Famous and reknown in the entire World, the margaret river region is peppered with wineries and viniards. Locals produce not only strong wines (equivalent to French Languedocs) but also cheese, beer, chocolate, olive oil and other yummies.
We therefore decided to join an afternoon tour with a gyude to have a better presentation of the history of the place. It turned out to be more a selling competition between wineries and all we eventually felt was to be tourists ready to have their weak euros milked down.
I remember publishing a couple of posts [Hunter Valley Wines] on Australian wine and complaining about its poor quality and taste.
After four years, I guess our palet didn’t spoil nor the quality increased.
Hunter Valley or Margaret River [W], NSW or WA, End East of End West of Australia : same bitterness and stingy feeling.
Whites are really transparent and without any kick, reds are so heavy you can see the ethanol sweating through the glass (14.5% – 15.5% is standard.)
We were reassured kiwi girls on the tour thought exactly the same. We were not just the French pretentious bastards fussying around. Down under, only tolerables wines are rosé.
Wines from New Zealand are much better, by all means, especially from the Malborough region (Oyster Bay Whites is a reference.)
But how come in the past few years, while in Europe, I had the chance to taste splendid australian wines ? A such paradox can now be easily explained.
Again Taxes are to be blamed.
26% of tax per year on a bottle. Let’s now play with numbers.
An average bottle of red wine from the current year -2011-, after tax costs $25, compared to 4€ here.
The same wine bottled in 2010 will be around 25 x 1.26 = $31.50
The same wine bottled in 2009 will be around 25 x 1.26² = $39.69
and so on…
Knowing that good quality wines needs at least 5 years to mature to reach the 1st peak and another 10 to reach the second, more earthy delight, you reach mind-blogging prices of resp. $80 and $800.
Few folks can offer such expensive drinks and the majority will stick to 2011 or 2010. Offer & Demand plays their role and you end up with crappy local wines in Oz and good ones from the same region in Europe, as those taxes only apply locally.
To sum up, no wonders why I had an excellent Pinot noir not a week ago at Taste Monde [W] from Australia in Paris and such a disapointment here down under. While in Oz, one should fetch only NZ bottles. Any recommendation, please ask :)
Posted by Konrad Florczak in Culture | Geo Posts | Honeymoon | Trips - (0 Comments)
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Back to Perth – End of Part 1
Time for honeymoon
Yes we finally got married with Erika, celebration was held the 10th of June 2011 at 
Second major change is workwise. I started officially to work for HP in march 2011. I applied in October 2010, but due to mental law on hiring/firing, it takes at least three months to change your job to be compliant with all policies.