Eleven Marlborough wines are in the running for trophies at an international wine competition in Australia this month. Brent Marris, owner of Marisco Vineyards in Marlborough, is among the 12 wine experts from Australia, Britain and New Zealand who will judge at the 31st Sydney International Wine Competition, reports The Marlborough Express.
Lovers of food as well as wine were spoiled for choice at the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival at Brancott Estate near Fairhall at the weekend. A crowd of about 8000 chilled out at the festival site amidst the vines. A cool wind and cloudy skies saw summery sundresses hidden beneath jackets and jerseys but people warmed up by dancing and eating hot food. Blenheim chef Chris Fortune said the best thing about this 29th festival was seeing the word ‘food’ back in its title, and quality wines complemented by quality foods, reports The Marlborough Express.
The coal-rich hills of Australia’s Hunter Valley have long fed China’s steel furnaces but the winemaking region is riding a fresh boom as the Asian power’s middle classes toast their new wealth. Mining delegations are being replaced by wine enthusiasts as China’s upwardly mobile millions get the taste for an expensive drop, and Australia’s vintners are turning their efforts towards the lucrative new market, reports AFP.
McLaren Vale producer Serafino Wines is soaring on the wings of a deal with Virgin Australia to serve its 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon to business travellers. The airline is now serving its 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon to business travellers between Australia and Los Angeles. Serafino – founded by Steve Maglieri, after he sold his Maglieri brand to then Foster’s for $30 million in 1998, and operated by his daughter Maria – has the only full-bodied red on offer in flight, reports Adelaide Now.
The ambassador for this year’s National Multicultural Festival is one of Australia’s best known winemakers, reports ABC Canberra. Wolfgang Blass AM has lived a life full of experiences. As a young boy growing up in Germany during World War II, Wolf Blass suffered his fair share of hardship and battles. At the age of 13 Wolf felt no choice but to flee Eastern Germany into Western Germany, where he was pushed into winemaking against his wishes by his family who were looking to make him self sufficient. As he completed diplomas in winemaking he knew that he wanted to go far.
An advertising campaign has been launched to encourage people to holiday in Western Australia’s Margaret River wine region. It follows a downturn in bookings since the November bushfires in the state’s southwest. Tourism Minister Kim Hames said while the fire-ravaged area in Prevelly was relatively small, less than 1.5 per cent of the region, its effect on tourism had been felt across the entire region between Busselton and Augusta, reports Perth Now.
There is a new destination for wine lovers in the Yarra Valley. Family-run winery Soumah, in Gruyere, has officially opened its doors to the public. Owner Brett Butcher said the vineyard was established in 1997, and they sold their grapes to other wineries. In 2010, they created their private label and began selling their wine. They opened their new cellar for the first time on Australia Day, reports the Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader.
The February 2012 issue of Grapegrower & Winemaker is now available. This month in our special ‘innovation & technology’ issue we look at some of the outstanding and world-leading work being undertaken to shape the future of Australian viticulture and winemaking.
A wine lover has made the first major Chinese purchase in Burgundy. The Burgundy deal differs from the spate of purchases in Bordeaux in that it is a partnership, with local grower Pascal Chevigny selling two hectares of vines to 28-year-old businessman Shi Yi. The two, who are the same age, met while studying for a masters in wine and spirits at Dijon university, reports Decanter.
Marlborough growers need an appellation system with strict controls on production levels to avoid losing quality and reputation, according to a leading producer. John Forrest, owner of Forrest Wines in Marlborough, New Zealand, told Decanter he would be campaigning over the next year to encourage local producers to introduce a ‘self-enforced appellation system’.