PepsiCo director Alberto Weisser has acquired Portuguese wine producer Herdade dos Coelheiros for an unnamed sum and plans to expand the vineyard and improve quality. Brazilian-born and US-based Alberto Weisser, 60, bought Portugal’s Herdade dos Coelheiros from the estate of winery founder Joaquim Silveira. Weisser is best-known as the long-time CEO of agribusiness and food company Bunge.
There used to be a joke popular among English wine producers: “How do you make a small fortune? Start with a large fortune and then open a vineyard.” But if that was once painfully accurate, the burgeoning industry now appears to be on a roll. After years as the butt of cruel jokes because of its questionable sweet taste, and thanks perhaps to temperatures raised by global warming, quality has improved in leaps and bounds and sales volumes have soared.
Babich Wines, one of New Zealand’s longest surviving, family owned wine brands, has produced the most exclusive wine in its history to celebrate its upcoming 100 year anniversary. 100 magnums and 330 standard bottles of special edition 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon are available for a limited time. The wine comes in a highly designed box with a certificate personally signed by Managing Director, Joe Babich adding to its authenticity and uniqueness. Each bottle has an ultra-high end cork and is hand waxed.
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology student Shixiang “Adora” Wu is passionate about wine.
She graduated with a diploma in viticulture and wine production last Friday, along with students in subjects as diverse as aeronautical engineering, hairdressing and carpentry. Wu, who worked as a journalist in China for several years, said she was keen to get into the marketing side of the industry.
She grew curious about the wine industry when she visited Marlborough while travelling through New Zealand.
ABEVE were appointed the distributors for Niko cider equipment and have already installed their first line of apple and pear processing equipment into the Adelaide Hills in 2014. Most of the Australian operating wineries have half of the necessary equipment (pumps, tanks, filters & refrigeration) to start processing apples and pears for cider. The processing of
The December 2015 issue of the Grapegrower & Winemaker magazine is out now – and is available online for all subscribers. This month we bring you an in-depth feature on the greatest milestones and achievements within the Australian wine industry over the past 12 months, highlighting the major news stories of 2015. We also have a chat to consultant viticulturist Liz Riley about Kaolin-based sunscreen and how it can be used as a tool to help wine grape growers protect their valuable crops.
The start of 2015 was tough for Adelaide Hills apple cider and wine producer Kersbrook Hill. The Sampson Flat fires caused the loss of their sheds and vineyards, but with the help of the community, Kersbrook Hill owner Paul Clark has managed to rebuild the estate and continue to produce small-batch wines and basket-pressed cider.
There are many in the Australian wine industry who can’t wait to see the back of 2015. While vintage conditions across the country were generally good, and no doubt some cracker wines were made, it was other matters that weighed on the minds of those in wine. Mostly they had to do with profit and taxes. In July, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia released a bombshell of a report naming the least profitable regions across the country
Sugar-free extract is the latest unfamiliar expression to pass the lips of exporters of wine to China. This obscure test was the largest cause of wine being rejected by Chinese authorities last year. In this article Greg Howell, from Vintessential Laboratories, explains this test and make recommendations on what exporters should do to ensure that they have no technical problems getting their wine into China.
It is important when spraying agricultural chemicals that users follow label instructions to minimise the risk of chemical sprays drifting and damaging sensitive crops or affecting human health. Chris Inwood, Senior Crop Protection Officer for Biosecurity Queensland, said that talking to neighbours, consultants and contractors before spraying commences is imperative.