It’s on the record. Just as we are renewing a soulful acquaintance with that most indigenous of Australian table wines, the damn drink will have to change its name! A problem we can live with, I’m sure, because where just five years ago there were hardly four or five different sparkling burgundies to be found, there are now forty we know of, about twenty more in the pipeline and another twenty still in the rumour mill. This information comes to Winestate courtesy of Captain Spurgle, better known in his adopted home of Melbourne as Ian Loftus. Mr Loftus (known as ‘Lofty’ to just about all who know him and many who haven’t) is almost singly responsible for the renewal of this genuine craze. He initiated the Sparkling Burgundy Day concept in Melbourne in 1991 on what has become known as Australian National Sparkling Burgundy Day, which falls on or around the day two and a half months after Lofty thought he might stage it again. Captain Spurgle has seen to it that spurgling sales have rocketed. It’s jsut a shame that the industry hasn’t recognised this achievement in a proper (i.e. financial) manner. Lofty must be worth a mint to Seppelts and the like. The good Captain, who is closer to this style of wine than many of us thought possible, declares proudly that quality is improving all the time, as winemakers take the fizzy red subject very seriously indeed. Even the Poms are taking to it with more glee than is customary. It’s most popular in Australia within the 25-45 year bracket, not necessarily amongst the wine buffs, but with people who know how to enjoy themselves with wine and food, he says. I have to agree with Captain Spurgle when he expects Seppelt to lead the quality race for a while yet, if not simply because because of its unparalleled access to older stocks. The future looks red and bubbly with Captain Spurgle. As long as he’s around at least there’s no danger of returning to Cold Duck.
