Penguins, Crocodiles, and Koala Bears...

The legitimate success of 'yellow tail,' the Casella family wine brand that is dominating store shelves in North America has left most major wine companies sucking wind (and losing market share) and now desperate to imitate the competiton. Just Drinks reports, "the list of rather comical names for Australian wines in the US market looks set to continue with wine producers at McGuigan Simeon and Southcorp both set to launch new brands."

As you read this, Canadian liquor monopolies whose specialty is serving junk wines at tax-inflated prices, are considering where and how much Crocodile Rock (McGuigan Simeon Wines) and/or Little Penguin (Southcorp) they will sell.One can only imagine what the real winemakers at Southcorp or McGuigan, as opposed to their ditzy boards of directors, think about selling of the goofy knock-offs.

They say the wines are aimed at non-traditional wine drinkers but my guess is the wine is aimed at the 35 per cent of the US market that is already buying "yellow tail" and in the absence of a better idea they are all going after that same market.

Frankly I'm surprised they no one has come out with a label called monkey see, monkey do, monkey make. Could Australia be heading down the same road French négociants (what were their names again) did in the 60s and 70s?

I can tell you this, any talk of appellations, lees stirring and the influence of terroir loses its appeal (and perhaps respect) as this kind of wine gushes forth from the tanks. Max Schubert must be turning in his grave.