The tastings have been completed, the scores tallied, now let the bidding war begin. Wine drinkers with an eye for a bargain will have the chance to lap up the range of wine varieties when almost 4000 bottles go under the hammer at the annual Spiegelau International Wine Competition auction on Thursday night. The auction at the Marlborough Convention Centre is the traditional closing of the three-day judging competition which has seen 1300 wines from the world’s major grape growing regions scored on their merits.

Learning what makes a great bottle of wine is about more than just the taste test. What are the qualities that separate a cheap bottle of plonk from the finest wines Australia has to offer? What is the best way to keep a bottle of wine fresh? And why are screw caps superior to traditional cork tops? These are just some of the questions that Dr Markus Herderich has spent a career investigating. As the group manager of research at the Australian Wine Research Institute, he is lucky enough to follow his “passion about wine and science” during his day job.

A New Zealand winemaker is recalling three of its products due to possible glass fragments in its Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. 3 Stones wines initiated the recall yesterday after a packaging fault was found which meant glass fragments could be dislodged from the bottles upon opening. The products affected are 3 Stones Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (batch code L5148), 3 Stones Pinot Gris 2015 (batch code L5148 and Clearwater Cove Pinot Gris 2015 (batch code L5148).

Queensland’s only wine college is leading the way in wine production by adopting unique varieties that are suited for the southern Queensland climate. The Queensland College of Wine and Tourism opened in Stanthorpe in 2007 as a joint venture between the State Government, Stanthorpe High School and the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). The development of the industry by the college and local region has put Queensland wine makers on the map.

The “wow factor” is increasingly extending way beyond the quality of the wine in presenting the most memorable cellar door impressions, according to a recent seminar held at WineTech 2015. Wineries that offer regional food and wine experiences and share insights about the artisans that produce them enjoy the greatest success in terms of immediate and follow up sales. Over three days, WineTech 2015 is addressing national and global influences on demand, capability and competitiveness for the Australian wine industry and it is featuring a vast trade floor of new products and technologies.

In the 12 months to 30 June 2015, the value of Australian wine exports rose five per cent to A$1.89 billion according to the Wine Export Approval Report June 2015 released today by Wine Australia. This is the first time the value of wine exports has increased on a financial year basis since 2006–07. Andreas Clark, Wine Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, said growth in value was driven by the strength of Australian exports in the Asian market. “The value of wine exports to Northeast Asia was up 29 per cent and Southeast Asia was up 18 per cent.”

Low wine grape prices are continuing to plague growers and a free financial counselling service is urging people in trouble to reach out. Rural Business Support Financial Counsellor, Rita Perre, said some grape growers have never recovered from the millennium drought and now the price of grapes is preventing growers from servicing debts. She said some growers do not have the cash flow to continue production and cannot sell their properties at a sustainable price, but there is help available.

GOING organic doesn’t have to be hard work, it’s just about working smarter. That’s what Baileys of Glenrowan, owned by Treasury Wine Estates, has found after recently announcing all of its 2015 estate-grown table wines would be made under Aust­ralian Certified Organic standards. The winery’s fortified wines and also its durif variety aren’t yet organic, but should be converted and fully organic in 18 months.

Fruit and vegetable growers across Queensland say this week’s cold weather has been a double-edged sword for farmers. Grape growers on the Granite Belt in Southern Queensland said the cold snap was good for wine producers, helping set vines for next summer’s harvest. Winemaker Peter McGlashan said the cold conditions would result in consistent fruit growth. “The cold weather is really good for vines. It puts them to sleep for the winter period and, when spring comes, it means that we have a nice even budburst, which means even growth and good fruit set,” he said.