The Lowdown on Australian Wine Prices

If you are browsing your favorite wine aisle in the near future for a good value, the Australian shelf might be the place to start your hunt. Spicy Aussie Shiraz, crisp Chardonnay and some smooth cabernet may be the best deals you can find due to three straight years of very fruitful growing seasons compounded by a growing number of wineries trying to catch up with newfound demand for Aussie Wines since the late 1990’s.The Winemakers Federation of Australia reports that the 2006 Grape intake did fall about 4 from the record year of 2005, but only due to the fact that many vineyards left grapes on the vine due to lower market prices that made harvesting and crushing those grapes uneconomical. Most of that 4 decline was in red wine grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot. White wine grape intake fell just a bit, with Chardonnay intake actually increasing. So how does this benefit visitors to www.RealFoodandWine.com and other casual wine drinkers? Well assuming the Aussie Dollar stays near its current valuation with the US Dollar, it is likely that your average Aussie Wine that is selling for $10-12 today, will likely be a $8-9 dollar wine by year end. Right now, there is about 1 years worth of “export” wine in holding tanks down under, so you can expect that there will be quite an attempt to empty those tanks somewhat before the next harvest. Aussie’s are currently just beginning to experience the cost benefits, with a couple “2-buck chucks, Aussie style” being sold. $2AU wine has not been seen previous to this. Expect those savings to start being exported in coming months and begin looking for some great deals. While we wouldn’t expect Penfold’s Grange to go on sale anytime soon, there are plenty of values available.What to look for?From low to high, here are some quality bargains to look for on everyday wines. We’d expect better values on the 2004 or later, though some 2003’s may also benefit from retailers clearing out shelf space. Notes from Wine.com. All available to buy from Wine.com. Oxford Landing 2005 Shiraz $8.99-- Oxford Landing Shiraz 2005 is deep purple red in colour with hints of ruby. Lifted notes of red berry fruits and plums on the nose with hints of white pepper and anise. Layers of raspberry and cherry fruit lead to a generous mid -palate. Soft tannins complement the length of fruit flavour and the mid palate fruit sweetness.Yalumba Y Series 2004 Unwooded Chardonnay $10.99-- Yalumba Y Series Unwooded Chardonnay 2005 is bright golden straw with vibrant green hues. The nose shows lifted tropical aromas including pineapple and paw-paw with musk, melon and a citrus zest. Flavours of rich melon and peach are accompanied by a creamy texture which finishes with a refreshing lemon tang.d’Arenberg 2004 Stump Jump Red $10.99-- A voluminous, sweet fruit, mulberry, raspberry, spicy and earthy nose leads through to the palate showing the same flavors as the aromas. A great round glycerol sweetness fills the mouth with a touch of fresh, ripe fruit tannins on the aftertaste.Wolf Blass 2003 Yellow Label Shiraz $11.99-- This Shiraz is a vivid dark red with a bouquet of lifted pepper and spice supported by subtle sweet-oak. The palate is full-bodied with excellent berry fruit flavours. It is a rich, complex and well-structured wine.Paringa 2003 Shiraz $12.99-- A favorite of the critics year in and year out, it's easy to see why. Great price, rich fruit, with the distinctive pepper/spice character on the bouquet and palate. The rich ripe dark berry/plum fruit with a touch of aniseed rounds things off nicely. The wine finishes with surprising power and structure that will soften with careful bottle maturation. This wine is a steal, get a case or two for backyard BBQs while its still around!Greg Norman Estates 2004 Chardonnay $15.99-- The bouquet has lifted nectarine, peach and citrus aromas with these flavors mirrored on the palate. A combination of American and French oak barrels have been used for fermentation and aging to support the fruit without dominating the palate.www.realfoodandwine.com focuses on great food and wine products targeting the average income consumer. To view this article within the Real Food and Wine website, visit www.realfoodandwine.com/Lowdown_On_Australian_Wine.shtml.

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