Aussie wine toasts success as French fail to impress

THERE’S a big surprise in store for Irish wine drinkers today. A quick look at the latest National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) Gold Star Awards raises just one question — where have the French gone?

The 2006/7 list of award-winning wines, produced annually by the off-licences’ representative body, doesn’t feature any French wines in its key categories. The only two representatives are a rosé and the reserved category for Champagne.

The NOffLA range unveiled in Dublin yesterday comprises 15 wines from old world and new in three price brackets: under €8, under €14 and under €20.