Whitey considers the current tendency among wine critics and publishers to award more wines higher scores. “If you’re not a good farmer in this country, you just don’t survive,” the respected ABC Landline reporter, Pip Courtney, recently told us. After the release of James Halliday’s latest guide to the wines and wineries of Australia came the annual frisson of excitement about the large number of wineries awarded five stars. It would seem James and his team believe that most wineries that survive are pretty good, too.

DOMESTIC alcohol consumption is expected to reach a 50-year low, making wine exports more important than ever. A recent report by market research analyst IBISWorld revealed that in 2016-17, domestic consumption of alcohol per capita is expected to reach the lowest level of the past 50 years — part of a trend of consistently declining alcohol consumption over the past decade.

If I were to say “New Zealand wine,” it is likely that the first thing you would think of is sauvignon blanc from Marlborough. After all, sauvignon blanc is New Zealand’s most widely planted varietal. It makes up 72 percent of the wine production of New Zealand, according to the 2014 New Zealand Winegrowers’ Annual Report.

The results of the New World Wine Awards released today highlight the quality of the 2016 vintage. New vintage wines won 137 of 779 medals in this year’s New World Wine Awards, including taking out 15 Gold Medals and three varietal Champion awards. The judging for the New World Wine Awards takes place mid-year, making this the first major wine show of the year to evaluate new vintage wines. There were twice as many new vintage wines entered this year, as well as a record number of entries overall, reflecting the value winemakers see in entering these awards.

This year saw the launch of a brand new wine show, the Australian Italian Varietals Wine Awards (AIVWA), and the inaugural results have just been announced highlighting the ever increasing quality and popularity of wines produced from Italian grape varieties grown in Australia. Nearly 200 wines – all made with Italian heritage and Australian style – were entered into the show from across the country and were collected into an impressive range of 26 different varietals/blends/styles; including amongst others, Prosecco, Moscato, Arneis, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, Friulano, Aglianico, Lagrein, Nero d’Avola, Primitivo, Sagratino and Dolcetto.

Wine Australia’s recently released Performance Evaluation Report 2015–16 provides an overview of the value delivered through Wine Australia’s investments and activities last financial year. The report includes international and regional benchmarking, the measurement of key performance indicators and benefit–cost analysis of research and development projects. Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Andreas Clark said the comprehensive report provides a clear measurement of performance over the financial year.

One of the biggest international promotions of Riesling starts on Monday at the Albert Hall in Canberra.
The 17th Canberra International Riesling Challenge (CIRC) over this week, 10-15 October, will see the judging of 512 Rieslings from 241 wineries across eight countries. Then winemakers, consumers and the wine trade will learn about the secrets of Riesling at Master Classes and Seminars, before the week concludes with one of the biggest consumer tastings of Riesling in the world.

A gold mine proposed for Woodside in the Adelaide Hills could harm the region’s food and wine production, local businesses and primary producers who are fighting the plan say. Inverbrackie Creek Catchment Group chairman Jim Franklin-McEvoy said they were worried there could be an adverse tourism impact as the mine site would be adjacent to two big Hills wineries, Petaluma and Bird-in-Hand.

Australian officials are ready to begin work on a free-trade deal with the UK, and have recently flown in to begin hammering out the details of a landmark pact, the country’s top official in Britain has revealed. A deal could make goods such as wine, beef and dairy products cheaper.