Entries for the 2015 Marlborough Wine Show close this Friday 18 September and judging takes place on 6 and 7 October. Guest international judges are Ralph Kyte-Powell of Melbourne and San Francisco-based Wilfred Wong, sponsored by Wine Marlborough. Wilfred is Chief Storyteller for Wine.com and is a 40+ year veteran of the wine industry. In his role at Wine.com, Wilfred concentrates his efforts on social media.
It’s now two and a half years since the fruit of the 2013 New Zealand vintage was harvested and immediately declared a rare gift from Bacchus. I’m still tasting 2013 wines for the first time, most of these being top shelf releases that have been given more time in the bottle to polish their moves. Some of these look astonishingly good, especially the Hawke’s Bay Syrahs. If I were to pick one star variety from the vintage, it would have to be Syrah, with chardonnay a close second.
A fundamental understanding of the underlying market is one of the most important factors for brand owners trying to make an informed decision when developing a successful market strategy. From the increasing importance of monitoring small trend variances to the influence of international market developments, commercial success is shaped by the ability to adapt to industry fluctuation.
Sipping fine wines has long been one of life’s great pleasures. Sharing it with new friends makes a charming activity for corporate groups. It is little wonder that group tours of the nation’s celebrated wineries have become a wildly popular incentive experience. Here are four well-respected firms, in different regions of Australia, where groups can enjoy one of life’s true pleasures—sampling fine wines with fine food, in good company.
Canberra’s peak business body has publicly backed Australia’s free trade agreement with China, labelling it an “important step in levelling the playing field”. The Canberra Business Chamber has come out in favour of the preferential agreement with Australia’s largest trading partner, which covers two-way trade worth $152 billion a year. Shaw Vineyard Estate owner Graeme Shaw has recently set up distribution for his cool-climate wines in Shanghai. He said his numbers of enquiries from China have “at least doubled” in the past 12 months.
Accolade Wines announced a purchase of Chile’s Viña Anakena yesterday, a move it says has made it the first company to have a footprint in all major New World wine regions. Viña Anakena was founded in the late 1990s by two friends, Felipe Ibáñez and Jorge Gutiérrez, in Alto Cachapoal, in the cool foothills of the Andes Mountains, south of the Chilean capital Santiago. Accolade’s acquisition includes all the brands and inventory relating to Anakena labels, a 3000 tonne winery, a vineyard near the winery, cellar door and VIP tasting room.
Reforms to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) rebate and an extra $44 million for global marketing are detailed in a plan put to the Federal Government to help restore profitability to the nation’s grape and wine industry. A submission lodged by the industry’s two peak associations, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) and Wine Grape Growers Australia (WGGA), urged the government to take action before the 2016 vintage so wine businesses can take full advantage of the more favourable Australian dollar and recent FTAs.
Spring in New Zealand is a season inspired with vibrant colours and unfurling new life, brimming with the flavours of early produce and new vintage releases, and a feast of imaginative festivals celebrating everything from seafood to wine. Below are three of the most popular spring events. The Food and Wine Classic (F.A.W.C!) is a series of out-of-the-box food and wine events set in stunning locations throughout Hawke’s Bay each year.
A Marlborough vineyard contracting business is under investigation by the Labour Inspectorate after allegations workers were under paid for three months. A former employee, who prompted the investigation when he made a formal complaint through Wine Marlborough, claims he is owed up to $1000 for unpaid hours over four weeks. He said up to nine others had not been paid the full amount for their hours worked.
A jam-packed 42-day overseas trip across Asia, North America and Ireland has provided Nuffield scholar and viticulturist Andrew Clarke with a ‘big picture’ view of agriculture. Yering Station’s chief viticulturist has just returned from the Nuffield Scholarship ‘Global Focus’ tour, which took in Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, mainland China, Canada, United States and Ireland.