Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is fetching big money on the bulk market after the crop for 2015 came in under target. After last year’s bumper harvest, which saw Marlborough wineries bring in a record 329,572 tonnes of grapes, the price of 2014 vintage Sauvignon Blanc on the bulk market dropped to $2 per litre. A year later, the average price for 1 litre is sitting at about $5. Wine Marlborough board chairman Clive Jones said while most wineries had come in on target, or just below, overall the volume of grapes harvested was “significantly smaller” than last year.

The Crittenden winemaking family has been coming up with surprises since they got into the game, and now they’ve got another, writes Marguerite Winter. The dam that Garry Crittenden created in 1981 is now a serene lake in a landscaped setting. The spacious decks of three boat house-style guest villas lap its edges and, across the lawn and skirting a vineyard, is Stillwater restaurant, a Mornington Peninsula landmark, and perfect for a spot of lunch after a tasting at the nearby cellar door.

The Australian Embassy introduced on Tuesday its premium food and beverage products to Indonesia through the Australian Culinary Trails which will be held for the second time this year from April 21 to 26 at the Grand Indonesia Mall in Central Jakarta. “We see great potential to increase our engagement in the food sector and hope these events will open up the opportunities for the industry of both in Australia and Indonesia,” Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson said.

The Hunter Valley has taken over from New Zealand’s Marlborough as the number one wine region represented on New South Wales wine lists with 7.8 per cent of all listings, up 21 per cent on last year. The findings were revealed in the latest Wine Business Solutions Wine On-Premise Report 2015 which reviews wine lists from all over Australia. Listings from NSW Wines were up six per cent on last year, being the only state to show growth.

A LIVE auction which offered some of Australia’s oldest and rarest wine has seen spirits soar and records broken. Supported by Langton’s, the Barossa Wine Chapters Auction opened online for bidding in early April before wrapping up with a live auction and lunch on Friday 17 April in the Barossa. More than 410 attendees were given the unique opportunity to buy large formats of wine, rare experiences and exclusive back vintage releases with perfect provenance direct from wineries.

THE Margaret River wine region will be put under the spotlight as part of a senate inquiry into the Australian wine sector. The inquiry will examine the costing and potential rebate for Australian wine.
WA senator Dean Smith co-sponsored the motion after seeing the demand for WA wine to be exported to China. The focus of the inquiry will be on the impact of free trade agreements, the Wine Equalisation Tax rebate and production costs.

The Glover family in Marlborough are firmly making their mark as a small but mighty producer with an award-winning array of aromatics and Pinot Noir. Lucky Jack Glover has been surrounded by wine all his life. After being inspired by other Marlborough pioneers, his parents, Owen and Wendy converted their dairy farm in Dillons Point to vine in 1985 and initially planted Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay before turning their hand to Gewürztraminer in 1991.

John Key says he would be “extremely surprised” if a far-reaching ban on alcohol sponsorship and advertising went ahead. A ministerial forum on alcohol advertising and sponsorship has put forward a raft of recommendations – including a ban on alcohol companies sponsoring sports teams and events. Organisers of major Marlborough events that rely on sponsorship from the wine industry, including the Forrest GrapeRide and Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon, have said their future would be threatened if the recommendations were implemented.

Japanese wine drinkers are increasingly open to trying new styles and countries as the country’s wine market ‘comes of age’, according to a new report. Chile has been a major beneficiary of this maturing trend in Japan, with the country’s wines more than tripling their share of the market over the past seven years and overtaking France late in 2014, says Rabobank in its latest wine quarterly report. Australian winemakers are also seeking a greater presence in Japan.

SOUTH Australia and its iconic wine regions star in the second season of satirical comedy Plonk, heralding a new frontier of tourism. The web series Plonk takes an off-kilter look at the South Australia wine industry that is “part comedy narrative, part documentary”. The mockumentary follows the many misadventures of a film crew who are making a wine show – but the true star is the burgeoning wine and hospitality industry of Australia’s south.