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Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Want to see more of them? Check out my archive. And here are my most Frequently Asked Questions.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
Why all the hype about the less expensive Aussie wine? Is it just a value perception?
—Dane G., Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Dane,
Yes, there's a perception that Australian wines offer good quality for the price, but it's not just hype—Aussie wineries have a consistent record for value.
What accounts for the values? According to editor at large Harvey Steiman, who covers Aussie wines for Wine Spectator, "By necessity—no large pool of cheap labor—Australia has automated a lot of its viticulture. This makes it possible to grow grapes efficiently for modestly priced wines. At the high end, Aussies do the same thing high-quality winegrowers do everywhere, including careful pruning, low yields, harvesting on flavor, making the wines in expensive equipment and using expensive barrels. Except for a few high-profile luxury wines, those prices are often lower than wines of similar quality made in France, Italy or California."
Harvey adds that this is changing, as the Aussie dollar edges up in value toward parity with the U.S. dollar. "A few years ago it was worth 60 cents. Now it's 93 cents. Many producers and importers are shrinking their margins to keep prices favorable, but that can't last forever. So jump now when you find a good value from Australia. It may not be there next year."
—Dr. Vinny
Do you have a question for me? Fire away!
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