In the face of a decline in sales the new idea from Australia is to promote regionality, a concept that we have championed since our bicentennial Australian supplement in 1988. In the face of big producers marketing just their own brands, the campaign is welcome. South Australia’s most famous wine region is the Barossa, which has incredibly old Shiraz and Grenache vines giving concentrated wines at Kaesler and Rockford. Just north is the Clare Valley; two of its best producers are Mitchell and Jim Barry. The cool Adelaide Hills are home to Bird in Hand. To the south of Adelaide is McLaren Vale where Coriole has succeeded with Sangiovese. The very long drive to Coonawara takes one past Brothers in Arms at Langhorne Creek. Great Cabernets and Merlots await at Coonawarra, from Bowen Estate in particular. Victoria seems a gentler state and the climate is certainly more suitable for Pinot Noir such as By Farr’s from Geelong. North-west of Melbourne, Gilles Lapalus is bringing a Gallic feel to his Fairbank and Sutton Grange labels. The great Murray River irrigates vines along its length through Swan Hill, Mildura and Redcliffs with well-priced wines from Lyrebird, Sunnycliff, Trentham, Brown Brothers and Zilzie. McHenry Hohnen, Vasse Felix and Cape Mentelle in Margaret River represent Western Australia while Andrew Margan in the Hunter waves the flag for New South Wales.