Many wine producers across the Canberra region have begun harvesting grapes early to avoid problems with the 2012 vintage. Two growing seasons of cooler temperatures and heavy rain have posed problems for the current vintage. Growers fear the wet conditions could threaten the harvest with spilt fruit and increase vulnerability to diseases, reports ABC News.
First came plastic wine bottles, and now a Melbourne entrepreneur hopes drinkers will embrace individual portions of Sauvignon Blanc or rose in disposable cups. The ready-to-drink market has been hugely successful for beer and spirit-based products but has struggled to convince wine drinkers to abandon traditional serving methods. But Georgia Beattie is hoping to change that with her company, Lupe, which since launching last November is already generating steady business at festivals and events, and was named by BRW magazine as one of its 10 start-ups to watch in 2012, reports Brisbane Times.
Tertini Wines, based near the southern highlands town of Berrima, has won five of the nine trophies at the 2012 Australian Highlands Wine Show. Its 30-year-old winemaker, Jonathan Holgate, starred with Riesling and Pinot Noir. The 2008 Tertini Riesling won best Riesling, best dry white wine and best wine of show while the 2009 Tertini Pinot Noir won best Pinot Noir and best red wine of show. It’s a far cry from this time last year when Holgate, who is married with two young children, was seriously injured when a loaded bin of grapes toppled and crushed him, damaging several vertebrae in his lower back, writes Huon Hooke in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“If you use ‘good’ to describe anything other than the fact you like a wine, I will whack you.” Evan Goldstein launches into a broad American smile. Only kidding. Goldstein is an educator of sommeliers with the international group, the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS). It is his job to ensure sommeliers seeking the CMS qualifications are judged using the same criteria. Therefore, the kind of words we might generally use to convey a colourful or emotive impression of a wine, often involving the word ”good” are expressly forbidden, writes Jeni Port in The Age.
The proprietors and negociants of Bordeaux admit that prices must be ‘realistic’ on the 2011 vintage – while insisting its quality should not be downplayed. The market, insiders agree, is ‘not as buoyant’ as it has been, and prices must reflect that. Chateau Lynch-Bages’ Jean-Charles Cazes told Decanter, ‘There’s a lot of uncertainty and we know buyers are cash limited. They bought a lot of wine in 2009 and 2010 so will need a good reason to buy 2011. It is not as buoyant this year.’
When Sauvignon Blanc growers were hit by the rough financial ride that accompanied oversupply, some became adventurous. The word adventurous is particularly relevant when we speak of Bridget Ennals and Steve Pellet, the couple behind Stanley Estates. When we say adventurous we can refer to Steve and Bridget setting off in a trusty Land Rover equipped to tackle some 30,000 kilometres of vast and rugged terrain in Africa, or we can be considering the bold move to a new variety, Albarino, reports The Marlborough Express.
The European director of NZ Winegrowers, David Cox, has revealed the three key markets that will form the strategic direction for the business in the Northern European market. Following research commissioned by NZ Winegrowers into the key markets for the next three to five years, a report by Wine Intelligence found that Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands should represent the focus for New Zealand Wine, reports The Shout.
Hawkes Bay continues to produce some of the country’s loveliest wine. Blessed with a generous warm climate ideal for ripening grapes and versatile, sympathetic terra firma, it’s capable of beautiful reds and a slew of rich mineral-infused whites. Experience and age count for a lot and the region boasts some of our oldest wineries, writes John Hawkesby in The New Zealand Herald.
They once cringed at being called the “Chardonnay set”, but after 22 years the Crows have found a way to make the tag work. South Australian winemaker Wolf Blass yesterday delivered the first “official” wine of the Adelaide Football Club – his Yellow Label Pinot Noir Chardonnay Sparkling Brut. And he hopes the Crows are showering in it by September, reports Adelaide Now.
New vintage wines are ready for taste testing on your doorstep. Vinteloper owner and winemaker David Bowley has turned a disused courtyard in Union St, behind the Crown & Anchor Hotel, into a “pop-up” winery. Visitors can watch as grapes from regions including the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley are delivered to the courtyard and processed on site, reports City Messenger. “There will be foot-trodding two to three times a day, fermenting and I will be using basket presses to press the grapes,” Mr Bowley says.