They are one of the oldest families of wine in Australia, and after more than 120 years in Victoria, Brown Brothers’ decision to expand outside of its traditional growing area because of rising temperatures is paying off. Warm springs and hot summers can affect grape quality and produce lower-quality, more alcoholic wine. Wine companies big and small are scrambling to adapt, with vineyard managers changing things like the way they prune, how they sit the vines on the trellis, different grape varieties, and the location of vineyards.

Andreas Clark, Wine Australia chief executive officer, today announced Aaron Ridgway has been appointed as Wine Australia’s new Head of Market, Americas. Clark said he was delighted Aaron was joining the Wine Australia team. “He is a dedicated and passionate advocate for Australian wine with a sound track record in our important US market, Clark said.

Oatley Fine Wine Merchants announced they will manage the Australian distribution of Rymill Coonawarra wines from July 1, 2016. Oatley Fine Wine Merchants has established a strong foothold in the Australian on-premise market – a key reason why Rymill Coonawarra has joined the Oatley portfolio. John Rymill, Rymill Coonawarra owner, said the wine company was looking to grow with a new and supportive distribution partner.

Samuel Smith & Son and Negociants Australia have announced changes to their portfolios effective from 1st July 2016. After a 23 year distribution partnership with Negociants Australia, Wirra Wirra is moving to the Samuel Smith and Son portfolio, effective 1 July 2016. They will be the first McLaren Vale winery to be featured in the Samuel Smith & Son offering. Paul Midolo, director strategy and trading, said the Samuel Smith & Son team were excited to add the iconic McLaren Vale brand to their portfolio.

Chinese authorities have agreed to protect the legal status of nearly 50 Bordeaux wine appellations in what could prove a landmark deal in the country. China appears increasingly willing to recognise the concept of geographical indications (GI), which restrict rights to certain names for specific products. Chinese authorities recognised Bordeaux as a protected GI in June 2015 recognition and Beijing this week officially recognised all still wine appellations within the Bordeaux region.

“Contains sulfites” is a fairly off-putting statement on a bottle of wine that you hope to enjoy with a meal, gift to a friend, or share with a loved one. Um, you mean, there’s chemicals in here? So, are they bad for me—is that why wine sometimes gives me headaches? And can wine be made without these sulfites? First of all, it’s important to point out that what’s on the label is simply letting you know that naturally occurring sulfites occur, in every single bottle of wine.

Maori residents of the New Zealand town Murupara have rallied together in an attempt to block the opening of a new liquor store by staging a protest. The town, which lies on the north island, is home to less than 2,000 people, a third of whom are under the age of 15, according to The Guardian. But not only that, Murupara, which is predominantly inhabited by Maori people, has been in decline for a number of years now, with the median wage standing at just NZ$17,000 (£8,000) per annum.

Marlborough grapegrowers have had their most profitable harvest in more than five years. Caythorpe Family Estate grower Simon Bishell said strong demand for Marlborough wine overseas and favourable exchange rates had resulted in higher grape prices. New Zealand Winegrowers had not released their official numbers, but Bishell estimated the average price for Sauvignon Blanc grapes would have been around $1800 per tonne.

Within the convenience sector wine sales’ growth is outpacing the rest of the wine market and for those suppliers, particularly of New World wines, and retailers with identifiable brands and new formats, the opportunities to capitalise on the sector abound. Australian and American wines have done phenomenally well in the impulse channel and combined have 40 per cent of the market share.

The man who brought us Alpha Box & Dice is back with a wine label that pays homage to the oft-forgotten heroes of the business – the growers. After Justin Lane moved away from Alpha Box & Dice, the winery he founded, and he and partner Angie Bignell sold their bar Cantina Sociale, there was no chance he was going to disappear completely.