Australia’s Wine & Viticulture Journal celebrates 30 years of publishing with the release of its May-June issue this week. To celebrate its three decades publishing articles on grapegrowing, winemaking and wine marketing and exporting, the Journal’s 30th anniversary issue, with its special cover design, features three contributions from members of the industry reflecting on some of the changes that have taken place during the publication’s lifetime:

New figures suggest that “abstinence” in young Australians is behind the recent nose-dive in alcohol consumption across the country – although wine consumption is on the up. According to figures published last week, Australia has reached the lowest level per capita consumption since the 1960s, but wine continues to gain traction in the market.

“This,” says Emma Gao as she races through the sun-scorched countryside of north-west China in a dusty Nissan Livina, “is la Route des Chateaux. There are almost 40 different entrepreneurs – maybe more. Every day it is changing,” the Chinese winemaker explains, slaloming between French, English and Mandarin as she tours her 70-hectare (170-acre) vineyard at the heart of a region government officials are calling China’s Bordeaux.

The time is ripe for New Zealand to democratise the enjoyment of fine Pinot Noir and leading producer Cloudy Bay intends to be at the vanguard, declared estate director Ian Morden last week. In London for a Pinot Noir Salon blind tasting Morden said the estate’s brand and strong distribution network gives it a great opportunity to showcase New Zealand Pinot Noir to a wider audience than the best Burgundies will ever reach.

Another Taranaki fruit winery is at risk of going into liquidation after failing to pay tax. The New Zealand Customs Service has applied to put Cottage Wines Limited into liquidation over an unpaid debt of $14,625.25, most of which is related to excise duty. The Companies Office register shows Cottage Wines Limited’s sole director is Barbara Burnard, who took over the role from husband Zane in August 2015. The paperwork against the company was filed last month in the High Court.

Queensland winery Sirromet has been named the official wine partner of the Brisbane Bullet’s return to the 2016/17 National Basketball League (NBL) season. After eight years, the Brisbane Bullets are returning to the NBL after strong support from a long list of partners and fans. Rod Hill, Sirromet head of sales and marketing, said the sponsorship would allow the Queensland born and bred winery to further connect with the rich history of the Brisbane Bullets.

AUSTRALIA’S peak wine industry body will make its way to the South Burnett for a seminar next week. The Australian Wine Research Institute hosts a seminar at Tipperary Estate Winery in Moffatdale on Wednesday, June 22. Queensland Wine Industry Association President and Dusty Hill Winery winemaker Nick Pesudovs said the institute made its way to Queensland every two years for research.

The Hunter Valley was one of the first Australian regions to be planted with grapevines, almost 200 years ago, and in a way befitting that history, Bruce Tyrrell offers up a sweeping interview that goes across the decades of the modern Australian wine industry with ease and first person insight. Along the way, the history of Australian wine is recounted. Few people could have told this story the way Bruce tells it.

West Australians could soon be paying higher prices for local wines as the federal government looks to make controversial changes to the Wine Equalisation Tax. Margaret River wineries might be enjoying widespread praise for the quality of wine produced in the region recently but the tax changes could halt them in their financial tracks.

WINE grape growers are still optimistic about the season despite a forecast opening water allocation of zero. At a meeting in Mildura last week Murray Valley wine grape growers discussed industry issues including irrigation allocations. Goulburn Murray Water has forecast irrigators on the Murray System face an opening allocation on July 1 of zero, and only 25 per cent on August 1 under average inflow conditions.