... And A Happy New Year!

Well folks, it's the last day of the year, and the last day of "the noughties". Are you glad to see the back of it or are you sad it's over? Was it a good year for you? A good decade? Or are you happy to be rid of it and are now looking forward to... what are we going to call the next decade? The "teens"?

And what will you remember it for? It's the decade which gave us the iPod and the iPhone, USB flash drives (does anyone even remember floppies now?), a shock financial meltdown (the "global financial crisis" or GFC, which will no doubt reverberate for a while longer before we can put it behind us), and it is the decade which saw the birth of reality TV: some things are just unforgiveable...

:: WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2010?

So what of the coming year? Who knows what will happen? Interest rates will rise and property values will fall. Or will it be the other way around? Fashions will come and fashions will go: personally, I am looking forward to the death of the "pants round my knees, underwear on display" thing which has dragged on for far too long already. But one of the nice things about it is that no-one really knows what's around the corner. It could be good news or it could be bad, but all anyone can guarantee is that it will be a surprise... sometimes a nice one, sometimes a disappointment.

And what of the wine industry? Who will be the big winners and losers of the next few years? France is on the up again, thanks to some great recent vintage years and to new labelling rules in Europe. There are more great wines coming out of other European countries than ever before too, with Spain, Portugal and Chile riding high on the crest of the new decade. And the Kiwis continue to spank the rest of the world with their amazing Sauvignon Blanc story. How much longer will that last before it goes the way of Chardonnay? How long till Oyster Bay is "so last year, dahling" and is about as cool as a Flock-Of-Seagulls haircut? Like I said, fashions come and fashions go... Fortunately, NZ Pinot Noir seems set to step into Sauvignon Blanc's shoes when the time comes.

:: TIME TO GET A GRIP!

And closer to home, what about the Aussie wine industry? What's in store for us, with our overly-strong dollar, our wine glut, our piss-poor grasp of marketing (yes, I said it) and our hideously promoted industry (thank you Wine Australia -- seriously, Regional Heroes? Do me a favour...)?

I don't want to paint too grim a picture, but we need to wise-up and get on top of the situation before it's too late. We need to recognise that we've had a great decade, but that things aren't looking too hot right now, so we need to ACT. Some wineries get it of course: they're the ones who are producing regular press releases for the industry and who are doing what they can to get the message out and to promote their brands. But unfortunately there are still far too many who are producing tasting notes on the back of an envelope and who are content to wait for hoardes of eager punters to beat a path to their door simply because their wine is S-O-O-O good.

NEWS FLASH! You're kidding yourselves... get a grip!

Quality-wise, our boutique wineries wipe the floor with the rest of the world. But getting the message out seems to be a real struggle for many. Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% sympathetic to the problems the little guy faces, but at the same time, I'm very frustrated. It's one thing to have world-beating wines, but (at the risk of sounding like I'm stuck in a groove) if no-one knows about them then you're fighting a losing battle. Because somewhere along the line you need to SELL those great wines. And in the case of the smaller wineries, you guys often need to sell one vintage to pay for the next... am I right? So if the last decade as been the boom time and you're not cashed up and ready to fight for your slice of the pie now that the gloves are off, where will you be in 3-5 years?

Frankly, you're facing a rising tide of low-cost, high-quality producers, costs are up and revenue is down. So it's time to work smart and make the most of your resources: we need to see more boutique wineries banding together to make the most of their limited cash, their skills and their time. Initiatives like the VALE CRU tasting event at Sellicks Hill in the McLaren Vale in the Spring. Brilliant! Let's see more of that. And let's see it promoted better next year so we get journalists and TV involved to shout about the little guys fighting with as much passion as they make their wine. I see everyone fighting for himself and I have just one question: why? For one thing, Regional Associations are spectacularly under-used. What do they do? Shouldn't they be working to promote your interests? Outside of the industry, who really knows much about regional variety? Maybe some will know the Margaret River name is linked with Sauvignon Blanc, that the Hunter has claimed Semillon, and that the Barossa is synonymous with big reds. But who's heard of the Granite Belt? Or the Goulburn Valley? Or Gippsland? I mean ordinary everyday punters. And what are you guys doing about it?

Tell me if you think I'm being unfair, but that's the way I see it. I can't predict the future any better than you can, but I know opportunity when I see it, and I right now I see a lot of opportunity slipping away. Not only here at home, but in the Asian markets too: China, Japan and Korea are all going to be HUGE, but you need to be aiming to get on the bandwagon sooner rather than later. The French are: their industry bodies have been busy tying up trade deals in China and Korea in recent months. Do you see much activity from Australia? No, neither do I. Are you worried by that? You should be. I know I am. So whilst I'm not big on predictions, one of the things I AM confident about is that BoozeMonkey will establish a presence in Asia in 2010. You heard it here first folks. Well, someone has to take the initiative...

Hey, here's an idea... why not come along for the ride?

:: 2010 ARSE-KICKERS

2009 has been a fantastic year for us here at BoozeMonkey and we want to thank you all -- each and every one of you -- for making it so much fun. This time last year, BoozeMonkey didn't even exist, and now we're a PR5 website (for the geeks) and pulling down 12,000+ page views per day. At the risk of blowing our own trumpet, that's pretty damn good.

And while we're patting ourselves on the back (it's some of the rare physical contact we get, so we're making the most of it), we want YOU to tell us who you think deserves a mention for their input and spirit in 2009. Seriously, it's time for some audience participation. Who were the movers and shakers in the past 12 months? Who was making waves and kicking arse?

And while we are on the topic - who will stand out in 2010? Who will be the new leaders taking the initiative and driving the industry forward? I've got a couple of dozen favourite winemakers at the moment (many of the names you will know from reading my regular blog and my wine reviews) but one of my personal "ones to watch" for this year is Michael Pettrucci from Sabella who recently kicked Penfolds off the top spot by winning this year's coveted George Mackey Trophy for Australia's most outstanding export wine. Michael has a wise head on some young shoulders (and a great big handle-bar moustache).

So who will you nominate? Who do you think deserves a mention for the outstanding work they did in 2009? And who are your "ones to watch" for 2010? We're looking for industry champions -- people who you think will be instrumental in driving the industry forward. 

:: RIESLING FREAKS

Are you a Riesling Freak? You are? Well LongLunch has set up a group just for you if you're lover of this slim-bottled beauty: Riesling Freaks Anonymous. So don't be shy. Come out of the cellar and proudly join the rest of us freaks, and tell us about your favourites. I'm actually drinking a NZ Riesling as I write, from Ant Moore. Pretty damn good too. I'm not convinced it will last till midnight though, so I may have to throw another one in the chiller.
:: SYDNEY TO BE BOOZE-FREE ON NYE?!

I don't know what's going on with the rest of the country, but here in Sydney they've decided to make all public venues in sight of the Harbour Bridge fireworks alcohol-free. That's alcohol-free, not free alcohol... BIG difference.

Personally I think that's verging on "un-Australian" and smacks of Big Brother watching over us a little too carefully. When you're not even allowed to open a bottle of fizz to celebrate New Year's Eve, that sounds to me like the nanny state turning into a dictator. And why would the police want to control a crowd of almost 2 million when it would be so much easier to control a handful of over-excited revellers? They'll be there anyway...

But what do I know?

Wherever you are and however you intend to celebrate this evening, I wish you all the best for 2010 -- as much health, wealth and happiness as you can manage without bursting. And I will raise a glass to you at midnight and toast the beginning of another new and exciting year.

Cheers!

Matt
http://www.BoozeMonkey.com