A press release dropped into my inbox today launching yet another Aussie wine. Nothing unusual about that but it attracted my attention: it offered the unusual bonus of winning vouchers for Swedish furniture store, Ikea. I’m not sure where the synergy is between the two: Ikea, Aussie wine; Aussie wine, Ikea. No, I just can’t get it. You?
I’d be happy to win $1000 at Ikea (if there were an Ikea in NZ). Amassing a load of cheap furniture for my boyfriend to put together then gorging on meatballs and ice cream at the Ikea cafe. It’s a great day out for all the family.
Anyway, back to the wine. This new wine, Sarantos soft press Moscato, is a deliciously low 5.5%. I’ve not tried it so can’t say whether the wine is delicious but would be prepared to give it a go if I had the chance of getting a new sofa out of it.
According to the latest statistics, Moscato is Australia’s fastest growing wine style with 33.2% growth by value and 37.2% by volume. However, these figures relate to the $10-$15 category – is this a category that Aussie wineries really want to focus on?
I suspect the growth of Moscato in Australia (outselling Riesling – what is the world coming to?) is linked to the rise in interest in lower alcohol wines. At 5.5% Moscato is underrated – many claim it’s too sweet for them but it’s perfect for drinking all afternoon without getting legless.
I’m off to Australia tomorrow for five days of business and pleasure. I shall see if I can find a bottle for Saturday afternoon drinking with friends, and cross my fingers my name gets picked out of the Ikea hat.
