POSTED: 22 JULY 2010

The demise of the weed

Standing ankle-deep in the bay at St Kilda last week, I detected two new sounds emanating from the south-east. The first — a collective, plaintiff cry — seemed to come from a get-together of Kiwi grapegrowers, winemakers and bank managers analysing the state of New Zealand’s wine industry. The second — a gurgling noise — was most likely the result of the 2010 vintage of NZ sauvignon blanc being flushed into the Pacific.

For at least a decade, Marlborough sauvignon blanc has dominated consumption of white wine in Australia. But now, because of overproduction, undercharging and a higher New Zealand dollar, the result of putting all the region’s grapes into one varietal basket is becoming painfully obvious.

Like many others the world over, I was fascinated by the vigour, youthfulness and exuberance of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc when it was launched in the late 1980s. It created a precedent that NZ winemakers thought pointed to a secure and booming future.

Given that Marlborough sauvignon blanc is now often available for less than packaging cost — that is, the cost of glass, cork, label and carton, plus the accompanying taxes — it is not surprising that so many producers are facing liquidation.

The corollary of this is that Australian chardonnay, which has recently produced a run of excellent vintages, is ready to pick up the slack in sales.

The 2009 crop of Yarra Valley chardonnays, headed by Toolangi, Oakridge and Tarrawarra, are all made in the “new Australian style” — lean, mean and freshly acidic rather than flabby, oaky and full of toast-and-butter flavours.

Even budget-priced bottles, such as Punt Road and De Bortoli’s Windy Peak and Gulf Station brands, hold chardonnays of outstanding flavour.

With more than just a little bit of luck, those of us who have spent a decade quaffing NZ sav blancs will have enough tastebuds remaining to appreciate the quality of Australian chardy.

Jeff Gordon is one of Australia's most experienced winewriters and is highly regarded for his always insightful, occasionally inciteful, commentary on matters grape. He has recently developed his own website — www.jeffgordon.com.au — which provides a new home for his pithy On the Nose column and also features a Thursday round-up of the weekly specials being offered by major liquor retailers.

Marlborough ... the result of putting all the region’s grapes into one varietal basket is becoming painfully obvious.