Tasmania’s wine industry is celebrating a solid vintage, with a larger crop expected to help bridge the gap between supply and growing demand for the state’s wine. Australia’s wine industry is grappling with a national grape glut, unlike Tasmania, where demand outstrips supply. Grape quality has been high across the state, with an increase in fruit tonnages in some regions welcome news after a lighter vintage in 2014.

The Hunter Valley Wine Festival will be moving from its previous October date to Saturday 20 June to join the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month line up. The festival will be staged at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley boasting over 40 exhibiting vineyards including the Valley’s major wineries, as well as boutique producers. Beer and cider tastings from the on-site Lovedale Brewery, along with a host of food options will also be on offer.

Fair Work Ombudsman inspectors will visit Tasmania’s Tamar Valley and Coal River wine regions next week as part of an ongoing focus on the entitlements of seasonal workers. The Agency’s Regional Services Team will conduct site visits to up to 15 randomly-selected vineyards as part of its three-year Harvest Trail project. Fair Work inspectors will speak to growers and labour-hire contractors about their obligations under federal workplace laws and encourage any employees with concerns to come forward.

Friday marked the start of Aussie Wine Month, Australia’s nationwide celebration of its wine industry with tastings, tours, and festivals. On the surface, the industry seems to be prospering. Australia has seen a rise of 3.6 per cent in volume and 3.9 per cent in value of wine exports in the 12 months ending in March 2015, according to the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AG&WA). Markets in Asia are driving this growth, for both bulk wine and high-end vintages, the latter of which is particularly popular in China. But where’s the profit?

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Sales of English wine at Waitrose nearly doubled in 2014, and the retailer has reported an increase of 177 per cent in the last week. The upmarket retailer, which stocks over 100 wines from England and Wales, saw sales up 95 per cent in 2014, compared to 2013. It currently has a 60 per cent market share in English wine sales, compared to the average overall market share of English wine of 7.7 per cent.

SONOMA COUNTY — in the heart of California’s Redwood Empire — California Governor Jerry Brown spent this year’s Earth Day at the elite Iron Horse Winery in the Sebastopol countryside. It was a great photo opportunity and promotion for the winery. Iron Horse is known for donations to President Bill Clinton and other politicians, with whom it has cosy relationships, and from whom it receives favours, such as these visits. I operate a small berry and apple farm nearby and teach sustainable agriculture, mainly to college students.

Wine bottles at Lake Karapiro’s Mighty River Domain are sporting new labels – this time featuring paintings of Waipa by Waikato oils artist Jennie De Groot. One carries a view of Pirongia, and the other a more general view across the typically hilly landscapes of Waipa. The new labels were launched at a function held at the domain’s Don Rowlands Centre. Waipa District councillor and Mighty River Domain site manager Liz Stolwyk said that when the Don Rowlands Centre was built around five years ago, wines offered at functions were purchased off the shelf.

The Hawke’s Bay wine region looks set to enjoy its third consecutive year of great vintages. With picking nearly complete, Hawke’s Bay grape growers and wine makers are optimistic that this will be another good year, following exemplary vintages in 2013 and 2014. Hawke’s Bay is the first region to forecast the quality of this year’s vintage following harvest. “Most would be considering this to be a very good, solid vintage,” Michael Henley, Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Association (HBWG) and CEO of Trinity Hill Wines, says.

Yellow Tail is set to launch a 12-week marketing campaign with the goal of reaching 11 million UK consumers. The campaign, which is being led by London-based branch of The Marketing Store marketing and advertising agency, will make use of social media platforms in combinations with direct to consumer interactions through their UK sampling tour. Experimental, in-store and digital elements will be three key components.