For some reason, a number of Australian wines that were fashionable and readily available a couple of decades ago in New Zealand vanished from our shelves. Now they're making a comeback.
One is the excellent "Joseph", which I remember enjoying on many occasions in the 90s. Apart from being a quality wine, I was attracted to the smart label, which broke all rules by being brown - a colour eschewed by hip, avant-garde advertising creatives, who regarded beige and brown as no-go zones.
I do note that although the colour remains, the label has been reworked and is now two-toned, with a lighter shade of brown added. Either the trendy ad guys have finally come around or I'm far enough behind to be ahead.
Whatever, "Joseph" is back, as is the lower-priced introductory sister label, "Primo". They are very smart wines. If Australian shiraz, cabernets and merlots spin your wheels, then these are worth a look.
Along with new additions, such as Italian varietals nebbiolo and sangiovese, and the French colombard, Primo's portfolio includes a sparkling red (predominantly shiraz), botrytis riesling traminer, pinot grigio and a light, most appealing, prosecco. Extra-virgin and cold-pressed olive oils are also available, and although all labels feature a small distinctive tree, they're not all on brown backgrounds.
