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The Aussies did it to themselves when they flooded the US market with pornographic expressions of Parkerization. Big, overly-oaked fruit bombs with the finesse of a sledgehammer. The wines were the beer equivalent of Double IPAs featuring alcohol "on the wine" not "of the wine."

Admittedly, I had a Parker palate 20 years ago and bought heaps of Aussie Shiraz and Grenache from McLaren Vale. My palate evolved elsewhere, mainly Old World to the Rhone and the higher elevations of Italy, and I stopped drinking Aussie wine. Like I had a falling out with a good friend that I judged to be a little crass for my company.

Recently, I remembered my tours of Barossa and thought-back fondly of the many good Rieslings from Eden Valley I drank. So I bought a bottle of dry Riesling 2019 from a good producer last week and opened it last night and it was great. Eden Valley has an elevation of 1500-ft and the cooler clime showed pure citrus flavors and finesse and paired exceedingly well with scallops.

So, damn it, I may just circle back to my old Aussie friends and be open to them having learned how to be a little more subtle in social situations and restart a few relationships. Now if I can only find their numbers.

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