A group of wine writers have labelled the practice of paid-for wine reviews unethical. In its latest code of ethics the Wine Writers of New Zealand strongly discouraged its writers from engaging in such practice. “Engaging in any work that involves direct payment from a winery is discouraged given the possibility of real or perceived conflicts of interest,” it said.
The January 2016 issue of the Grapegrower & Winemaker magazine is out now – and is available online for all subscribers. In our first magazine for 2016, WA viticulture consultant Bruce Pearse provides a season snapshot form Margaret River and reveals his top predictions for the upcoming vintage. We also feature an in depth look at the preferred winery laboratory equipment and services in the Australian wine industry with a set of benchmark examples for reader’s to refer to.
One of Australia’s most iconic wineries will get a relaunch in the U.S. market this May.Barossa Valley’s Peter Lehmann Wines, which was acquired fellow Australian winemaker Casella Family Brands from the Hess Group just over a year ago for around $50 million, will be relaunched stateside this spring under the Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits umbrella. Deutsch plans to prioritise three newly repackaged SKUs from the Peter Lehmann portfolio.
Nestled in Adelaide Hills is a wine business driven by a young couple with big dreams. LAURA AND BRENDAN CARTER epitomise the modern winemaker with an eclectic mix of creative businesses. From crafting a diverse range of Italian varietals to applying winemaking techniques to small batch gin and perfume, the Carter’s are using inspiration from the surrounding elements in new and exciting ways. Emilie Reynolds reports.
South Australia’s multi-million dollar wine industry is gearing up for another strong vintage, with early season grapes already trickling into the state’s wineries. As the nation’s largest wine producer, South Australia contributes more than half of the country’s annual wine volume, a commodity worth an estimated $440 million last season. ABC Rural takes a look at the key issues and crop predictions across four of the state’s key wine growing areas.
South Australia’s top regions could produce some of the highest-quality vintages of the past decade but vineyards in NSW’s soaked Hunter Valley are struggling from too much rain, which dilutes flavours and can cause grapes to split or become mouldy. With grape picking about to get into full swing, experts say excellent conditions in South Australia are likely to produce high-quality wines provided weather conditions continue to remain favourable throughout the harvest, which stretches until April in some areas.
Following Treasury Wine Estates’ $600 million deal to acquire most of Diageo’s wine business late last year, SND has learned that TWE will also take on U.S. import rights for a number of prestigious European brands that Diageo formerly handled. To house this import line up, effective immediately, TWE has formed Treasury Chateau & Estate, which will be managed by Jonathan Nahrgang, the company’s luxury import export director.
Like the art of origami, winter pruning in the vineyard is a long, laborious practice: each snip of the secateurs as deliberate and precise as a paper fold, each cut as dedicated as the next to the creation of an amazing three-dimensional sculpture of a perfectly manicured vine. After midwinter, when the Maltese weather turns colder, grape growers are to manually trim back last year’s woody canes, making sure to pay careful attention to the equilibrium and harmony of each knobby vine foot.
One of the Bridge Pa Triangle’s boutique wineries has gone on the market with the owners wanting to spend more time with family. Triangle Vineyard, which was set up by Adrienne and Bryce Campbell in 2006, has gone on the market through Bayleys Hawke’s Bay with the price set as “by negotiation”.
Wine tourism is on the rise and cellar doors around Marlborough are reaping the benefits, with one of their busiest seasons yet. Saint Clair restaurant cellar door manager Stefan Wernli said the number of people visiting the cellar door had grown on last season. “It’s been really busy lately, much busier than last year, especially during the Christmas and New Year period,” he said. During the holiday period, the cellar door restaurant was routinely doing up to 140 lunches a day.