De Bortoli Wines has been named as a finalist for the ‘Asian Success’ category in the AFR & PwC’s Private Clients Aspire Awards. The AFR & PwC’s Private Clients Aspire Awards celebrate outstanding achievements made by Australia’s private and family businesses. The quality of the 2016 entrants were as high as ever, as businesses from all of Australia’s major vertical industries presented the solid business practices that successful companies portray.

New Zealand Winegrowers will be hosting the first comprehensive UK tasting of wines from New Zealand’s 2016 vintage, alongside wines from previous vintages, at its upcoming tasting. Over 160 wines from 50 producers, sourced from seven of New Zealand’s wine regions will be available to taste at New Zealand Winegrowers’ Annual New Release Tasting. In particular, the tasting will seek to highlight New Zealand’s growing diversity, with 18 varieties on pour, as well as sparkling, lower alcohol, rosé and dessert wines, alongside the country’s ever-popular expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

THE New Zealand Aromatics Competition has awarded Matawhero Wines with the gold medal and Champion Rose Trophy. Formerly called the International Aromatics Wine Competition, the contest is now in its 14th year and highlights the best aromatic wine varieties available in New Zealand. “We are thrilled to receive this accolade as it acknowledges all the hard work our viticulture and wine-making team has put into our wines,” said Matawhero Wines owner Kirsten Searle.

The wine production is slowing down by 5 percent this 2016 due to climate change. This affects most the wineproduction, particularly in Chile and Argentina. The human-induced climate change affects the wine production all around the world adversely. The International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) stated that the production of wine this 2016, which is the hottest records began, was the insufficient 26 billion liters (5.7 billion gallons). This is recorded as the lowest wine production rate for the last two decades.

It’s a big day here at The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society as together with the AWIWA Advisory Board we announce the finalists of the 2016 Australian Women in Wine Awards! Woo hoo! There were six awards on offer this year, up from four in 2015, and the number and strength of the entries received exceeded all expectation. AWIWA Advisory Board member, wine writer, and long-time advocate for women in wine Jeni Port, said she found it heartening to see such an outstanding response from across Australia in this, the second year, of the awards. “Our finalists announced today represent the cream of what is truly a magnificent bunch of Australians in wine.”

The Sydney Wine Festival will be held at Rosehill Gardens on October 14 & 15, 2017 and is set to be a showcase of NSW wineries, wine related products and services, food purveyors and live entertainment. The event’s main focus will be to promote NSW Wines and as such this new initiative has the support of the NSW Wine Industry Association. Tamburlaine, Australia’s largest organic wine producer, has been the first to sign up with marketing co-ordinator Ayla Wilton saying “We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the inaugural Sydney Wine Festival. The time of year is ideal and the location is unique to any other wine event we’ve been to. Looking forward to seeing you Rosehill!”

501 bottles of Limestone Coast wine will be put to the ultimate test this week, with the 2016 Limestone Coast Wine Show now officially underway. Judging will take place inside Coonawarra Hall over the next four days, with Chief of Judges, Jane Faulkner, leading the high-profile panel of six national and international wine critics looking to unearth 16 trophy winners at the 16th annual event. “I am thrilled with response,” Jane says. “501 entries is an excellent result and of course, extra wines means one thing – more medals. I have a feeling this year is going to be the best show yet.”

The backers of CHAMP Private Equity’s Accolade Wines were maintaining over the weekend that the timetable of the sale for the Australian-based operation was on track, despite speculation mounting that the falling British pound could prompt delays. Accolade — widely viewed as a strongly performing business — was expected to come to market in the first quarter of next year, but the suggestion from those close to the situation is that it was always on track for a sale some time between January and June. Working on a divestment of the $1 billion-plus operation on behalf of Champ is Reunion Capital, while Citi and Morgan Stanley have been selected to provide advice on an initial public offering of the business, should it head to the Australian Securities Exchange.

From Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, to Chardonnay, the range of wine styles recognised at the Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayley’s Wine Awards on Tuesday night impressed the panel of local, national, and international judges. Chairman of judges was Trinity Hill chief winemaker Warren Gibson, who has been at Trinity Hill since it was established in 1997. Mr Gibson said the awards, presented at a extravagant dinner on Tuesday night, showcased the “huge range of styles” of wine produced in Hawke’s Bay.

After three years of chardonnay domination in the successful pursuit of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards Champion Wine of Show title a syrah has emerged, leading Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Association chairman Michael Henley to simply remark “no surprise there”. The return to form for the red was arguably overdue. It enjoyed a remarkable six years on the trot winning run between 2005 and 2010 before a merlot stepped up, but then it was syrah again in 2012.