It’s the question everyone wants to know. So good luck with that. Yes, thanks. The first thing to stress is that other than the turmoil of the financial markets, nothing else is going to change for at least two years before the UK formally leaves the European Union. So we all have some time to plan. So keep calm and carry on? Initially, yes. The short term impact of Brexit has already played out in front of our eyes.
It’s the Northland go-to wine for a girls’ night out, but now the ubiquitous Longview White Diamond has more or less disappeared from local liquor sellers. Longview’s White Diamond, the vineyard’s crowd-pleasing signature variety, is instead bound for China. Australasian Food Corporation (AFC), an NZX-listed company bought a 51 per cent share in the Whangarei business on March 1. The remaining 49 per cent is owned by two Chinese investors.
Leading Australia and New Zealand importers Negociants UK has been appointed to distribute three New Zealand brands within the Foley Family Wines portfolio – Marlborough based Grove Mill and Frog Haven and Martinborough Vineyard from Martinborough. These wineries will be sold to the UK off and on-trade and represented by Negociants UK with immediate effect.
From the restaurant balcony of Hope Estate winery in the Hunter Valley, owner Michael Hope points down a sloping lawn to a huge concrete pad that in summer contains one of the largest stages in the southern hemisphere. “Can you believe the Rolling Stones performed down there?” he asks, as much a rock’n’roll fan as he is a businessman. “I still have to remind myself.”
THE direct trade impacts of Brexit on Australia’s agricultural sector are likely to be relatively contained, Rabobank says. In its June Agribusiness Monthly report, released today, the global agribusiness bank said with the UK along with the other 27 member states of the European Union only contributing a relatively small share of Australian food and agricultural exports — 1.4 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively by value — the direct trade implications of the UK’s historic decision to leave the EU would be limited for the agricultural sector as a whole.
Wineries across Australia have until the close of business today enter this year’s James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge. Named in honour of Australia’s leading wine writer and Yarra Valley resident, James Halliday, the Chardonnay Challenge awards the top wine for each region and the best chardonnay of the year. As confirmed by James Halliday, Australian chardonnay has never been better and this competition is helping empower winemakers to continually improve their approach to chardonnay and not to rest on their laurels.
Australian wineries have until 5.00pm today (ACST) to participate in short survey aimed at getting a snapshot of current sulfur dioxide use in the industry. The survey is part of a broader article being compiled for the Wine & Viticulture Journal by the publication’s regular writer and winemaker Cathy Howard who will be exploring the current push for wineries to reduce sulfur levels.
ONE of the world’s most famous suburban vineyards, at the Magill-based Penfolds wine company, is getting a major makeover as part of the site’s ongoing redevelopment. About half of the 5.2 ha vineyard is being removed and will be re-planted with Shiraz clonal material from Penfolds’ Kalimna vineyard in the Barossa Valley. A Penfolds spokeswoman said the existing vines were more than half a century old and the rejuvenation work was a common practice in the wine-making business.