As the year draws to a close, the Australian wine industry will be hoping there’s not another quite like it. Not for some time, anyway. It began with a small, difficult vintage and ended with fears of winery closures. Throughout its history, Australian wine has taken the good with the bad. It’s a cyclical game, and typically its cycles come around every seven years or so. Exports are taking a hammering with every cent our dollar rises against the greenback, and it’s hard for many to imagine where the grapes are going to come from if our export growth is to continue unimpeded. But things change. They always do. Australian wine is a much bigger industry than ever it was, and it’s not about to disappear. 2004 might well be substantially more positive than 2003. And if it’s not, there’s always 2005. All the key players will still be there. With Jane Morgan who tends this website, Robyn Lee who looks after my book sales and Peter Bessey who has recently joined this outfit as its general manager, I wish you all a safe and enjoyable Christmas. We look forward to providing you with a world’s best practice service in 2004. With best wishes, Jeremy Oliver.
