The future of fortified wines

It’s hard to believe that fortified wines were once all we drank as a nation. It’s time to embrace these glorious styles and celebrate our winemaking past. Let me take you back to a time before Australians thirsted for Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc and Yarra Valley Pinot Noir – way back to the 1940s and ’50s, before table wine took hold. In those days, “wine” usually meant sherry or port. Fortified wines represented more than 75 per cent of all wine sales and most were sweet.