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<pre>I think that your comparison, John, with the wine industry is a good one
but as a former wine maker from the Barossa valley in South Australia I
would choose different grape varieties. I believe that the current
plantings of olives in Australia and NZ are closer to the Pedro,
Doradillo, Grenache and Sultanas that used to be the bed rock of the
Australian wine industry.

This is part of the forgotten history of Australian wine making. We
are now into myth making stage and have forgotten that until the 1960's
most Australian wine was sweet sherry and port made from these
varieties. The industry then moved into the pearl and sekt phase which
introduced a whole new class of consumers to wine. These then graduate
to white and red table wines and now in spite of the short period of
wine drinking have very discerning palates.

I'm sure most people have forgotten the Pedro, Doradillo and
Grenache varieties but I grew them and they were well adapted, produced
heaps of grapes and made a lot of money. They served the industry well
for half a century. They were fine for the production of alcohol but had
no flavour (possible exception of Grenache) when it came to table wines.
They were good at the time but the industry has moved on to Cabernet
Sauvignon, Shiraz (that was grown because it also made a good port)
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Nero, Merlot etc.......

Whether the wine industry led the consumers or followed them has
never been determined but I remember during the early phase of the red
wine period Australian reds tended to be a thick but still just liquid
tannin but it was considered macho to drink them without a grimace.
Things have changed and it is no longer a disgrace to like soft reds
from Merlot. I can see the same pattern with olive oil. The peppery bite
of some Italian oils is not a virility test but some seem to think it
is! There are plenty of Italian oils that are not peppery and heaps
more from other Mediterranean countries. Will the Australian and NZ
consumers stay with their bland oils which at the moment they obviously
prefer or progress to something with more flavour (not necessarily
peppery) ? - It is anybody's guess.

The other point that needs to be kept in mind is exports. I think
that the NZ wine industry is an excellent model. NZ imports more wine
than it exports. It imports cheap and exports dear - like the Italian
olive oil industry!

In spite of the glossy brochures from Australian olive investment
schemes I don't believe that the industry will survive at the bottom end
of the market with olive oil at $3 or $4 per kilo or bulk EVOO at
$AUS6.50. If this is the case producers should be thinking of exporting
quality oil while there are still large imports at the bottom end of the
market. This idea is not new to NZ but is quite a departure for Oz.

Oz and NZ producers will then have a double battle on their hands.
The first to convince the Japanese or where ever they decide to export
that they produce olive oil at all and the second that these obscure
varieties are good. I think it would be easier to promote an Australian
Moraiolo or Frantoio than an Australian Verdale on export markets even
if they turn out to be equally good.

Finally I don't think you are mugs for planting Barnea, I think you are
mugs for planting so much. Five years ago in Blenheim is was difficult
to find another variety - even a pollinator. That has now changed with
Serasin Estate but the "obscure" varieties still seem to dominate in
both Australia and NZ. There seem to me to be enough risks involved in
establishing the olive industry without adding another one.

Cheers Brian Chatterton
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