Who can remember these labels?
What Wine Label is That? revisited
Scroll down for note about AAVWS
Main Article: Labels from 50 years ago…
It is now half a century since this book was published…
This book, published in 1973, was a go-to when we were ‘Livin’ in the 70s’. Dan Murphy was a person then, not a supermarket-owned chain of grog shops.
A lot has changed since then. Many of the brand names are still being used, some have disappeared, others have been swallowed by the big corporates. Quite a few would be unfamiliar to Gen X and Gen Y winelovers.
But what struck me when I opened my copy after a few years was the wine names - an odd mixture of varietal and ‘borrowed from the French’.
The book contains illustrations of 268 wine labels - 127 whites and 139 whites.
The names of the wines are most instructive. In order of popularity
25 Riesling
23 Moselle
17 Rhine Riesling
17 White Burgundy
7 Hock
6 Chablis
4 White fronti(gnac)
3 Dry White
3 Hunter River Riesling
3 Riesling Hock
3 Semillon
1 Blanquette-Shiraz
1 Chenin Blanc and Madeira
1 Frontignan
1 Hunter River Hock
1 Johannisburger Hock
1 Lexia
1 Marsanne (Guess who’s)
1 Palomino
1 Riesling Gouais
1 Sercial
1 Shiraz-Riesling
1 Trebbiano
1 Verdell
The list shows quite a preponderance of wines with the word ‘Riesling’ but many of those wines may have been made from other varieties in the so-called riesling style. Sultana (aka Thompson seedless) and Crouchen (aka Clare Riesling) were commonly sold as Riesling.
The custom was for wines which were made from Riesling were labelled Rhine Riesling but I don’t think this was a formal law.
Hunter (River) Riesling was almost always Semillon, as was I suppose the Hunter River Hock. Johannisberger is a synonym for both Riesling and Silvaner.
Also of interest was the use of Shiraz to make white wines. Even more surprising perhaps is the fact that it was prominently displayed on the label.
While the names Chablis, Hock, Moselle and White Burgundy have all disappeared from Aussie wine labels for good reason at least they told us something about the style of the wine.
I will post another article about the names formerly used for red wines soon.
Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show Results
The AAVWS was held in Mildura in the first week of November.
The Dr. Rod Bonfiglioli Best Wine of Show was awarded to Purple hands Winery from the Barossa Valley for their 2021 ‘After Five Wine Co’ Aglianico.
The best white wine of the Show was awarded to Linear Wines of Tumbarumba for their 2022 Gruner Veltliner.
The full list of 2022 AAVWS results can be found here
I use the results to progressively update my regional and varietal pages on Vinodiversity. You can check out the latest new and updated pages here.
Order Maps Now for Seasonal Gifts
I will be unable to mail out the De Long wine maps or the Rare Ozzies books after Dec 8. Please order now.
