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Announcements and Suppliers

22/09/2017: Entries for Hot 100 wines closing soon!
Hot 100 Wines finds and celebrate SA’s 100 most drinkable wines. Entries to the 2017/18 season of Hot 100 Wines close on Friday, September 29, so get in while you still can.

20/09/2017: London Wine Competition to reward on look, taste and cost
The new London Wine Competition looks to set a new benchmark for award winning wines through its rigorous assessment criteria.

15/09/2017: Dusting off machinery
Got any grouse tips for prepping your machinery prior to vintage? Grapegrower & Winemaker would like to hear them.

6/09/2017: 2017 Direct to Customer Benchmarking underway
Gain insights in to your direct to customer sales channels through a short survey.

4/09/2017: Controlling weeds without compromising vine safety
Managing the impact of weeds is an essential part of enabling any vineyard to reach its full potential. The limited systemic action of Basta® makes it the best ‘in season’ choice for controlling weeds around vines.

4/09/2017: 2018 Riverland grapes wanted
South Australian Wine Group is purchasing grapes for bulk wine market on behalf of its export customers.

Australian Wine Industry News

21/09/2017: Solar puts off-grid winery on tourist Tesla map
It is not often you can pull into a winery to charge your car and fill your glass at the same time, but at Moores Hill winery at Sidmouth in northern Tasmania, visitors can do both. More than 100 solar panels cover the roof of their new winery, generating 30 kilowatts of electricity. Source, The ABC.

21/09/2017: What is a floor price on alcohol and what will it do?
Following yesterday's news about the Western Australian Government considering a minimum floor price on alcohol, The ABC have released an article outlining what a minimum floor price is and what it will mean if it comes into play.

21/09/2017: A powerhouse winery of the Adelaide Hills
"Bird in Hand is one in a club of high profile producers which sit along the region’s Verdun-Lobethal dress circle. So then, how is it that the Bird in Hand wine that came fourth in the Adelaide Review’s Hot 100 Wines comes from grapes grown in the Clare Valley?" writes Charles Gent for The Adelaide Review.

21/09/2017: Four wines Len Evans would love
"I’m confident all the following Australian wines would have had Len on his feet, holding court, passionately extolling their virtues and that of the Australian wine industry in general. Drink any of these wines knowing that to do so is to enjoy the realised passion of not just the respective winemakers but also that of 'LPE'." Source, Business Insider.

21/09/2017: Aus farm production forecast to fall, wine to grow
Export prices of barley, cheese, wine, wool, lamb and wheat are forecast to increase in 2017–18 in Australian dollar terms. Export prices for canola, chickpeas, beef, veal, cotton, slaughter cattle, sugar and rock lobster are predicted to drop. Source, International Business Times.

20/09/2017: WA Government considers minimum wine price
Health Minister Roger Cook has revealed the WA Government is investigating ways to impose a minimum floor price on takeaway alcohol in a bid to curb alcohol-related harm. The revelation came on Tuesday as the minister was being quizzed during a budget estimates hearing and spoke of alcohol abuse being "the elephant in the room". Source, The ABC.

20/09/2017: Nanollose raises $5 million ahead of ASX listing
Perth biotech startup Nanollose has raised $5 million from investors ahead of listing on the Australian Securities Exchange, as it continues its mission to take on the textiles industry with its unique offerings: fabrics derived from beer and wine. Source, Smart Company.

20/09/2017: Bremerton enters hall of fame
Almost three decades after bottling their first drop, the Willson family’s Bremerton Wines has been inducted into Family Business Australia’s Hall of Fame. The Langhorne Creek winery was established by Craig and Mignonne Willson in 1988, with daughters Lucy and Rebecca now overseeing operations. Source, Adelaide Now.

20/09/2017: WA zooms in on Asia
For Asia, the best is in the west. Western Australia’s proximity to Asia and its abundant agricultural resources make it uniquely positioned to take advantage of the opportunities in the world’s fastest-growing region. Source, Blue Notes.

20/09/2017: Organic wines in the Pyrenees
A shift was prompted by a biodynamic wine tasting event in Melbourne that Matthew Barry, of Mount Avoca Winery, attended in the mid-2000s. This was where he discovered a taste he felt was unique to chemical-free wine. Source, Weekly Times Now.

19/09/2017: Mudgee wine show results
The 46th annual Mudgee Wine Show results have been released at the annual wine show dinner on Friday September 8. As well as the trophies for best varietals and champion wines, the Mudgee Wine Show has introduced a new award, The Winemaker of the Year. Source, Winetitles.

19/09/2017: Biosecurity tips
Tip#5: Spraying? Herbiciding? Slashing? Vine training? Disbudding? Do you always ask where your contractors have been before coming onto your vineyard? #Vinehealth www.vinehealth.com.au

19/09/2017: WCA Wine Media Cadet winner
The 2017 Wine Communicators of Australia Wine Media Cadetship winner has been announced. Barossa wine marketer Emily Hay will be telling South Australia’s wine story in her new role as 2017 WCA Wine Media Cadet. Source, Winetitles.

19/09/2017: $113,000 in funding for Kangaroo Island wine
Three wineries on Kangaroo Island will be offered up to $25,000 each as part of the State Government’s Cellar Door Grants Program. The funding will help them upgrade and diversify cellar doors, to attract tourism through premium experiences. Source, Winetitles.

19/09/2017: $1.2 million for SA cellar doors
South Australian wineries will share $1.225 million in funding, to help them upgrade and diversify their cellar doors and provide visitors with a premium experience. The funding program follows the result of the newly revised Wine Equalisation Tax rebate. Source, Winetitles.

19/09/2017: Final week to enter 38th Sydney Intl Wine Comp
Wineries must submit entries to the 38th Sydney International Wine Competition by Friday 22 September. Competition entry is eligible from wine producers from around the world, with entries capped at a total of 2000 wines to ensure the most rigorous judging process. Source, Hospitality Magazine.

18/09/2017: Penfolds x Nat Geo digital series
Penfolds has partnered with National Geographic to create a digital series ‘A Story in Every Bottle’ to document stories behind rare wines from around the world. The series will include 14 stories, viewable on the Penfolds website as well as selected digital channels. Source, Winetitles.

18/09/2017: Howard Park named best Aussie sparkling
Australian producer Howard Park was celebrating last night after picking up a coveted trophy at the Awards Dinner of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships 2017. In front of a gathering at Vintner’s Hall, Howard Park Wines NV Jeté Brut Blanc was named best Australian sparkling wine. Source, Winetitles.

18/09/2017: It's time to celebrate an unsung region
"Our cooler climate, especially the nights, make the skins of our Cabernet thick, almost crunchy, with incredible colour and tannins. My ideal Cabernet is perfumed with lifted violets, intense, pure and elegant with long, fine-grain tannins that almost polish your tongue," writes Sue Bell, for The Source.

18/09/2017: Apple cold store reborn as cellar door
A disused 1920s apple cold store reborn as a cosy cellar door tasting room has its opening party next Saturday thanks to grants pouring new life into winery ventures across the state of South Australia. Ochre Nation at Gumeracha offers wines under its Unico Zelo label as well as the co-operative Harvest label, plus its own gin and whisky which use native ingredients under the Applewood label. Source, The Source.

18/09/2017: Aus Vintage Ldt. releases crown seal range
Australian Vintage Ltd is shaking up the wine category with the launch of Off The Grid, a new range of wines in 500ml crown-sealed bottles. The brand features two wines from emerging varieties Tempranillo and Montepulciano, which are dubbed ‘Temp’ and ‘Monte’ on the front label. Source, Drinks Central.

15/09/2017: SA's seven best wine tourism experiences
Seven of South Australia’s wine tourism experiences have been awarded as the state’s best, and will now compete at a prestigious international competition. The South Australian Best of Wine Tourism Award winners run the gamut, from a small family enterprise in the Riverland to one of the state’s most glamorous locations. Source, News.

15/09/2017: Fiona Kerslake joins superstars of STEM
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture viticulture researcher, Fiona Kerslake, was one of 30 Australian women picked to join Science and Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM to develop science role models for girls. Source, Weekly Times Now.

15/09/2017: How Vinomofo got back 70% of their business
Australian wine e-retailer Vinomofo was still in its early days and seeking to scale up fast when co-founders Justin Dry and Andre Eikmeier decided to sell 70% of the business to another e-commerce company. But a year into the new structure they realised they’d made a big mistake. Source, Business Insider.

15/09/2017: A 'freaking good' Riesling
"Hughes only does one thing and he does it well: Riesling. Now I’ve gibbered on about how Riesling is Australia’s most undervalued wine style for yonks, and as one of the lab-coat wearing judges at the Royal Sydney Wine Show, I must say, I was pretty stoked to see this particular wine get the kudos it deserved when the awards night came around," writes Dave Brooks for The Adelaide Review.

15/09/2017: Ben Ean sale a win for Hunter heritage
The Hunter Valley’s matchless wine heritage becomes more secure this month as the 147-year-old Ben Ean estate at Pokolbin passes into the ownership of Brian McGuigan and Colin Peterson. The $5 million to $8 million sale of the former asset of the Lindeman’s arm of ASX-listed Treasury Wine Estates was announced last week. Source, The Newcastle Herald.

14/09/2017: Final week for entries to 38th Sydney Intl Wine Comp
Wineries have one more week to enter the 38th Sydney International Wine Competition – the only international wine show that judges all its finalists in combination with appropriate food. Entries need to be submitted by Friday 22 September. Source, Winetitles.

14/09/2017: AWRI board election results announced
Dr John Harvey of Bathe Wines in South Australia was elected in the small producer category and Wendy Cameron, a Winemaking Consultant from Victoria, was elected in the medium producer category. Iain Jones of Treasury Wine Estates was the only nominated candidate from the large producer category and was therefore elected unopposed. Source, Winetitles.

14/09/2017: Investing in metal posts
Grape growers have faced an ongoing issue when disposing of wooden posts which support the vines to grow. Conma Industries — which used to supply to the automotive industry — has developed an environmentally-friendly metal post for grape growers to use instead of traditional wooden posts. Source, The ABC.

14/09/2017: What to expect with an EU free trade deal
Australian consumers could buy cheaper European-made designer goods and wine while farmers could win massive new export contracts under plans for a free trade deal with the EU to be completed within two years. Source, News.

14/09/2017: Berri Estates seeking 35 redundancies
Australian wine company Accolade Wines has announced it is seeking approximately 35 redundancies from its Berri Estates operations in South Australia's Riverland. The company met with employers and union representatives on Wednesday, citing changing market conditions and a consumer preference for bottled wine as drivers behind the decision. Source, The ABC.

13/09/2017: Australian wines wow Japan and South Korea
Growing interest in Australian wine has been reflected in the largest ever attendances at the annual Australian Wine Grand Tastings held in Tokyo and Seoul last week, in collaboration with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Source, Winetitles.

13/09/2017: Rutherglen growers risk it with Saperavi
A father-daughter winemaking team has replaced some of their more established vine varieties, including Shiraz, with an 8,000-year-old variety of red called Saperavi. Only about 20 winegrowers produce Saperavi in Australia, but it is a robust variety that can be grown in a range of climates, from the Granite Belt in Queensland to the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Source, The ABC.

13/09/2017: Adelaide-China tasting event to boost trade
More produce and wine from Adelaide’s north could soon be hitting shelves across the world following talks between local companies and a delegate of Chinese investors. More than 40 importers, distributors and buyers from Shanghai, Hong Kong and Huangzhou tasted produce from six northern business at a trade event at the Stretton Centre in Munno Para. Source, News.

13/09/2017: State support for Grampians wineries
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the government will continue to support the Grampians and Pyrenees wine regions for their economic and tourism benefits. Mr Andrews visited the Mount Langi Ghiran winery on Friday to meet wine industry representatives and tourism operators to discuss the growth of the Victorian wine industry. Source, The Arrarat Advertiser.

13/09/2017: Locals back SA wine
Two Port Lincoln fishing identities, Andrew Puglisi and Hagen Stehr, have signed on to continue their role as premium food and wine ambassadors for the state. The ambassadors program is made up of prominent South Australian industry advocates who commit their time to champion the benefits of South Australia’s premium food and wine. Source, Port Lincoln Times.

12/09/2017: Biosecurity tips
Tip#4: Using contractors? Are you playing your part and providing your contractors adequate cleaning facilities to ensure all machinery and equipment leaving your vineyard is clean of all soil and plant material? #Vinehealth www.vinehealth.com.au

12/09/2017: Nominate a grower for a 2018 Biosecurity Award
Do you know someone who cares so much about good biosecurity practice that they practically deserve a medal? Nominations are now open for the 2018 Australian Biosecurity Awards. For the first time, growers are eligible for nomination for on-farm excellence. Source, Winetitles.

12/09/2017: International Riesling Challenge kicks off
Need a good Riesling to drink some Riesling? This week will see the launch of the 18th Canberra International Riesling Challenge. The challenge has attracted 512 entries from 223 wineries from across seven Riesling producing countries with a first time entrant from Hungary.

12/09/2017: Jeff Grosset a figure for Australian Riesling
Since the late 1990s, Jeff Grosset has been both the dominant figure in producing Australia’s greatest Rieslings and also the key player in taking us to the international rather than the traditionally accepted idiosyncratically Australian style. Source, Eastern Reporter.

12/09/2017: Sell wine with the right music
"Is this not a marketer or business owner’s dream? You want to sell more French wine in your liquor store. What do you do? You play French music while customers are browsing and instantly, sales of French wine shoot up. It’s not as fantastical as you might think. " Source, Ad News.

12/09/2017: Vinomofo partners with Aus Post pre-Amazon
Australia Post is lifting its game ahead of Amazon’s arrival and removing one of the biggest annoyances with parcel delivery thanks to South Australia wine startup Vinomofo. The deal will see give Vinomofo customers the options of same day, and more importantly, customisable delivery for metro areas in the lead up to Christmas. Source, Business Insider.

11/09/2017: The weather data is there; how do we respond?
While we adjust for the reality of longer-term global climate change, there are still local and seasonal weather patterns that shouldn’t be ignored. The good news is that we have a lot more detailed information than in the past. The bad news is the same. We need to know what to do with all these data or, as Peter Hayman puts it, ‘we have to ask intelligent questions’. Source, Wine Australia.

11/09/2017: Shaw Vineyard Estate nabs Cool Climate Wine trophy
Take a bow, Shaw Vineyard Estate. Their 2015 Reserve Merriman Cabernet Sauvignon wowed judges and was named best red in show at the 2017 Australian Cool Climate Wine awards. A Western Australian white, the Marchard & Bruch Villages 2016 Chardonnay, won the best white and best wine of show trophy. Source, The Camberra Times

11/09/2017: Career change a grape idea for Orange winemaker
From working in the bustling city of Sydney as a chef, to now making wine in Orange, Duncan Cook and his boutique winery – Cook Family Estate - has gone from strength to strength. Sourcing fruits from up to a dozen vineyards, Duncan says the cool climate of Orange helps with their various products.Source, Western Magazine

11/09/2017: New high for tourism numbers in Hunter
The popularity of the Hunter Valley as a world-wide tourism destination has played a significant role in NSW’s record-breaking success in a recent International Visitor Survey. Chairman of the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association George Souris said the Hunter Valley had played a significant role in the record-breaking results. Source, Maitland Mercury.

11/09/2017: Agriculture largest contributor to GDP growth
“While grains and livestock products each contributed around $10 billion each to this export performance, other agricultural industries are also billion dollar performers. For example, in 2016-17 our pulses exports to the world were worth over $3 billion, wine exports $2.4 billion, nuts exports $822 million and citrus over $330 million,” Minister Barnaby Joyce said. Source, Food Mag.

8/09/2017: Silver chloride not permitted as winemaking aid
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) have approved an application to add several new processing aids to the list of aids permitted to be used in winemaking. Three new processing aids will soon be available to Australian winemakers - but silver chloride is not one of them. Source, Winetitles

8/09/2017: Voting closing soon in AWRI board election
An election is underway to fill vacant positions on the AWRI Board of Directors in the small (<2,000 tonnes) and medium (2001 - 50,000 tonnes) producer categories. Producers in these two categories are being strongly encouraged to vote for their preferred candidate. Source, Winetitles

8/09/2017: Chandon uncorks rare grape varieties from Champagne
The winemaking team at Chandon, Moët Hennessy's outpost in Victoria's Yarra Valley, is headed up by Dan Buckle, Glenn Thompson and Adam Keath. Between them the trio travel to France three or four times a year. Beside checking in with head office, they also take every opportunity to check out the champagnes produced by the company's competitors. Source, Australian Financial Review

8/09/2017: Penfolds wins top social media award
Penfolds has been awarded Best Presence in Social Media at the 2017 Australian Drinks Awards. Australia's most iconic wine brand not only has a strong heritage, having been making wine in South Australia since 1844, but it has also embraced the digital age with huge success. Its Facebook page has more than 91,000 followers. Source, Drinks Bulletin

8/09/2017: Chinese investor delegation visits Barossa
Forty opportunistic international investors have visited the Barossa to source premium local products including food and wine. The visit, organised through the state government and supported by Barossa Regional Development (RDA) Australia, has meant another crucial link between Chinese investors and the Barossa brand to further open up export doors. Source, Barossa & Light Herald

7/09/2017: Fogarty Wine Group & McWilliam’s expand alliance
The Directors of FWG and MWG are pleased to announce an expanded alliance between the two family wine companies. This will strengthen a significant portfolio of wine brands in Western Australia and establish a platform to grow the two businesses nationally and globally. Source, Winetitles.

7/09/2017: WFA and AV welcome ERWSP grant guidelines
The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia and Australian Vignerons welcomed the Australian Government’s release of the draft guidelines for the grant components of the $50m Export and Regional Wine Support Package. There are three grants under the package. Source, Winetitles.

7/09/2017: McGuigan and Peterson buy ‘Ben Ean’ from TWE
Local Hunter Valley wine identities, Brian McGuigan and Colin Peterson, have entered into an agreement to purchase the site at 119 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin, NSW. Popularly known as ‘Ben Ean’ and historically home to the Lindeman’s Cellar Door and 1843 Harvest Café, McGuigan and Peterson will acquire the site from Treasury Wine Estates. Source, Winetitles.

7/09/2017: Family wineries unite with DtC sales
Family-run wineries throughout Australia have joined forces to counter the dominance of major supermarkets, in an initiative led by WA businessman Kevin Sorgiovanni. Fed up with cheaper supermarket labels being disguised as high-end brands and diminishing shelf space for small independent winemakers, Mr Sorgiovanni has developed Seekwine Australia. Source, The West Australian.

7/09/2017: From bubbles to blueberries
In 2009 there was a glut of wines grapes on the market, and the prices were plummeting. West Cape Howe winery knew. they needed to add another crop. Vineyard manager Grant Lubcke said Mount Barker Blueberrie,is was established after some market research and a visit to a blueberry operation in eastern Australia. Source, The ABC.

6/09/2017: Wine fermented with Brettanomyces
Bridge Road Brewery in Beechworth just released a Chardonnay fermented with 100% Brettanomyces. (Specifically, Brettanomyces claussenii, a strain with none of the nasty off-flavours.) The product is simply called “Wine”. Source, Broadsheet.

6/09/2017: Old Tassie Pinot makes its way home
Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies was given the 1978 bottle of Tasmanian Pinot Noir by a Sydney woman during a trip to the mainland. The bottle is from a winery considered the oldest winery of the modern era of the Tasmanian wine industry, and situated at Lalla in the north east. Source, The ABC.

6/09/2017: A 31 year old Semillon
Hunter wineries have been banging on for years about the wonderful ageing potential of their flagship white wine, Semillon. Now, one winery – the historic Mount Pleasant at Pokolbin – has taken the unprecedented step of re-releasing a Semillon that has been lying in their cellar for the past 26 years. Source, The Maitland Mercury.

6/09/2017: Clare Valley Winemakers gain naming right
The Clare Valley Winemakers Inc has attracted a naming rights sponsor for this year’s Clare Valley Wine Show. Fine wine retailer Langton’s is supporting the annual showcase of Clare Valley wines, with the event – the 23rd held - to be known as the Langton’s Clare Valley Wine Show. Source, Winetitles.

6/09/2017: 591 Aus entries at Decanter Asia awards
Judging has commenced for the Decanter Asia Wine Awards, with a record number of entries for Australia at 591. This makes us the second most present country at the awards after Italy, with 719 entries and miles ahead of France who has 391. Source, Decanter.

5/09/2017: AWRI & Wine Australia enter RDE agreement
Wine Australia and the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) have entered into an eight year agreement covering research, development and extension activities at the AWRI from 2017–25. This long-term partnership reflects a high level of strategic alignment between the two organisations. Source, Winetitles.

5/09/2017: Biosecurity tips
Tip#3: Are you biosecurity ready? Have you trained all vineyard staff including contract and casual labour on farm-gate hygiene practices? #Vinehealth www.vinehealth.com.au

5/09/2017: USA world's most 'attractive' export market
The USA remains the world’s most attractive wine market, with China entering the top five. For the fourth consecutive year, the USA holds pole position with Germany and Canada earning second and third position respectively. Source, Winetitles.

5/09/2017: Bilyara wins SA Employer of the Year
Solid investment in employees at Treasury Wine Estate’s Bilyara Packing Centre earned them Employer of the Year recognition on Friday night. The South Australian award highlighted the company for heavily investing in the capability of their employees with a mindset built on continuous improvement. Source, The Barossa Herald.

5/09/2017: Myrtaceae winery using rare Reidel glasses
Wine tastings at the Myrtaceae cellar door are conducted using Reidel rolling taster glasses. The glass holds 20mls in a reservoir in the stem and it can be laid flat and rolled without spilling any wine. “As the wine moves across a much greater surface area a greater depth or flavour is revealed, first via the olfactory nerve and then on the palate,” winemaker Julie Trueman said. Source, The Herald Sun.

5/09/2017: Orange wineries owed by local restaurant
The bankrupt owner of the failed Orange restaurant Stepping Stone has apologised for leaving creditors with debts totalling $236,974. Swinging Bridge Wines owner Tom Ward said after working in hospitality in Sydney, he was “used to it” and he was not expecting to get anything back. Source, Central Western Daily.

4/09/2017: Orora Glass finishes $42m upgrade
Global packaging giant Orora has completed a $42 million expansion of its Gawler glass bottle facility, taking on 26 additional employees. Its Gawler facility now employs 343 staff producing glass bottles for the Australian and New Zealand beverage industries. Source, The Advertiser.

4/09/2017: Patience and care produce results
“This is an old part of the Hunter wine region,” said vigneron, David Hook. “Some of the old materials for Busby’s home at Kirkton are still there, but the vineyard was pulled out around the 1950s and since then the place has been overrun with couch grass.” Source, The Herald.

4/09/2017: $9 wine wins at Perth Royal Wine Show
Another wine show, another example that Western Australia not only does it better, but cheaper. WA wine producers won 21 of 29 trophies on offer at Perth's Royal Wine Show on August 31. Source, WA Today.

4/09/2017: Faber Vineyard are a winning team
John Griffiths and Jane Micallef have had a 20-year love affair with the Swan Valley. In 1997 they borrowed to establish their Faber Vineyard in the Valley. It’s been hard work for the husband and wife team, but through their journey they have grown to love the culture of the wine growing region and have contributed to the evolution that has seen it become a highly regarded wine region. Source, Community News.

4/09/2017: Halliday Grenache Challenge for McLaren Vale
On October 15, McLaren Vale in South Australia will play host to the James Halliday Grenache Challenge. Coordinated in conjunction with the 2017 McLaren Vale Wine Show, Grenache samples are sought from producers Australia-wide with entries officially opening Monday, August 21 and closing on Friday, September 15. Source, Winetitles.

International Wine Industry News

21/09/2017: Iconic winery Rockburn releases limited edition Rosé
Rockburn releases its highly anticipated 2017 Stolen Kiss at daylight saving on 24 September 2017, offering the #firstkissofsummer to wine lovers around the country. The iconic Central Otago winery is a Rosé pioneer in New Zealand, being one of the first wineries to take the pink tipple seriously. Source, Scoop

21/09/2017: NZ young winemaker of the year announced
The 2017 Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year final was held at Villa Maria in Auckland with the celebration dinner held at Ostro Restaurant where Kelsey Daniels from Vinlink Marlborough was announced the winner and Sara Addis from Trinity Hill, Hawke's Bay runner up. Source, Winetitles

21/09/2017: Three distributors hold half US wine market value
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits alone accounts for about $16.5 billion in revenue — which Jim Gordon of Wines & Vines points out exceeds the revenue of the giant Constellation Brands, with its winery ownership throughout the world. Source, Forbes.

21/09/2017: Chinese Marselan scoops top award
A red wine made from a French variety tipped as China’s potential ‘signature grape’ has won the highest award at the 2017 Decanter Asia Wine Awards, show results released on September 20. The red wine, Tasya’s Reserve Marselan 2015, by Grace Vineyard of Shanxi Province was awarded a Platinum Best in Show medal. Source, Decanter.

21/09/2017: Is electric sky the future of wine?
When people think of concerts and music festivals, they often think of deafening speakers, the smell of sunscreen and amber beer in clear plastic cups. Wine is sometimes seen as too sophisticated for the sweaty crowds of Riot Fest or Lollapalooza. Electric Sky Wine, a company owned by music label Interscope Records, is seeking to change that. Source, Loyola Phoenix.

21/09/2017: Yearly weather will affect wine globally
A Napa heat wave hit 117 degrees, seriously damaging grapes. Plus, forest fires, frost, and hail around the northern hemisphere will mean smaller production this year and varying quality of the wines you love. Source, Bloomberg.

20/09/2017: New winery for Villa Maria Estate
A new winery is being built next to Te Awa Winery Restaurant, which involves shifting Vidal Estate's cellar door and wine making. The new facility will incorporate the brands under Villa Maria Estate including Vidal, Esk Valley, Villa Maria and the Te Awa Collection. Source, NZ Herald

20/09/2017: Corney & Barrow takes on NZ's Elephant Hill
NZ’s Elephant Hill, in Hawke’s Bay, has signed on with wine merchant Corney & Barrow in the UK, as it looks to strengthen its footing in the UK by targeting the on-trade. Elephant Hill was founded in 2003 by the late German businessman Roger Weiss and his wife Reydan, who both fell in love with Hawke’s Bay. Source, The Drinks Business

20/09/2017: Tardif grape could help fight climate change
A grape known as ‘Tardif’ in south-west France and which survived the phylloxera epidemic that plagued Europe’s vineyards in the 19th Century has been given a new lease of life via a listing on France’s official wine grape register. It’s thought that Tardif’s late ripening qualities might give winemakers more options when faced with higher temperatures that are expected this century due to climate change. Source, Decanter.

20/09/2017: Extensive frost damage at Garcin Family wineries
This year’s crop at two of the Garcin family’s wineries in Bordeaux were completely wiped out due to April frosts, which is estimated to have affected 60% of vineyards in the region, Hélène Garcin-Lévêque has revealed. Source, The Drinks Business.

20/09/2017: Vinovore spotlights female winemakers
Coly Den Haan has been working in the wine industry for ten years, and when she decided to open her own wine shop she realised there was a simple way to stand out in the male-dominated field—focus on wines made by women. Source, LA Mag.

20/09/2017: Family winery packaging in cans
The Dunning family will break from tradition upon introducing their estate-grown Pinot gris later this year — the wine will debut in cans rather than bottles. The idea is to target the “active wine drinker” who prefer not to lug around a heavy glass bottle on hikes and other outdoor adventures. Source, Capital Press.

19/09/2017: US an open market for NZ Sauv Blanc
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc's star is still in the ascendant in the US, but producers are underselling themselves in a market willing to pay more. Data collected between July 2016 and July 2017 shows some wine producers are missing out when it comes to charging more. Source, Wine-Searcher

19/09/2017: Central Otago's talent for aromatic white wines
Yvonne Lorkin, co-founder and chief tasting officer of winefriend.co.nz and a Wine Writers of NZ member, tries three of the best white wine releases from Central Otago. Source, Spy

19/09/2017: Hurricane Harvey spares Texas vintners
"In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, I think anything you can do to support the state, its workers and its economy would be much appreciated, and one of the smallest and easiest gestures would be to forego whatever other bottle of wine you were about to buy and pick up one from Texas," writes Larry Olmsted for Forbes.

19/09/2017: Wine maven Kurniawan, convicted of fraud
The convicted Indonesian wine dealer Rudy Kurniawan on Monday failed to persuade a U.S. judge to set aside his 10-year prison term for counterfeiting an estimated $30 million of wine. Kurniawan is housed at the Taft Correctional Institute in California, and not eligible for release until January 2021. Source, Reuters.

19/09/2017: China foods predicts tough wine market
China Foods Ltd, who manages China’s domestic winery Great Wall and COFCO Wine & Wine, has reported a 7.5% revenue growth for its wine business to HK$1.38 billion (US$176.35 million) during the first half of the year, driven by its imported wine sector despite Great Wall’s sluggish performance. Source, The Drinks Business.

19/09/2017: Greece backtracks on excise tax
The Greek government will soon table an amendment to abolish excise duty on wine as it has not brought the desired financial results, Greek Minister for Agricultural Development and Food Evangelos Apostolou said. Source, Euractiv.

18/09/2017: First crop at NZ School of Winegrowing
The first crop of students have signed up to the NZ School of Winegrowing, which had its official launch in Blenheim last week. The school, the first of its kind in New Zealand, was set up by Marlborough Boys' and Marlborough Girls' colleges with assistance from the wine industry. Source, Stuff

18/09/2017: Drinking 'good' wine from cans & boxes
With the new trend in wine drinking taking shape, no bottle opener is needed. Nowadays, more wine is being packaged with a pull-top instead of a cork. According to Nielsen sales data, the canned wine category has taken in $32 million in sales year-over-year in August. All of which raises the question: Why? Source, CNBC.

18/09/2017: Chateau Changyu, Xi'an
"The wines were a work in progress and, as they delicately added, “not yet pleasant”. But everything has changed. Wineries like Grace, Changyu and now Great Wall have begun to carve out segments of the growing Chinese wine culture," writes Lawrence Osborne for The Guardian.

18/09/2017: Alcohol levels in Bordeaux wines
It's up to Bordeaux winemakers to curb alcohol in their wines and global warming should not be an excuse for allowing levels to rise too high, argues John Salvi MW, drawing on the historical perspective of alcohol in Bordeaux wine. Source, Decanter.

18/09/2017: What makes Te Mata's Coleraine 1998 a wine legend?
Although NZ is best known for its cool-climate wines, it has been recognised for some time that Hawke’s Bay is particularly well suited to weightier reds, such as Bordeaux-style blends and Syrah. The development of the Gimblett Gravels zone put these wines on the map, but the Buck family at Te Mata had started to focus on such styles years before that. Source, Decanter

18/09/2017: Noble Rot owners announce new import company
Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, co-founders of cult food and wine magazine and restaurant wine bar Noble Rot have revealed to Eater London that they will launch a new wine import company — called Keeling Andrew & Co. — in October. They plan to supply the “UK’s most exciting bars, restaurants and independent wine merchants.” Source, Eater.

15/09/2017: Marlborough and Ningxia sign deal over a glass of wine
The leading wine-producing areas in NZ and China have joined forces and signed a sister-region agreement to share training and expertise. Marlborough Mayor John Leggett signed the agreement with Ningxia Governor Xian Hui during a visit to the north-central Chinese region.Source, Stuff

15/09/2017: Women in wine in Virginia
Melanie Natoli is one in a growing number of women rising to leadership roles in the traditionally male-dominated field of wine. In 2015, the graduating class from UC Davis’ enology and viticulture program was about half female, up from one-third in 1999, Wine Enthusiast reports. Source, Washington Top News.

15/09/2017: Monty from Le Marche making itself known
Steadfast and reserved, the region of Le Marche in central Italy is celebrating two 50th anniversaries this year, one in honor of a locally storied red wine, the other for a white made of a familiar grape from an unexpected area. Source, Forbes.

15/09/2017: Fine wine investment: the currency of wine
Tracking the ups and downs of the currency and fine wine markets over the past few years, it’s surely no coincidence that they match up rather closely and with that correlation come opportunities. Source, The Drinks Business.

15/09/2017: How a UK hairdresser became a wine pioneer
Linter spent a decade as a hairdresser, later going on to teach hairdressing. On becoming a mother-of-two, she yearned to continue work, this time in the family fold. She studied winemaking at nearby Plumpton College. ‘In 1995, it was still early days for English wine and our five acres.’ Source, The Evening Standard.

15/09/2017: The bomb for micro oxygenation
The Wine Grenade will not deliver “fire and fury” like your winery has never seen before, but it might change the approach to maturation of wines which otherwise won’t be spending time in barrel. This lunchbox sized device can mimic oxygenation levels offered by oak maturation. Source, Grapegrower & Winemaker.

14/09/2017: Double Gold for Pa Road Rosé at China wine awards
te Pa Family Vineyards has cleaned up at the annual China Wine & Spirits Awards, with its 2017 Pa Road Rosé winning a sought-after double gold medal. The China Wine & Spirits Awards are the biggest and most prestigious wine and spirits competition in Hong Kong and China. Source, Scoop

14/09/2017: Every second visitor at drinktec plans to invest
Ahead of drinktec 2017, there are signs of very good post-fair business and good market trends in general. According to previous trade fair data, every one in two visitor to drinktec is planning to increase investments at their company in the next twelve months, by an average of 23.7 percent. Source, Winetitles.

14/09/2017: How one Lebanese winery became an icon
In an industry beset by trends, Château Musar, an 87-year-old Lebanese wine producer, has garnered a cult following. It’s the only Middle Eastern wine offered by Thomas Keller’s legendary French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, California, and it displays prominently at New York City’s Rouge Tomate. Source, Vine Pair.

14/09/2017: Minnesota wine industry gets serious
“Every year we keep getting better and better,” said Sam Jennings, winemaker at one of the state’s largest operations, Cannon River in Cannon Falls, Minn. Part of the enhancements comes from an evolving mind-set, including embracing the natural tendencies of cold-climate grapes to be high in acids and sugar. Source, Star Tribune.

14/09/2017: Wine culture maturing in Mexico
Don Leo Vineyards is celebrating 17 years in Coahuila this year but some state officials believe that winemakers should be getting more support from government to permit them to continue to grow. A buoyant wine market would translate into benefits for tourism, and provide a boost to local artisans. Source, Mexico News Daily.

14/09/2017: Waitaki Valley Pinots impress
Mark Henderson, from the Otago Daily Times, was joined by fellow tasting panellists to delve into the world of Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir. He says Pinot Noir is very much the flagbearer for this young region, which has barely a dozen or so harvests under its belt. Source, Otago Daily Times

13/09/2017: Italy beckons for wine exchange student
A world of wine awaits the winner of a prestigious industry scholarship. New Zealand Romeo Bragato scholarship winner Alexandra Peter will travel to Europe to learn more about traditional winemaking methods. The 26-year-old Blenheim woman began her wine career in Marlborough and is looking forward to trying her hand at old world winemaking.Source, Stuff

13/09/2017: Making wine on the edge of a volcano
Perched on the side of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, lies an ancient vineyard. At around 900 meters high, Frank Cornelissen’s wine estate sits at the limit of where viticulture was done historically, and also today. Source, South China Morning Post.

13/09/2017: Israeli exports to china skyrocket
An Israeli winery is set to build an $8 million facility in central China, hoping to take a piece of what has become one of the largest wine markets in the world. The winegrower, Hayotzer, has signed a preliminary agreement with the Pen Dun Group to build the joint project. Source, Jewish Journal.

13/09/2017: Business booming at Ukrainian 'wine bunker'
"Deep in the bowels of a former gypsum mine in east Ukraine, winemaker Rafail Nasyrov scrutinises a bottle of sparkling rose. Hundreds of thousands more line a winding labyrinth of underground tunnels and caves." Source, The Nation.

13/09/2017: Beer made with wine, or wine made with beer?
Solid Ground Brewing, a new brewery in El Dorado County, combines Johnson’s winemaking background with the beer brewing experience of his co-founder KC Sare. Along with creating standard lagers and ales, Johnson and Sare are producing some of their beers by using winemaking techniques and by infusing wine into the brew. Source, The Sacramento Bee.

13/09/2017: Trans-Tasman wines crowned best in NZ competition
An Australian red and a NZ white have been crowned winners in New Zealand Wine Society’s Wine of the Year Awards. South Australia’s Vasarelli Family Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016 and New Zealand’s Hawkesbridge Reserve Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 won top red and top white respectively. Source, Winetitles

12/09/2017: Personal relationships key to wine business
Neil Hodgson, a wine writer at Nelson Mail tells a story of the interwoven relationship built around his personal and professional life. Hodgson highlights the importance of building strong personal connections with examples of how they build professional success.

12/09/2017: Accolade CEO appointed Invivo director
Invivo has announced the appointment of Paul Schaafsma, former CEO of Accolade Wines, to its board as an independent director. Under Paul’s leadership, the fifth largest wine company in the world exceeded AUD$1billion in revenue with a team of 1700 employees. Source, Voxy.

12/09/2017: First Sussex wine for UK
A white blend from Rathfinny Estate in Alfriston is the first ‘Sussex’ wine to be approved under the new Sussex Protected Designation of Origin scheme. Rathfinny’s Cradle Valley 2016, a blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris is the first official ‘Sussex’ wine, having passed an independent analytical test and approval from a tasting panel. Source, The Drinks Business.

12/09/2017: Can India love wine?
India guzzles more whisky than any country in the world. Demand for Scotch whisky alone grew by 41% by volume there last year, according to the Scotch Whisky Association. But wine ... well, Indians haven't really acquired a taste for it yet. Sonal Holland is determined to change that. Source, CNN.

12/09/2017: English wine makes up half UK govt cellar
The UK government has defended its record on English wine by saying that it buys more homegrown wines for its hospitality events than from any other nation. Figures show that English wine accounted for 1,500 of the 3,052 bottles bought for the UK government’s hospitality cellar in the 2016/17 tax year. Source, Decanter.

12/09/2017: Lesser known wine destinations
Wine tourism isn’t just expanding—it’s getting more creative in every corner of the globe, with more vine estates than ever wooing oenophiles with luxurious digs and experiences to indulge their grape-driven passions. Source, Bloomberg.

11/09/2017: Sauvignon country comes up trumps for investment
Marlborough remains firmly in the spotlight when it comes to investment sales in the wine industry. Colliers International specialist Mike Laven said it was imperative to have good marketing arrangements. "The big Sauvignon players in Marlborough with access to the US are unstoppable," he said. Source, Stuff

11/09/2017: Celebrity chef says only a numpty would buy English wine
Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White has taken a pop at the English wine industry - saying only a "numpty" would buy it. Pierre White, 55 - the youngest chef to be given three Michelin stars - also said English wine makers were "playing at it" and could never compete with the French in producing top fizz. Source, The Telegraph

11/09/2017: Record heat hit California wine regions
California wine grapes, unaccustomed to those temperatures at this time of year, were left shrivelling on the vines, in many cases dehydrated by excessive daytime temperatures that weren’t cooling down enough at night. The heat episode has turned what was looking, just last week, to be a promising and average-yielding vintage into a year that looks more uncertain, in both quality and quantity. Source, San Francisco Chronicle.

11/09/2017: Fine for vineyard developer after wetland damage
A Marlborough company has been fined for deliberately damaging an ecologically significant wetland while developing a vineyard. Gill Construction wanted to create the vineyard on its property on State Highway 63, near the Wairau Valley township. Source, Stuff

11/09/2017: Sheep flocking to organic vineyards
When winemaker Bob Blue started working 30 years ago, organic farming and winemaking were considered a little out-there. Now the terms composting, cover crops, biodiversity and soil health are much more understood. Blue says it's about "getting nature to work for you, be it with other plants or even animals like bees, chicken and sheep". Source, Dallas News

11/09/2017: Chablis, a wine that speaks for itself
There’s something uniquely old-school and deliciously formal about Chablis wines. These bone-dry wines with pronounced minerality aren’t for everyone. What they do bring to the table is one of the world’s most stylish, refined and urbane dry white wines. Several factors contribute. Source, Shanghai Daily.

8/09/2017: Matawhero takes gold at Bragato Wine Awards
A number of Gisborne wines were awarded medals in the annual Bragato Wine Awards, with a gold for Matawhero Rose 2017 made from fruit grown by Paul Tietjen. The objective of the awards is to give recognition to viticultural excellence, and to recognise the influence of grape growers and their vineyards in creating the unique qualities of NZ wines. Source, The Gisborne Herald

8/09/2017: Marlborough ahead in gross margin benchmarking
When it comes to net cash income, the latest Gross Margin Benchmarking survey shows Marlborough was head and shoulders above other wine producing regions this year. The survey which is co-funded by MPI and New Zealand Winegrowers, surveys a number of growers in each of the five main regions focusing on dominant varieties. Source, New Zealand Winegrower

8/09/2017: Rescue mission underway for rare wine menaced by Irma
Swooping in ahead of Hurricane Irma’s feared weekend arrival, an emergency response team is rescuing rare treasures - some of them survivors of world wars and all of them liquid - from harm’s way in Florida and Louisiana. Source, Reuters

8/09/2017: Wine exec enters prison, sells stake in Napa vineyard
Former wine executive Charles Banks reported to a federal prison camp this week, beginning a four-year sentence for fraud. The former financial adviser and founder of Terroir Life, which owns or manages nearly a dozen wineries in California, New Zealand and South Africa, pleaded guilty in April to defrauding a retired basketball star client. Source, Wine Spectator

8/09/2017: Poland, Taiwan and the UAE wine markets upgraded
The latest iteration of the Global Compass 2017 report, recently published by Wine Intelligence, has changed the status of Poland, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates from Emerging markets to Growth markets, in an annual ranking of the world’s 50 most attractive wine markets. Source, Winetitles

8/09/2017: Bulk wine prices to hit 'record highs' due to European shortages
The bulk wine market will be hard hit by the 2017 vintage, according to an Italian bulk wine broker, and prices are likely to hit record highs. With a shortage of both white and red grapes across Europe, largely due to the spring frosts in April, and hailstorms that caused major damage to vineyards in many areas, the president of Intermediazioni Lazzaretto has described the next harvest as “one of the most problematic we have seen in the past 30 years”. Source, VINEX Weekly eNews

7/09/2017: NZ aromatics play the long game
One can scarcely talk about New Zealand wine without mentioning Sauvignon Blanc. Today, the two are inseparable, so intertwined that it’s difficult to remember what the country’s winemakers did before striking gold with Marlborough Sauvignon. Source, The Drinks Business.

7/09/2017: Program launch in brand new Urban Winery
Summer Food and Wine Classic was officially launched last night in among the barrels at the Bay's newest winery in Ahuriri. The Urban Winery, in the old National Tobacco Company building, was filled with sponsors, organisers and partners of the region's premiere wine and food event. Source, The New Zealand Herald.

7/09/2017: The beginning of the end of wine procurement
"Will wine sales and delivery channels be swept up in the national trend – from pushing a squeaky shopping cart at your local supermarket to the “let your fingers do the walking” virtual shopping cart?" Source, The Examiner.

7/09/2017: Supermarket receives complaint about wine label
UK supermarket chain Iceland has received a complaint from a customer in Clydebank in Scotland, questioning the positioning of the Fat B*****d wine range stocked by the retailer. The customer asked why Iceland believed it was acceptable to stock the Fat B*****d wine range at “child eye-level”. Source, The Drinks Business.

7/09/2017: Why it's so hard to tell if expensive wine is fake
As In Vino Duplicitas emphasises, people are prone to "fooling ourselves into believing". There is something about the proximity to a rare old bottle that induces a kind of dizzying frisson that suspends critical judgement. Source, Luxemborg Wort.

7/09/2017: French somm praises Armenian wine
One of France’s best winemakers Franck Thomas, who was named Europe’s best sommelier in 2000, has praised the quality of Armenian wine, reported Armenia’s Ministry of Agriculture. “Armenia is an interesting country for me because it is one of the birthplaces of wine,” said Thomas. Source, Asbarez.

6/09/2017: Chrome wine bottle debuts
Vintage car fanatics who also happen to be wine lovers, take note: A California winery has launched what they're calling the world's first chromed-glass wine bottle in homage to the classic American automobile. Source, News18.

6/09/2017: The worlds most expensive Merlots
Repeatedly knocked back by circumstance, criticism and changing fashions, Merlot nevertheless remains one of the world's most popular grape varieties, despite what feels like an almost concerted effort to do it down. Maybe it's time that we all rethought how we look at Italian wines, and also how we look at Merlot. Source, Wine Searcher.

6/09/2017: Irish wine sales booming again
Irish wine sales are booming again with a record-equalling 9 million cases sold last year, according to a report from the Irish Wine Association (IWA). The pick-up in sales was linked to increased levels of disposable income, shifting consumer preferences and the emergence of more competitively priced wines, particularly in the €8 to €9 category. Source, Irish Times.

6/09/2017: Armit wines acquired by Invivo Group
UK fine wine merchant Armit has been acquired by the French agricultural cooperative InVivo Group. The merchant was scooped up as part of InVivo’s wholesale buyout of Armit’s owner, the Dutch-based Baarsma Wine Group, in early July. Source, The Drinks Business.

6/09/2017: Chinese import change blamed for wine company demise
A wine-making descendant of one of Hawke's Bay's wine pioneers has been made bankrupt and will soon have his liquidated company removed from the Companies Register. According to a liquidator's report Robbie Bird put his company's demise down to a change in policy by Chinese president Xi Jinping. Source, Stuff

6/09/2017: Deloitte and ANZ announce wine survey collaboration
Deloitte and ANZ Bank have announced a new collaboration on the 2017 wine industry benchmarking survey. The survey is designed to assist NZ wine businesses to make more informed decisions about their relative financial strengths and weaknesses compared with others in the industry, and is open for a period of around four weeks. Source, Stuff

5/09/2017: Kiwi trio bringing ‘artisan wine’ to NZ tables
Everyday Kiwis may soon be enjoying the fruits of artisan winegrowers’ labours with their evening meals, thanks in large part to a grape loving trio leading the democratisation of independently produced wine across New Zealand. Source, Winetitles

5/09/2017: Giesen Wines invited to pour at New York event
Marlborough's Giesen Wines has been invited to pour at the prestigious Wine Spectator New York Wine Experience in October. Only wineries that have received the highest tasting scores of 90+ point ratings from the magazine’s tasting panel are considered. Source, Scoop Business

5/09/2017: Can wine submerged in stormwater be damaged?
"The question I have subsequently asked myself - and others have asked me - is whether wine can be damaged when bottles get submerged in any kind of water, never mind some seriously brown, smelly, almost gooey stuff," writes Dale Robertson, for the Houston Chronicle.

5/09/2017: European growers turn to robotics
At a vineyard in Tomar in Portugal, scientists from the University of Lisbon are testing out a new robot designed to increase the productivity of winegrowers. It can climb slopes up to 45° and generate maps that accurately assess the yield of vineyards. Source, Euro News.

5/09/2017: Fine wine jumps in value
The super-rich have seen their jewellery, fine wine and musical instrument collections jump in value again. Now in its twelfth year, blue-blooded UK bank Coutts’ ‘passion’ index of the finest things in life returned to positive territory in 2016 after a dip in 2015 - this includes a near 10 percent jump in wines. Source, Reuters.

5/09/2017: South African drinks group sells off brands
South African drinks group, Distell, has divested itself of several vineyards and estates as it seeks to concentrate on just four key brands. The news came as Distell announced its half-year results last month. Source, The Drinks Business.

4/09/2017: Simplicity is key in marketing NZ wine
When wine writer Jamie Goode spoke at the Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference in Marlborough, his message was emphatic.“You will maintain an edge in international markets by sticking to a simple clear marketing message going forward in the same way as you have done in the past with Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. It’s consistent, reliable and there are no nasty surprises." Source, New Zealand Winegrower

4/09/2017: Pet Nat and skin contact
Some winemakers are reviving old techniques, which introduce new textures and tastes, as well as opening up possibilities for food compatibility. This explosion in diversity comes down to a new generation of wine drinkers who are more curious, better educated and more discerning about value than ever before. Source, The Guardian.

4/09/2017: Scaling up to stay small
"Welcome to the Moselland Cooperative, a gargantuan operation in Germany’s southwestern Mosel Valley. It’s a Costco-sized building that reads more factory than mold-covered stone cellar, but it’s more than just a case for modern convenience," writes Laura Burgess for Vinepair.

4/09/2017: China drives Spanish wine exports
Spain’s wine exports in the first half of the year have reached a record high to €1.3207 billion, up by 6% over the same period, driven by strong demand from China. China has climbed up the ranking to become Spain’s fifth largest wine market. Source, The Drinks Business.

4/09/2017: 'Blue wine' sets sight on the US
It won’t appeal to traditionalists and it’s unlikely to ever be classed as fine wine, but the Spanish ‘blue wine’, which launched in Europe in 2015, has initially been earmarked for launch in Florida, Massachusetts and Texas, according to Aritz López, co-founder of its creator, Gïk. Source, Decanter.

4/09/2017: Cromwell’s new walking wine trail
The Cromwell-based 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail is a new way to navigate around four of Central Otago’s premium wine tasting rooms capturing some great scenery along the way. The initiative for the trail was prompted by the increase in the number of tasting rooms that have opened nearby and the rise in tourism across the region. Source, Winetitles

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