In most areas of Australian life the cultural cringe has long gone yet it lingers on in the wine trade.
The Australian writer, critic and teacher A.A. Phillips coined the term 'the cultural cringe' in 1950 to describe an Australian tendency to identify our literature and art as inferior to work produced overseas, particularly in Britain and the United States. The term has resonated in debates about Australian culture, society and identity ever since.
The respect given in this country to basic French wines, those I term country wines, is a perfect cringing example. Why that is so remains a puzzle. And do not get me started on Champagnes made by the French Cooperatives which taste cheap yet sell for silly prices.
I digress but much of the sparkling wine category no longer cares about any price to quality ratio. Think of Prosecco.
I like the two we offer, the Philip Schaffer Juliana Pink Moscato NV and Philip Schaffer ‘Vineyard’ Pinot Chardonnay NV. Named after Philip Schaffer who landed as a free settler in Sydney in June 1790 aboard the Lady Juliana. He later planted ‘The Vineyard’.
Being human, I accept that we pass on from one obsessive belief to another. The tech-digital age combining with a couple of other trends has seen the rise of the wine expert class which parade around by anointing wine after wine with magical point scores.
Why do we believe such opinions as some higher truths to then surrender our own viewpoint. May I remind customers that wine is simple. All of us have the same set of senses like the ability to smell and taste so use them. This dependency on experts is just a new form of a cultural cringe. Let’s get rid of it.
Also please note Glug is not like other experts. The difference being we put our money down to produce what we offer whereas others stop after awarding a score which is pretty risk free.
Two new wines you will enjoy are the Old Moppa Road Barossa Valley Cabernet 2019 and Oakley Adams Padthaway Shiraz 2021.
So Drink Widely Drink Well.
