Xiaofan wrote:

> I think Australia now produces quite good wine as well. But perhaps
> continental Europe still is the best.

Being Australian I'm biased (although I'll admit that New Zealand produces
some particularly nice whites) - I have to say that I've generally
preferred the better Australian wines, especially the reds, to most
European wines I've tried (an admittedly small sample).
Partly that's just because it's what I'm used to, but it also reflects
Australian pragmatism versus European tradition.  Instead of insisting
that a particular wine must come from a particular hillside, Australia was
prepared to blend wines (in modern stainless steel vats...) from a range
of sources to target specific tastes.  The result is not "pure", but
tastes good...

> Xiaofan (who does not drink to drink beer and seldom
> drink wine)

That's typical for Chinese people, though.  I find when I visit Shanghai
that the locals are only happy in bars when they're singing, not caring
much for wine and beer, while the "western" bars are full of imported
wines and beers.  Forgive me, but "Great Wall" wine is terrible... 
There's just no tradition of (grape) wine in China (nor beer).  It's quite
an odd feeling to go and visit Shanghai, and find the wine menus
consisting of French, Chilean and familiar Australian wines...


David Meiklejohn
www.gooligum.com.au
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