A winery in Australia, apparently, goes bust every week, the result of a frenzy of planting and a domestic market that has seen huge consolidation into the hands a just a few players. For our part, the British are now drinking more Australian wines than French, although the reverse is true at Tanners. What was sobering was to see recently piles of old Semillon vines waiting to be burnt (Christmas-time with bush fires raging isn’t a good moment) and they were not going to be replanted with vines. On these travels we have already covered all the wine growing areas this Spring except Tasmania in an attempt to put together a range that combines most grape varieties, regions and prices. Notwithstanding the long distances involved, this should be an easy task were it not for so many Australian producers’ love of changing their distribution arrangements on an all too regular basis.

The premium wine regions of Australia are never much more than fifty miles from the ocean and its maritime influence on the climate. Moving further inland means ever increasing temperatures and declining rainfall, both enemies of producing quality grapes.