Marlborough is emerging as one of the most exciting regions to watch for New Zealand Pinot Noir, according to a number of the country’s top producers. Steve Smith MW, founder of Craggy Range, believes the international thirst for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has lead to an interest in the region’s fledgling Pinots, reports The Drinks Business. “Not many producers will admit this, but the success of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has opened the door for Marlborough Pinot Noir,” he said.

Australian Vintage, owner of the McGuigan, Tempus Two and Nepenthe brands, increased sales to the UK and Europe by 9 per cent in the half year to December 31 despite a record high Australian dollar. Australian Vintage’s sales were up 4.4 per cent overall to $116.4 million, a result chief financial officer Mike Noack attributed to the company’s strong performance in Europe, reports The Shout.

After spending time in limbo, NSW wine is now on a roll, with several years of rising sales. The trend is most marked in restaurants, bars, hotels and other places where wine is consumed ”on premise”. Research on restaurant wine lists by Wine Business Solutions shows a 22 per cent increase for NSW and ACT wines between 2010 and last year. The growth is being driven by cool-climate wines, especially from the Orange and Canberra regions, which both enjoyed growth of more than 60 per cent, writes Huon Hooke in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Wine growers in the region have copped a beating from January’s rain, with Normanby Wines only salvaging seven and a half tonnes of its usual 40-tonne yield. Neighbouring vineyard Paradine Estate has been forced to make its own wine with the tonne of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes it saved when last weekend’s weather wiped out its entire crop. For many local wine growers, small harvests have meant they could not get any grapes to Stanthorpe for pressing because they did not meet the tonnage requirements, reports the Queensland Times.

Some winegrapes in South Australia’s Riverland have started to rot after rain and humid weather in recent days. Wet conditions damaged many grapes last season by helping vineyard diseases to spread. The weather bureau is expecting the rain to continue in the region until the end of the week, reports ABC News.

In the Riverina Highlands of New South Wales wine grapegrowers are feeling particularly nervous about the rain this week. Last year’s wet harvest created major disease problems across the district. Despite more rain forecast, Cathy Gairn president of the Tumbarumba Vignerons Association, is trying to remain upbeat, reports ABC Rural.

It looks like a very promising year for the Langhorne Creek wine region. Langhorne Creek Grape Growers Association Chair, Phil Reilly said “it is without a doubt the best vintage in years.” “Brilliant white grapes are already off the vines and the fruit is excellent,” Mr Reilly said. “The reds will have a strong phenomenal colour this vintage… there will definitely be quality wines from the Langhorne Creek region this year.” This year’s vintage begun early due to the hot weather in February, reports the Victor Harbor Times.

Over the past 150 years, the Tyrrell family have been winemakers, property owners and community members of the Hunter Valley wine region. Over the decades we have seen off a number of threats to our industry. Today we are faced with a new one: coal seam gas. Like most of the Hunter Valley vignerons, I am not anti-mining but, above all, I believe firmly in the need for food and water security, writes Hunter Valley winemaker Bruce Tyrrell in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Nufarm chief Doug Rathbone is offloading his family wine business which includes some of Australia’s most notable names such as Yering Station and Mount Langi Ghiran. Mr Rathbone’s personal finances have been under pressure for some time due to the falling value of his stake in the insecticide company and private investments in property and wine. The Rathbone family is examining its entire commercial asset base for potential sale options, reports The Australian Financial Review.

Derwent Valley grape-harvesting began yesterday with growers relieved to have avoided smoke taint from weekend bushfires. Derwent Valley Wines vineyard manager Andrew Hanigan said picking Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes for sparkling wines at their 10 hectare vineyard had begun, reports The Mercury.