The following amazingly long article is the text of a speech given by Brian Croser as the annual Wine & Spirit Education Trust lecture in London last month. I know that this website must look as though it has been taken over by Australian wine's most internationally visible figurehead and I wouldn't dream of publishing it if it were PR waffle, as much of the statement recently published in wine news is. But the first half is a rebuttal of the 'All Australia can make is sound commercial stuff' argument and the second half is of serious interest to wine...