“Confirmation bias occurs when a writer consciously or unconsciously cherry picks evidence that supports what they already believe to be true,” writes wine columnist RICHARD CALVER.

Regular readers of this column may recall that I have a declared bias towards Kiwi and Tasmanian wines.  

I have an affiliation with NZ, having lived there from the ages of 10 to 24.

My leaning towards Tasmanian wines comes from the fact that in the last 18 months they have proved to be some of the best wines I’ve tasted.  

This statement may in fact be what is known as confirmation bias.  This occurs when a writer consciously or unconsciously cherry picks evidence that supports what they already believe to be true.  So maybe I’m not remembering (taxi!) some of the other wines that I’ve tried that would confirm otherwise?

My favouritism towards Tassie wines was given radio air towards the end of last year when I appeared on 2CC’s CityNews Sunday Roast program to talk about the wines of 2023 and what was expected for 2024.  

The editor of this journal, Ian Meikle, and Rod Henshaw presided.  It was close to Christmas and the exchanges were jovial, save for when I mentioned that I believed that Tasmanian wineries were now making the best of Australian wines.  

The editor, a South Australian, instantly indicated that he believed that not to be so and that SA remained the standout.  

Thus in my attempts to avoid confirmation bias, I have searched out ways in which I’m wrong, rather than the ways in which I’m right. And, boom, there on March 11 was a headline that showed SA to be an international leader. Drinks Trade had the headline “South Australia continues to be flag-bearer for Australian wine in international competitions”.

The report was about the results of the Mundus Vini 2024 Spring Tasting.  

Mundus Vini has become Germany’s number one competition and arguably the most respected in Europe. Its rules compared with some other competitions are explained here. 

South Australian wine producers received 40 out of the 41 Grand Gold and Gold medals awarded to Australian wineries at the recent Spring Tasting 2024.

I was surprised by the results. Taylors Wines was the strongest Australian producer at the Spring Tasting, receiving the award of Best Producer – Australia for the second year in a row. It also received Best in Show – Australian White for its Jaraman Sauvignon Blanc, which retails for around $25. One website mentioned that this wine “reveals a seamless blend of vibrant passionfruit, ripe pineapple, and nuanced gooseberry, brightened with a dash of herbal notes and lively acidity for a finish that refreshes and invigorates”. Despite that hyperbole, it should be a good quaffer.  

The Best of Show – Australian red was awarded to Kilikanoon’s Oracle Shiraz, which sells for $96, so there was a real disparity in the price of the wines that won the top awards.

There’s no doubt that SA remains an important wine-producing state responsible for almost 50 per cent of Australia’s annual production. It keeps producing award-winning wines, benchmarked against the world’s best.  

I’ll keep openly barracking for the smaller Tassie and NZ producers, but it is with a deep intake of breath that I admit: the editor was correct! 

“Ever since I first learned about confirmation bias I’ve been seeing it everywhere.”  –Jon Ronson