A world of confusion when it comes to wine branding

 

Do you know your shiraz from your syrah; your zinfandel from your primitivo; your malbec from your côt; your rolle from your vermentino, your chenin blanc from your steen?

It sometimes seems as if the wine industry tries its best to confuse consumers with the use of different names for the same grape varieties.

Just because someone enjoys a glass of mataro doesn't mean they will also opt for bottle of mourvedre. They might not even know they are different names for the same grape.

This chain of thought comes about after I enjoyed a very impressive 2021 Nebbiolo Bianco from the Adelaide Hills made by Hesketh Wines. It was delightfully crisp and fresh, and good value for $24.

Not knowing anything about Nebbiolo Bianco I did some research and found it is better known as arneis - Holm Oak in northern Tasmania make a very fine example.

For centuries the arneis grape was used to soften nebbiolo grape harshness in the wines of the Barolo region, and it became known as nebbiolo bianco.  

The Australian wine industry revels in this style of chaos.

Australia, for instance, is the only major wine producer to make shiraz. In France, the US, South Africa and around the globe, the grape is generally known as syrah.

No one knows for certain why the name was changed. But it helped brand Australian offerings as a noteworthy style.

In Australia wines are generally labelled shiraz if they are big, alcoholic and often oaky. Winemakers use "syrah" to indicate their wines are more stylish and subdued. 

But does the consumer understand the distinction, or do Joe Public from Moonee Ponds and Jane Spratt from Bumcrack, Iowa, actually think they are two different varieties.

It is understandable that grape varieties may have different names in different countries. Thus trebbiano in Italy is ugni blanc in southern France. And albarino in Spain can be alvarinho in Portugal.

Thus we have pinot gris in Alsace, pinot grigio in Italy and grauburgunder in German-speaking nations. All the same grape, just made in different styles. 

We have petit syrah, or sometimes durif. 

But in Australia do we really need to use mataro, mourvedre and monastrell for the same grape?

If you really want to be confused and bemused, check out this document:

https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/2273/oiv-liste-publication-2013-complete.pdf

Roads less travelled: There is more to England than London

There is more to England than tourist hot spots like London, Stonehenge and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Many visitors to England don't get as far as the Lake District, Dartmoor and other country regions; let alone visiting cities like Liverpool, York or Norwich.

And that is equally true of domestic tourists, who rarely venture off their well-beaten paths.

VisitEngland has this week launched a new Escape the Everyday campaign, hoping to encourage more short-breaks stays in English cities this northern spring and early summer.

The Enjoy an English city break this spring campaign is putting the spotlight on the destinations, visitor attractions and experiences on offer across England’s cities, to build back demand for domestic breaks.

The campaign also aims to support cities, city attractions and regional gateways, hit hard by the lack of international visitors.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: "Our cities have attractions, tours and experiences to suit all interests.

"Businesses are eager to see visitors and we want everyone to get involved, book a short-break to our cities and kick-start the tourism season."

Cities involved in the campaign include Bath, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Coventry, Exeter, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich (the River Wensum is pictured top), Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield and York.

The campaign will run across the partners’ digital channels, including Instagram and Facebook, with city-focused content ranging from short films and articles to interactive city guides, city ‘show reels’ and city story quizzes.

City-inspired content is also running across VisitEngland’s digital channels highlighting sustainability, connecting with loved ones and looking ahead to 2022 events.

A dedicated Escape the Everyday hub on www.VisitEngland.com is also featuring ideas, experiences and activities on what to see and do across England’s cities.

Dress to impress; a cocktail collection that's very fashionable

If you have a date you want to impress with your style, sophistication and over-sized wallet then head for Sofitel Melbourne on Collins o sample a "Coco Chanel-inspired" cocktail menu that features a $400 drink that comes with its own own miniature custom couture cocktail jacket. 

The extravagant line-up is on offer from today until April 26 at the hotel's signature bar, The Atrium, located on level 35 (the views from the toilets are also pretty swish). 

Alongside the bar's hero $400 drink, guests will also be able to enjoy other cocktail options from $30.

The limited-edition star of the show, Classique Sensation (above), features Richard Hennessy Paradis Cognac with French aperitifs, a Champagne liqueur - Marc de Champagne - with 24k gold leaf and adorned wearing its own miniature custom couture cocktail jacket, made from material sourced from the same tweed houses used by the Chanel design house.

Other menu highlights include the Little Black Dress ($120), which showcases Taittinger Nocturne Champagne, Chateau du Tariquet Blanche Armagnac, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, house-made black cocoa syrup, egg white and edible camellia sugar flower. The glass is also dressed in its own couture black dress.

Le Mélange Unique (above) blends French whisky and liqueurs like Michel Couvreur “The Unique” with Australian botanicals and aperitifs like Autonomy Distillers Davo Plum Bitters - and at $32 it is a far more affordable option. 

For bookings, visit www.sofitel-melbourne.com.au

So you would like to taste a 100-year-old wine?

 

Seppeltsfield, one of the most famous names in the Australian wine industry, is today celebrating the unveiling of the new release of one of Australia’s most significant wines: the 1922 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny.

Seppeltsfield was established in the Barossa in 1851 by the Seppelt family and is one of the oldest wineries in Australia.

The new release coincides with the Seppelt family having moved into the homestead on February 20, 1851.

This will be the 45th consecutive 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny to be released from the 1878 Centennial Cellar – and cellar door visited are invited to sample the historic fortified; for a price. 

Chief winemaker Fiona Donald describes the 1922 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny as having "great intensity harnessed by citrusy acid and notes of sun dried stone fruit – nutty, spicy, with terrific length. A more savoury expression with focused lift and intensity of spicy walnut liqueur – woody, toasty, some herbal notes, too”.

The 1922 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny has limited availability in a 100ml format - hand filled to order, individually numbered and authenticated for collection purposes. It is presented in a Jarrah timber gift box with a certificate that can be personalised.

Available from Seppeltsfield cellar door or via Seppeltsfield.com.au with shipping possible worldwide.

The special fortified wine can also be tasted at the Seppeltsfield cellar door. 

The 100ml package costs $1,500, while a 10ml tasting at cellar door costs $90. 

French toast a record year for wine and spirit sales

French wine and spirits exports hit a new record high in value in 2021, the Federation of French Wine and Spirits Exporters (FEVS) said. 

Sales were boosted by the lifting of US tariffs and by the start of an economic recovery after the pandemic 

Overseas sales of wine and spirits - France’s second-biggest export after the aerospace sector - reached €15.5 billion in 2021, up 28% on 2020 and 11% above 2019, FEVS reported. 

“The growth in value is almost three times the rate of growth in volume, showing the increasing added value of wine and spirits exports,” FEVS President Cesar Giron said.

Wine shipments to the US, France’s largest export market in value, jumped 34% last year to €4.1 billion, Reuters reported. 

The bad news is that French wine exports this year and next could be hurt by lower volumes after spring frosts hit vineyards, Giron said.

The Beaujolais region harvested only half of its average volume while Bordeaux fell by a quarter. 

Image: Emanuele Lattarulo, Scop.io

It's over: cruise company officially out of business

Cash-strapped Crystal Cruises has officially shut down its operations. 

A Florida court approved Michael Moecker & Associates to act for the cruise line under an assignment for the benefit of creditors (ABC) filing. 

This specialist company now has control of what's left of Crystal's non-ship assets, its accounts and records and will be collecting creditors' claims for payment. 

This includes the claims of passengers, travel advisors, vendors, shoreside employees and crew.

Crystal said all 238 employees at its Miami base have been laid off. 

"We are taking the action because we will be undertaking an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or seeking similar relief," Crystal said in a letter to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.

Interim president and CEO Jack Anderson said: "This was an extremely difficult decision but a prudent one given the current business environment and recent developments with our parent company, Genting Hong Kong."

Two Crystal ships were seized earlier this month in the Bahamas over $US4.6 million in unpaid fuel bills.

The US Federal Maritime Commission is advising customers to make a claim with their credit card issuer, or via their insurer, to speed up processing.

Anderson estimated over $US100 million is being held by Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

Crystal Cruises was headquartered in Miami after being founded in 1988 by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha. 

It had been owned since 2015 by Hong Kong-based Genting Hong Kong, which subsequently encountered financial difficulties. 

Both brands have now ceased all operations. V.Ships Leisure has been appointed to manage Crystal's fleet of ships.