In a pop-up shop on the outskirts of Shanghai, the problems facing Penfolds across China are written in black marker pen and glued to the window. “Buy 1 get 1 free” says the sign promoting the offerings inside. For a wine brand that aims to sit alongside the likes of Louis Vuitton at the luxury end of the market, it’s hardly the ideal image. But the sign, written on an A4 sheet of paper, tells us much about the bumpy ride for Penfolds and its parent, Treasury Wine Estates, in China over the last three years.

This month, Bill Hardy has launched new packaging for his namesake brand, William “Bill” Hardy, and announced a move to regional blends. The relaunch reflects an ongoing premiumisation of the brand. The new packaging incorporates new and UK exclusive labelling techniques, which ensures the product looks notably premium and the wines have been upgraded from South Australia appellation to Limestone Coast for the Chardonnay and Langhorne Creek for the Shiraz.

Jimmy Barnes once extolled the values of cheap wine in one of Cold Chisel’s best-known tunes and alcohol vendors are reportedly beginning to catch on with strong wine-based drinks appearing on the shelves – and avoiding the high taxes that hit similarly potent spirits. The wine-based drinks are sold on the spirits shelves and contain a similar alcohol level to spirits including rum and whiskey, Fairfax Media has reported. However, the tipple carries a price tag of half to as much as a quarter of older-style strong drink.

Three regional vineyards are donating some of the exceptional 2015 harvest to Companion House in Canberra, which helps vulnerable people including refugees. Four Winds Winery, Murrumbateman, business manager Sarah Collingwood said they could not fit another berry into the winery after harvesting enough for their own label and contracted wineries. Collingwood said they hated the thought of not using the leftover grapes. “The solution presented itself, after speaking to other people in the industry.

If you live in Australia and you’re over 30, there’s a decent chance you’re much more of a wine maven than your younger counterparts. According to a survey release by Roy Morgan Research, nearly 5 out of 10 Australian’s 30 years or older said they’d had a drink of wine in the past four weeks. Only about 3 out of 10 drinkers aged 30 or younger could say the same. “Young people are often portrayed as binge-drinkers in the media, but our latest data shows that slightly more Australians aged 30 and older drink alcohol in an average four weeks.”

A university researcher is training sniffer dogs to detect pest and disease in vineyards. Dogs have traditionally been trained to sniff out drugs, explosives and even missing people, but their new target could be phylloxera – a devastating pest that feeds on the roots of vines and can eventually kill an entire vineyard. Sonja Needs, Melbourne University viticulture and animal science researcher, said she could train any breed to be a sniffer dog.

Australian wine companies are already beginning to see benefits of the Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) just two months after its initiation, according to The Australian Grape and Wine Authority’s (AGWA) Wine Export Approvals database. Under JAEPA, the tariff on bulk wine has immediately been reduced to zero, while the 15 per cent import tariff on Australian bottled wine will be eliminated over seven years.

Australian wine companies are already beginning to see benefits of the Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) just two months after its initiation, according to The Australian Grape and Wine Authority’s (AGWA) Wine Export Approvals database. Under JAEPA, the tariff on bulk wine has immediately been reduced to zero, while the 15 per cent import tariff on Australian bottled wine is planned to be eliminated over seven years.

Truth: The wine investment industry want you to believe this, after all it’s in their financial interest that you buy into this belief, but try telling this to the clients that lost huge amounts of money in this unregulated market. Try telling the clients of APW Asset Management Ltd that wine investment is safe. The company sold Australian wines to clients for investment and capital growth purposes, and it is the latest company to be wound up by the High Court in March 2015.

A vicious, four-year drought may be close to catching up with California’s winemakers, and it’s the small producers of inexpensive wine that are likely to be hit hardest. The California drought has left some vineyards with a fraction of their usual water allotment. State Water Project allocations hover around 20 percent of normal, while the San Joaquin Valley irrigation districts are delivering no more than 30-35 percent of normal supplies, according to Jay Lund, professor and blogger for the University of California-Davis Center for Watershed Sciences.