I was super excited this past weekend. I had a phenomenal (dare I say fabulous) idea for a wine video that I was going to do. Because it's not every weekend that there happens to be a Bledisloe Cup game going on! For all of you non-rugby people, the Bledisloe Cup is the annual rugby test series where New Zealand and Australia play each other for rugby bragging rights. It's been a bit one sided of late (of late being since 2003 New Zealand hasn't lost the cup) but this year Australia won the first match and it made Bledisloe Cup 2 a must-see event. How was I going to tie this with wine? With a wine taste-off, of course! New Zealand vs. Australia. Wine vs. Wine. To determine the ultimate winner ahead of the big test match. My only problem was that in order to do the wine taste off, I needed to get the wine. So that meant having to go to a wine shop/liquor store. And therein lay my first problem. Because, honestly, the less time I spend in wine shops the better because bad selections and bad service seem to be de rigueur around here. I know it's a sweeping statement but my experiences seem to bear some truth. Here's what I wanted to compare: Australian Riesling vs. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Not necessarily an apples to apples comparison, but both wines are aromatic, both should have some major intensity, zippy acid and fruit forward profiles. Besides, I had never had an Australian Riesling and I am still learning producers when it comes to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Let's just say that the excitement level was pretty high here at Vintage Wine Life headquarters. For this awesome video, I even sought out one of the self-proclaimed best wines shops in all of DC. I won't name the shop but it's located right across from a Safeway near the Palisades neighborhood in DC. They're not just a leading wine and spirits shop. They state that they are THE leading wine and spirits shop in the District. So what better place to go find an Australian Riesling? Or so I thought. As we walk over to the Australian section of the shop, I'm told there's only one Riesling from Oz. More importantly I'm told the following: Australian Wines Are Toxic to Wine Sales Now I'm an Australian wine lover. McLaren Vale shiraz? Love it! Barossa Cab? Love it. Any and all GSMs, Shiraz-Viognier blends and Grenaches? I'm all in. So I'm not just a little put off that this guy just categorically trounced an entire country's wine portfolio. I decided to give him a chance and say, "Well, it's unfortunate that people think that because Australian is making some really good wine." His comment back, "I blame them for it. Their wines are too much and it's all their fault." Ok. Let me get this straight. You work in a wine shop. That's in the business of selling wine. And has been selling wine for 50 years in the District. You have a section that showcases wine from Australia. But you are going to tell you customers that any wine from this section is TOXIC? Am I the only one bemused by this? Ironically, the store's own website has this to say about Australian wine: "Australian whites and reds remain some of the most accessible and easy to enjoy wines available." Hmmmm, nothing in there about toxicity. Maybe they just haven't updated their site yet? My video was ruined. Because I was comparing a NZ Sauvignon Blanc to air. On the bright side, I did find my new favorite NZ Sauv Blanc (Greywacke). Loved the flavors. And it's made by one of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc pioneers who used to make wine at Cloudy Bay. And the All Blacks beat the Wallabies to retain the Bledisloe Cup, so I'll take that as a consolation. But wow - I never knew Australia was Toxic. Imagine what I'll learn tomorrow when I have my next adventure at a wine shop? Enjoy the start of your week. Great to be back sharing my adventures. ~Cheers!

• published: 18 Aug 2015
• views: 3