| Shiraz is the dominant red winegrape variety in | | | | winemakers using this variety. One factor which |
| Australia. It is the key component of Grange, the | | | | has held the variety back in the past has been |
| flagship Australian wine label. At the other end of | | | | clonal variation, this has been overcome by careful |
| the scale it makes up the bulk of the cheap and | | | | selection by vine nurseries. Over the past few |
| cheerful red wines in the everyday bottled brands | | | | years a significant number of producers have |
| such as Jacobs Creek, Oxford Landing and | | | | been able to show just what the variety is |
| yellowtail. | | | | capable of. The wines show plum and cherry |
| But Shiraz has not always held such a hold over | | | | flavours and to my mind these flavours as well as |
| the market. Until the mid nineties Cabernet | | | | the Italian wine textures will mean that the |
| Sauvignon was regarded as the superior variety | | | | bandwagon for this variety will keep rolling for |
| and this was reflected in the prices paid at the | | | | quite a while. The number of winemakers and |
| cellar door. But the demand for exports has been | | | | consumers in Australia with an Italian background |
| mainly for Australian Shiraz and Cabernet has lost | | | | continues to provide plenty of champions for the |
| ground in the battle for consumer preference in | | | | variety. |
| Australia as well. | | | | Spain's answer to Sangiovese is Tempranillo. It is |
| Shiraz's reign at the top of the tree really started | | | | growing in popularity in many Australian wine |
| in the middle of the 1950s when it replaced | | | | regions. To a large extent the jury is still as many |
| Grenache as the most popular red winegrape | | | | of the plantings are still quite new. Among the |
| variety. In those days a much larger proportion of | | | | champions of the variety are James Halliday and |
| the wine market was devoted to fortified wine, | | | | Mark Walpole of Brown Brothers. Tempranillo |
| what we used to call Port. | | | | matures a little earlier than Shiraz or Sangiovese |
| Looking into the future the role of Shiraz seems | | | | so it can be grown in slightly cooler regions, |
| unassailable, but there are a few challengers on | | | | Indeed Manton Creek Vineyard in the Mornington |
| the horizon. The wine consumer is a fickle | | | | Peninsula is one of the more highly regarded |
| creature and fashions can change fairly quickly. | | | | producers. |
| Merlot is the third most popular red winegrape | | | | The Durif variety is regarded as a warm climate |
| variety in Australia. Much of the production goes | | | | variety, indeed it seemed as though Rutherglen |
| into blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, reflecting its | | | | held a monopoly on the variety. But in fact is |
| major role in Bordeaux. There are quite a few | | | | relatively early ripening, as demonstrated by John |
| varietal merlots also produced. There are two | | | | Vale at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula. The |
| reasons for thinking that Merlot won't displace | | | | outstanding feature of Durif is the high level of |
| Shiraz as our major tipple. Firstly there are | | | | tannins, but if these can be mastered then |
| viticultural problems relating to poor clones and it | | | | There are a few other varieties attracting |
| performs poorly in cooler regions. Secondly at the | | | | attention which will figure in the mix over the next |
| consumer end the wine often lacks a distinctive | | | | decade or so. Petit verdot is becoming much |
| varietal character. There seems to be no | | | | more popular in the warmer areas. It was |
| consensus among winemakers about what a good | | | | pioneered in Australia by Pirramirra in McLaren |
| merlot should be like. Meanwhile consumers think | | | | Vale but it is now grown extensively in the |
| of Merlot as meaning mellow. It is hard to find any | | | | Murray Darling and Riverina. |
| passion, for or against, this variety. | | | | Barbera and Nebbiolo are the two other Italian |
| Another contender is Grenache. This variety is | | | | varieties which are highly regarded in Australia. |
| widely planted in South Australia, particularly in the | | | | Lagrein is a little known Italian variety, in fact it is |
| Barossa and McLaren Vale regions. In the 1980s it | | | | from the North East of Italy. It is an early ripening |
| was subject to government sponsored vine pull | | | | variety and as such can be grown in the cooler |
| schemes in the belief that its days were over. Its | | | | climates. Cobaw Ridge in the Macedon Ranges |
| star is on the rise again both as a varietal and as | | | | region has a wonderful Lagrein. |
| the key to blends with Shiraz and Morvedre. | | | | So what is the verdict? Which red winegrape |
| Notwithstanding this recent return to favour, | | | | variety will be the next Shiraz? It seems to be a |
| Grenache will not seriously challenge Shiraz | | | | contest between Sangiovese and Tempranillo, |
| because of its need for a relatively warm climate. | | | | with both camps having some firm adherents. My |
| Sangiovese is a variety with a large and growing | | | | money at this stage goes with Sangiovese, it has |
| fan club. There are now over a hundred | | | | the runs on the board. |