Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for the Wine Industry

I know we all aspire to be, and some of us truly think we are, perfect. But the truth is that nobody really is perfect, even the wine industry.

(what…ok…you’re right, but I’m the exception that makes the rule.)

So, with that in mind, I’ve decided to draft a list of resolutions that the industry can take into the New Year (I apologise in advance for the slight Australian Industry bias).

My top ten suggested resolutions are as follows:

1. Scrap the 100 point rating system – it’s widely acknowledged in the industry that it’s a complete load of crap;
2. Stop making over-extracted wines with 15+ % alc/vol - it burns my eyes, singes my nasal hairs and wrecks the f&*king wine!!!;
3. Somebody with some money please buy Penfolds back from Southcorp and let them start making decent wine again;
4. Most New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is rubbish – do us a favour, dig a big hole next to Lake Taupo and tip it in;
5. Somebody tell the Queenslanders that you quite simply can’t make decent wine from grapes grown that close to the equator;
6. Can the Victorians please learn from the Western Australians how to make Old World style wine in Australia;
7. Since when is a tax of 29% of the wholesale value of wine equitable. Lobby Big Kev to get rid of the W.E.T;
8. US$7000.00 is plainly a completely ridiculous price to pay for a bottle of wine. Let’s all get together and educate the uber-rich Chinese, Russian and Indian wine loovers that it’s what’s in the bottle that counts, not what’s on the label;
9. Any wine maker producing wine from Zinfandel grapes will be shot; and
10. Another one for the Victorians – 50/50 blends of Shiraz and Viognier DO NOT WORK.

As always, feel free to comment on the list or add you own resolutions as you like.

Happy New Year

MW