Seasons greetings to you all. Thank you for your support of this publication in its earliest stages. Your interest and feedback is all I can ask for. You may have noticed that I have included two copies of Jeremy Oliver OnWine with this issue. In the spirit of Christmas, I would be especially grateful it you might handball the extra copy to someone who might be interested as well. 1996 has been something of a watershed for the Australian wine industry. It has produced by clear daylight our biggest vintage of all time, until the 1997 harvest comes off the vine, that is. In Wine Australia it has witnessed an optimistic conclusion to the largest industry-sponsored wine event ever held in this country. It has experienced a return to the stratospheric growth rates of wine exports in line with the last decade’s growth; it has presided over dramatic price rises for quality wine at home, it has heralded such dramatic international media coverage for Australian wine that it could be shipped to twice as many countries as it already is and, throughout, it has fashioned a serious shortage of premium red both at home and overseas. All signs of things to come. If our winemakers had a wish for 1997, sunshine would be the word. Spare a kindly thought for those in the coolish south-eastern regions who have experienced the truly blunt end of the cool climate phenomenon for the past few seasons. And while in a serene mood of benediction and generosity, harbour in your heart sweet thoughts for those who would still denounce the wine industry as a peddler of pernicious drugs, that they may taste a Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir 1994 and discover for themselves what we have known all along – that wine is indeed the drink of the angels. Spare also a small, but carefully directed thought towards our lawmakers, that they may continue to let us enjoy the most civilised and soothing beverage ever created without excessive restriction or accompanied by health warnings in letters twenty feet high. A peaceful and safe Christmas to each of you.
