Increasing the demand and premium paid for Australian wine and increasing its competitiveness in the global market are the two priorities in Wine Australia’s five year Strategic Plan 2015-2020, released today. Over the next five years Wine Australia will annually invest $35 million in research and development, building markets, disseminating knowledge, encouraging adoption and ensuring compliance, according to Brian Walsh, Wine Australia chair.

Leading trade show in wine technology, SIMEI (International Enological and Bottling Equipment Exhibition) has announced there will be a new focus on craft beer for the first time in 2015. Workshops and laboratories will have sensory analysis and technological innovation as their subjects, through the account of experiences of famous beer masters and talk shows that will discuss the production problems and the future of the beer market. The public of operators will be able to take part in an in-depth study program that will illustrate the state-of the-art of the sector.

The head of the wine council for Beaujolais has revealed that the region is hoping to gain appellation status for its sparkling wines, although approval is expected to take around five years. Beaujolais has been producing a small quantity of sparkling wines over the past few decades, but labelled as table wines under the Vins de France classification. Jean Bourjade, managing director of Inter Beaujolais, said a sparkling Beaujolais appellation would not try to compete with well-established sparkling wines.

Accolade Wine’s South African Fish Hoek brand has become the supplier’s first fully certified Fairtrade range. The company said there are now more producers in South Africa with Fairtrade accreditation, which made it possible for them to convert the brand. Marketing director Amy White said: “With the expansion of Fairtrade in recent years we are confident that we have secured a long-term, quality supply source and we have been and will continue to work with local growers to ensure consistency and quality for years to come.

Ten thousand people took part in the ‘battle of wine’ festival in Haro, Rioja, throwing 130,000 litres of red wine at each other. The annual festival – named ‘La Batalla del Vino’ in Spanish – is held on 29 June for St Peter’s Day. It starts with traditions that have been maintained for three centuries, including a procession with the town mayor, and a pilgrimage to the Hermitage of San Felices de Bilibio, the patron saint of Haro – before the battle of wine begins.

Agency company Bancroft Wines is aiming to build its business in on-trade national accounts and expand its footprint in independent wine merchants as it enters its second quarter of a century. The company, founded by Adam Brancroft MW as Adam Adam Bancroft Associates celebrates its 25th anniversary at an event in London this week. Neil McAndrew, managing director, said he hoped to become a more significant player while remaining focused on the model of small and medium sized family wine producers.

International wine makers should seriously consider Germany at a time when consumers are willing to pay more and discounters are premiumising the segment, says Wine Intelligence. The research organisation’s new German Wine Market Landscape 2015 report found the average price for gifting wines in the market had risen in the past two years, while wines for formal dinner parties were also up over the same period.

For centuries, Bordeaux was at the centre of the world’s trade in wine. Its access to sea routes helped make claret the favourite wine of the British Empire, which in turn spread Bordeaux’s fame far and wide. That dominance has evaporated over the past four decades as a technological revolution in viticulture shattered Bordeaux’s monopoly on quality, creating challengers in California, Argentina, Australia and South Africa. Globalization helped those upstart wine regions compete directly with Bordeaux in markets around the world.

The fifth annual Spiegelau International Wine Competition takes place from the 14 – 16 July, in Marlborough, New Zealand. During the event, 21 judges will be faced with approximately 1300 wines from New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, USA and South America. Commenting on the line up, Competition Director, Belinda Jackson says, “We strive to get a good representation from countries other than New Zealand and Australia and this year is our most diverse yet.”

A Wairarapa winemaker believes there’s an example for the national economy in his risky decision to uproot 25,000 healthy vines and plant a variety that’s less productive, but more profitable. Martinborough’s Murdoch James Estate is ripping out 10 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, which represents half its annual production, and replacing them with the notoriously tricky, but much higher value Pinot Noir. Adding to the risk of the $300,000 operation is that it could take five years for the new vines to return a full crop.