Marlborough growers need an appellation system with strict controls on production levels to avoid losing quality and reputation, according to a leading producer. John Forrest, owner of Forrest Wines in Marlborough, New Zealand, told Decanter he would be campaigning over the next year to encourage local producers to introduce a ‘self-enforced appellation system’.
A wine lover has made the first major Chinese purchase in Burgundy. The Burgundy deal differs from the spate of purchases in Bordeaux in that it is a partnership, with local grower Pascal Chevigny selling two hectares of vines to 28-year-old businessman Shi Yi. The two, who are the same age, met while studying for a masters in wine and spirits at Dijon university, reports Decanter.
A wine brand from Chile is unknowingly offending Cantonese speakers in Hong Kong with its explicit name. Called Chilensis, the label, from Via Wines in Chile’s Maule Valley, loosely translates as “f*cking nuts” according to a source in Hong Kong. Following local press reports about the rude label demand has in fact soared for the wine, pushing prices up for Chilensis by HK$10 in a matter of days. The wine was selling for HK$49 in Hong Kong off-licences and supermarkets, but has now risen to HK$59, reports The Drinks Business.
An alcohol control advocacy group in the Northern Territory says the number of empty wine casks found in the dry Todd River at Alice Springs is proof of the need for a floor price on alcohol. The People’s Alcohol Action Coalition says more than 230 casks were collected from a 500-metre stretch of the dry river bed in one day. The group is urging the Federal Government to include a floor price in it’s ‘Stronger Future’ legislation that will replace laws governing the emergency intervention in the Territory, reports ABC News.
A Queenstown American is producing a documentary series on New Zealand wine destinations that uniquely targets Gen-Y consumers. Wine nut Colin West, 24, is putting together a web series profiling six NZ wine regions, integrated with their adventure activities. West – who hopes to sell the series to TV networks – is co-presenting with Auckland-based presenter and regular Queenstown Winter Festival host Jo Holley, reports Mountain Scene.
For Chester Osborn, there was never any question about what he would do when he grew up. “I remember (wine journalist) Len Evans used to come for dinner quite a bit in the ‘60s and ‘70s,” Mr Osborn, now 49, recalls. “He sat me down on his knee one night when I was about eight and asked, `What kind of wine are you going to make when you’re older?’ “I answered immediately, ‘A yummy one’. More than 40 years later, d’Arenberg’s chief winemaker is thrilled to be celebrating the family company’s 100th anniversary, reports Southern Times Messenger.
Premier Colin Barnett has confirmed the State Government will not consider special legislation to protect the Margaret River wine region from mining, reports the Augusta-Margaret River Mail. Instead, the government will look to planning and zoning controls to protect the region, Mr Barnett told members of the Save Our South West group on Saturday when he arrived to open the new Augusta-Margaret River Shire office.
It’s difficult to avoid drinking Riesling this summer – not that you’d want to avoid it. This week, the Frankland Estate International Riesling Tasting is returning to Sydney and there are several other Riesling events: Summer of Riesling, Wrapped In Riesling and the Great Southern Riesling Tasting. It’s a good reason to have a look at what’s happening in Riesling trends, writes Huon Hooke in the Sydney Morning Herald.
It’s always interesting to take a closer look at the results of the Tasmanian Wine Show to see which of our varietal wines is doing the best, which of the state’s seven wine-producing regions is the most successful, and so on. On the medal count, the Coal River Valley was once again a clear winner with a total of 18 trophies and golds, outscoring wines from the Tamar Valley and the North East by three to one. The Huon Valley won five top gongs and the Derwent Valley and North West each picked up two, reports The Mercury.
Pity the poor punter who, after paying $52,000 at a charitable auction for a bottle of the Prime Minister’s wine label, dropped it on the way back to his car. Luckily, Mr Key replaced the victim of this expensive accident free of charge, but the future of the traditional wine bottle is under threat from more than just butterfingered wine buyers. Wine has been in glass bottles since Roman times. However, as a particularly heavy form of packaging, environmental concerns have increasingly made the wine industry take a second look at its impact, reports The New Zealand Herald.