. The reality is that it is of very high quality, even if the style is not duplicated elsewhere.Just as South Australia was for many years the focal point of winemaking in Australia, so it was the home of Riesling. In turn, the greatest Rieslings are widely accepted as coming from the Clare and Eden valleys. Each can lay claim to primacy, although the style is subtly different. That of the Eden Valley shows pronounced lime juice aroma and flavour which peaks after three or four years in bottle, before developing the more complex aromas and flavours of fully mature Riesling. That of the Clare Valley is initially less opulently fruity, with a steely structure which can mask the passionfruit and lime flavours of the young wine, and which develops a characteristic toasty aroma and flavour as it matures.Traditionally, considerable quantities of riesling were also grown on the floor of the Barossa Valley, but Yalumba pioneered the move to the Adelaide Hills with its progressive establishment of the Pewsey Vale, Heggies Vineyard and Hill Smith Estate. Riesling of the Barossa Valley floor makes a full-flavoured style, but seldom one of the quality of the Adelaide Hills or Clare Valley. Similarly, McLaren Vale Riesling tends to be heavy, and certainly to lack the extraordinary longevity of the best wines of the Clare and Eden valleys. Despite its statistical importance in Coonawarra, it has proved a difficult variety for most of the major companies: only Wynns seems to have mastered the variety.Padthaway has been a far happier hunting ground for Lindemans, Hardys and Seppelt. These are delicately fruity wines, and not infrequently show the effects of a lesser or greater degree of botrytis. Not surprisingly, the great botrytised Rieslings of South Australia come from Padthaway, with Hardys, Lindemans, Seppelt and Tollana to the fore.New South Wales is simply not a producer of quality riesling, either in the premium regions or in the irrigation areas along the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers. The South Australian Riverland does produce one or two wines of good value, but one has to travel to the Great Southern region of Western Australia to again find Rieslings of comparable style and quality to South Australia's best. They certainly do exist here: the Great Southern region produces what are arguably the slowest developing and most tightly structured examples of all, and is doing so in ever increasing numbers.<B>New Zealand</B>Riesling is a Cinderella variety which has really only come into its own over the past ten years. It was certainly grown and produced prior to that time, but the wines altogether lacked the quality which is now commonplace.Its principal home is the South Island, with by far the greatest plantings to be found in the Marlborough region. Here it produces finely structured, delicately fruity wines, with crystal clear intensity of flavour akin to the finest German Riesling. It is also grown in Gisborne and Hawke╒s Bay, but seldom produces a wine of note from these districts. Reverting to the South Island, there are plantings around Christchurch, and small but important vineyards in Nelson. Botrytised styles can be produced in almost all growing regions, and although the total market for such wines is small, the quality potential is unlimited.rieslingSauvignon Blanc ╗<B>Principal synonyms</B>None, other than the meaningless FumÄ Blanc label in Australia and the United States.<B>Australia</B>Sauvignon blanc first made its appearance in the statistical records in Australia in the mid-1970s: in the 1977 vintage, a total of 647 tonnes were crushed across Australia. Thereafter it spread across most wine growing districts, but throughout the 1980s by and large failed to capture the imagination of either winemakers or consumers. However, lessons have been learned about where not to grow it (avoid warm climates) and how not to make it (avoid excessive oak), and in the latter part of the 1990s sauvignon blanc is poised to move forward again.Its focus will be on the cooler regions of Australia ╨ the Adelaide Hills, Padthaway, Coonawarra, the alpine country of New South Wales, Margaret River and Great Southern ╨ and the wine will either be fermented in stainless steel or given just a touch of oak by one means or another.<B>New Zealand</B>Sauvignon blanc is the variety which has put New Zealand on the world map. By far the most important plantings, both in terms of size and quality, are those of the Marlborough region, but there are also significant plantings in Hawke╒s Bay and Gisborne. All the other regions contribute to the total crush; all produce wines of quality.Sauvignon blanc was essentially the creation of Montana; its first vintage of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was made in 1980 and the wine still stands as a landmark achievement. Montana has never sought to make Sauvignon Blanc into something it is not. It is content to make the wine as simply as possible, with no thought of oak, and to market the wine while it retains all its exuberant freshness of youth. (The performance of that 1980 vintage should not mislead anyone into thinking this is a classic cellaring wine style: it is not.)What Montana started, first Selaks and then Cloudy Bay (with dramatic flair) continued. Cloudy Bay, in particular, has introduced an element of sophistication in the wine which Montana does not have, and the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc gets better and better, challenged (if at all) only by Hunter╒s. Its sophistication comes in the form of barrel fermentation of a percentage of the finished wine, some delicately-judged winemaking decisions in terms of chemical composition and residual sugar, and in the form of some selected viticultural practices. But virtually every New Zealand winemaker has at least one Sauvignon Blanc in its stable, often two. The wines are now made in an immense diversity of style, involving wooded and non-wooded wines; those blended with a touch of Semillon; those in which the winemaker has sought to introduce complexity by the use of skin contact and/or malolactic fermentation; and those, deliberately or otherwise, influenced by botrytis. If one looks at the full spectrum of style, that of Montana stands at one extreme, and those of Morton Estate and Kumeu River (although different from each other) stand at the other extreme. Unless you are one of those implacably opposed to any hint of Sauvignon Blanc aroma or flavour, one or other maker of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand will produce wines at a relatively modest cost which you will find irresistible.sauvig_bSemillon ?<B>Principal synonyms</B>Hunter River Riesling (Australia); Green grape (South Africa).<B>Australia</B>If South Australia has been the home of riesling, so the Hunter Valley is the home of semillon. Here it has produced a wine which has no correlative anywhere else in the world, but which nonetheless has generally been recognised as being of world class. The greatest of all were the Lindeman wines, which died an abrupt death in 1970: the old, low yielding vines from which the fabulously honeyed, toasty, mouthfilling wines of the 1950s and ╒60s were abandoned as subeconomic, and the production base shifted to much higher yielding vines at Fordwich. The magic lay almost entirely in the vineyard: this was no-frills winemaking, with oak playing no role at all. There are signs that Lindemans is endeavouring to regain some of the lost inheritance, but for the time being the flame is carried primarily by McWilliam╒s (via its excellent Elizabeth and superlative Lovedale Semillons, the latter released with ten years bottle age), with support by Tyrrell╒s (via its Aged Release programme for Vat 1, usually with five years age) but, alas, no longer by The Rothbury Estate. Young Semillons are, of course, made by many producers and are of high quality; all you have to do is the cellaring.Semillon is grown successfully through the Riverland of South Australia, in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of New South Wales (where De Bortoli produces the superlative botrytised Noble One, inspiring others to emulate but never surpass it), in the Barossa Valley, in McLaren Vale and most notably ╨ in terms of quality ╨ in the Margaret River of Western Australia. Here, either alone or blended with Sauvignon Blanc it makes the best Semillon to be found outside the Hunter Valley. The style is different: more opulent and concentrated when young, typically strongly herbaceous, and reaching much higher baumÄ levels than it does in the Hunter Valley (where it usually achieves only 10.5í to 11í baumÄ). On the other hand, it does not have the same longevity.As the statistics show, semillon is flourishing, with significant increases in plantings anticipated. Yet so far it has not achieved anything like the recognition given to Shiraz in export markets. It shares with Shiraz its uniquely Australian style and (I believe) equally high quality. It may yet prove to be Australia╒s secret weapon.<B>New Zealand</B>Presumably as a result of climate (although this is not an altogether convincing explanation) most of New Zealand's Semillon tastes like, and is usually blended with, Sauvignon Blanc. Its plantings are concentrated in the Gisborne area, with lesser quantities at Marlborough and around Auckland. Plantings are increasing, but by no means dramatically, and there is as yet no evidence to suggest that it will become an important variety in its own right.semillonShiraz
≤<B>Principal synonyms</B>Hermitage (Australia); Syrah, Sirah (France); Petit Syrah (France and the United States).<B>Australia</B>Shiraz is the classically bred stayer which wins the Melbourne Cup, having been overtaken by a very good sprinter, but has come again in the straight. For the first 60 years of this century it was also regarded as the finest red grape, and its apparent fall from grace as cabernet sauvignon blossomed was a classic case of the pendulum swinging too far. It was the red grape upon which the reputations of the Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley and Coonawarra were founded. It produced the incomparable wines of Maurice O'Shea at McWilliam╒s Mount Pleasant and of Lindemans (both in the Lower Hunter Valley), the fabled Woodley Treasure Chest series from Coonawarra, and last but by no means least Max Schubert chose it in preference to Cabernet Sauvignon when he fashioned Penfolds Grange Hermitage (the Barossa Valley). Most recently the wonderfully spicy, textured wines of central and southern Victoria and of the Great Southern have added another dimension, while the ╘Old Vine╒ shiraz plantings of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale have spawned an industry of their own.These dry-grown, bush-pruned, 100-or-more-year-old vines yield small crops of intensely coloured and flavoured grapes. It was these which were recognised by Max Schubert and which are the sole source for Henschke╒s Hill of Grace, which was planted in the late 1860s. Almost despised 20 years ago, every surviving patch of old South Australian shiraz is now treated as a national vinous treasure.The variety has always been a favourite of the grape growers: it yields well, but reacts adversely to excessive rain (or irrigation). The berries continue to swell as the vine takes up moisture, and failure to ripen, coupled with berry split and rot, are the inevitable consequences of overcropping. In the winery it is handled in much the same way as cabernet sauvignon, with similar options to the winemaker.It is grown everywhere: initially the influence of the region is very pronounced, but with 20 or 30 years bottle age that gently earthy, softly velvety and almost luminous sweet core of fruit takes over. At this stage a great Coonawarra Shiraz can resemble a Hunter, and Hunter (such as Lindemans 1959 Bin 1590) may well be confused with a Jaboulet La Chapelle of the same age ╨ and so on. Over a shorter time frame, there is certainly an Australian Shiraz to suit every palate and, indeed, every pocket.<B>New Zealand</B>While still grown in minuscule quantities, interest in the variety has blossomed in the 1990s, with Ata Rangi and Stonecroft showing that, with appropriate site selection and viticultural management, wines with both varietal character and vinosity can be made.shirazSultanaΘ<B>Principal synonyms</B>Thompson Seedless (California and Australia).<B>Australia</B>Sultana is the table and dried grape with which everyone is familiar. Its usage as a wine grape has varied from 75,000 tonnes in 1989 to 145,000 tonnes in 1996, reflecting swings in the supply/demand balance of wine grapes. From a viticultural viewpoint, and reflecting its irrigation area base, it is a prolific bearer; when demand is high, it is a veritable cash cow for the growers. From a winemaking viewpoint, it is one of the least exciting varieties, and is technically quite difficult to handle because of the absence of seeds, which makes pressing difficult. Its chief attribute is moderately high acidity; the flavour is neutral but not coarse. Trebbiano╙<B>Principal synonyms</B>White shiraz, white hermitage (Australia); St emilion (California, and Charente, France); in its native Italy there are a range of clones which add on the regional name ╨ thus Trebbiano Toscano.<B>Australia</B>As in Italy, it produces an essentially neutral, and rather hard wine, which has a certain toughness. It is used extensively in cask wine (particularly where a less aromatic style is required) and likewise as a blend component in cheaper sparkling wine. Its chief viticultural (and for that matter, winemaking) advantage is that it is an extremely high yielding variety. Small plantings crop up in almost all regions, but (not surprisingly) it is most common in the Riverland region. White Frontignac!<B>Principal synonyms</B>Muscat blanc ê petits grains, muscat blanc, frontignan and brown muscat (Australia); muscat de frontignan and muscat d'alsace, Muscato (Italy); white muscat and muscat canelli (California).<B>Australia</B>To put it mildly, the statistics for the muscat family in Australia have been somewhat confused. The confusion comes from the fact that almost all of the muscats taste superficially similar, but can appear very different: just to make matters worse, frontignac is a genetically unstable variety which can produce white, pink or brown grapes. The final confusion has come from the fact that the variety is used to make intensely fruity, light Spètlese styles in precisely the same way as muscat gordo blanco (muscat of Alexandria) at the one extreme, and at the other the magnificent fortified Muscats of north east Victoria. These extraordinary luscious and concentrated wines, with the almost searing sweetness of the mid-palate giving way to a cleansing, drying finish produce one of the great wine styles of the world.
