Aussie producer bemoans bulk wine "dealers"

Published: 11 February, 2010

One of Australia's leading producers has blamed bulk wine dealers for dragging down the country's image.

One of Australia's leading producers has blamed bulk wine dealers for dragging down the country's image.

Phil Laffer, Jacob's Creek chief winemaker, said : "Bulk wine dealers have been trading in wine rather than being winemakers, they have been our downfall and we now have to get rid them. We need to get rid of 25-30% of capacity to get things back into balance."

Laffer spoke to Harpers at the Australian Annual Trade Tasting, held at the Saatchi Gallery on Febuary 3. He said the recession had been "devastating", claimed the 3 for £10 deals plaguing Australian wine were totally unsustainable and the country had taken a step back to the 1990s in terms of pricing.

Laffer also said Australia would never again dominate the UK market. "Australia can take the credit for the British drinking wine and we had that market pretty much to ourselves for a while, but the UK is now a different place, drinkers expect much greater variety and it's natural they will want to move away from over popularity."

UK director of Wines of Australia, Lisa McGovern of Wines, said: "Everyone has a role to play in the restructuring of Australia and I don't think any one group should be singled out.

"The country has a holistic relationship in terms of inter-dependency and each has a part to play, that goes from growers, producers and negiotiants.

"The wine industry in Australia is for everyone. We are facing challenging times and Wines of Australia along with the other the Australian industry trade bodies are joining forces to take responsibility and shape the industry into moving forward, but it's not a blame game."

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