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Tony Abbott's wine cellar – the age of entitlement is over Tony Abbott's wine cellar – the age of entitlement is over
(35 minutes later)
International visitors heading down under can be sure of one thing, independent of weather, tide or time of day. You can always get a great bite to eat and something wonderful to wash it down with. Unless, that is, you are dining at the Lodge or Kirribilli House.International visitors heading down under can be sure of one thing, independent of weather, tide or time of day. You can always get a great bite to eat and something wonderful to wash it down with. Unless, that is, you are dining at the Lodge or Kirribilli House.
The cellar selection – or should I say repository of reluctance – at the most exclusive dining room in Australia, has just been revealed and it’s ... interesting. To say more would be to delve into a world of the unknown and the unwanted; a degustation of DNPIM (Do Not Put In Mouth).The cellar selection – or should I say repository of reluctance – at the most exclusive dining room in Australia, has just been revealed and it’s ... interesting. To say more would be to delve into a world of the unknown and the unwanted; a degustation of DNPIM (Do Not Put In Mouth).
Australian wine legend James Halliday has noted that Tony Abbott’s list “covers many regions and varieties without fear or favour”. Fear of having to drink the stuff? Or did he mean to write “without flavour”. We all make typos after all.Australian wine legend James Halliday has noted that Tony Abbott’s list “covers many regions and varieties without fear or favour”. Fear of having to drink the stuff? Or did he mean to write “without flavour”. We all make typos after all.
Scrolling down the list, austerity measures have certainly been applied to the practice of wine buying in government. The age of entitlement – and anything resembling a wine you’d happily consume – is over.Scrolling down the list, austerity measures have certainly been applied to the practice of wine buying in government. The age of entitlement – and anything resembling a wine you’d happily consume – is over.
Six-year-old sauv blanc and rosé and a nice little cache of five-year-old moscato, all best consumed within their first 12 to 24 months? I’ve watched my West Wing and I’m quite certain President Bartlet ordered the best wines to be served for formal occasions. On exactly no occasion did I hear him ask Charlie to bring up the oldest rosé you can find. Just as you don’t win friends with salad, you most certainly don’t win international trade partners with tired wine.Six-year-old sauv blanc and rosé and a nice little cache of five-year-old moscato, all best consumed within their first 12 to 24 months? I’ve watched my West Wing and I’m quite certain President Bartlet ordered the best wines to be served for formal occasions. On exactly no occasion did I hear him ask Charlie to bring up the oldest rosé you can find. Just as you don’t win friends with salad, you most certainly don’t win international trade partners with tired wine.
How did it get to this, I wonder? Did Labor drink all the good stuff at their last night party – a little f-you to the incoming Coalition? Worse things have happened. Perhaps whoever has been curating this collection of consumables has been listening to Huon Hooke, who recently bemoaned the bigger players getting fair representation on wine lists. I’m not sure this is what Hooke intended.How did it get to this, I wonder? Did Labor drink all the good stuff at their last night party – a little f-you to the incoming Coalition? Worse things have happened. Perhaps whoever has been curating this collection of consumables has been listening to Huon Hooke, who recently bemoaned the bigger players getting fair representation on wine lists. I’m not sure this is what Hooke intended.
The cellar is totally devoid of anything new and interesting. There is not a sangiovese or a nebbiolo, not even a malbec. And those are relatively pedestrian suggestions. Heaven forbid, during discussions of operational matters, that Scott Morrison wanted a sneaky glass of something nice. He wouldn’t need to tell anyone he has a penchant for pinot gris. Too bad if he does; there aren’t any listed.The cellar is totally devoid of anything new and interesting. There is not a sangiovese or a nebbiolo, not even a malbec. And those are relatively pedestrian suggestions. Heaven forbid, during discussions of operational matters, that Scott Morrison wanted a sneaky glass of something nice. He wouldn’t need to tell anyone he has a penchant for pinot gris. Too bad if he does; there aren’t any listed.
A good wine list needs something to set one’s hairs on end. Where are the great pinot noir and riesling, where are the wines of Victoria? I’m biased, but Victoria makes some very tasty wine indeed. A little fortified from Rutherglen would probably work with one of the treasurer’s cigars, something grand or rare no less.A good wine list needs something to set one’s hairs on end. Where are the great pinot noir and riesling, where are the wines of Victoria? I’m biased, but Victoria makes some very tasty wine indeed. A little fortified from Rutherglen would probably work with one of the treasurer’s cigars, something grand or rare no less.
And let’s take a closer look at the obvious omissions. Where’s the Grange? Barry O’Farrell, I’m looking at you! De Bortoli Noble One? You can’t tell me Obama or Merkel wouldn’t like a glass of that. The lack of any real excitement or variety makes me think the pollies have been sneaking in their wine from home and hoping no one noticed.And let’s take a closer look at the obvious omissions. Where’s the Grange? Barry O’Farrell, I’m looking at you! De Bortoli Noble One? You can’t tell me Obama or Merkel wouldn’t like a glass of that. The lack of any real excitement or variety makes me think the pollies have been sneaking in their wine from home and hoping no one noticed.
Of course, there are some lovely wines on the list: Moorilla Muse Chardonnay, Ben Glaetzer Shiraz, Shaw and Smith Chardonnay to name just three. It’s not the lovely wines that make this list odd. My fear, and fear for Australia’s international relations, is that the good ones get consumed before we really need to apologise to the Chinese.Of course, there are some lovely wines on the list: Moorilla Muse Chardonnay, Ben Glaetzer Shiraz, Shaw and Smith Chardonnay to name just three. It’s not the lovely wines that make this list odd. My fear, and fear for Australia’s international relations, is that the good ones get consumed before we really need to apologise to the Chinese.
The sheer volume of working wine consultants is quite staggering at present. I should know. I am one. And I can say, hand on heart, from a sense of duty to our country, that we’d be willing to step in to help get Australia back on track. All the government need do is ask. If they do not take this option, then at the very least, I think they would do well to allow VIPs a discreet BYO policy. The sheer volume of working wine consultants is quite staggering at present. I should know. I am one. And I can say, hand on heart, from a sense of duty to our country, that we’d be willing to step in to help get Australia back on track. All the government need do is ask. If they do not take this option, then at the very least, they would do well to allow VIPs a discreet BYO policy.