The most exciting advance in Australian wine making over the last decade has been the explosion of small-boutique producers. The origins and reasons go way back to the 1960s and 1970s yet it was only from perhaps 2010 that the numbers caused a shift in consumer buying habits. Small wineries now number over 2000. To illustrate, the last state to expand vineyards-producers was Tasmania. There were two or three producers in Tasmania in the late 1970s and this has now grown to about 120.
The Barossa Valley was dominated by a few large enterprises until well into the 1990s and the appearance of dozens of small family enterprises is a huge and refreshing development. Glug now buys surplus barrels from a number of these boutiques and this in turn has enlivened the wines we can offer customers.
The reason there are so many Glug brands is because we prefer to bottle each wine to preserve the difference, however tiny. Overriding all of the small differences is the flavour of the Barossa Valley and the Glug style which favours full flavours. Expect from us a red over 14% alcohol as we are not excited by the flavours of low alcohol reds.
