A local wine label is gaining strong sales growth from its low-alcohol Sauvignon Blanc, with output expected to hit the 60,000 bottle mark this year. Auckland-based Invivo Wines launched Bella by Invivo in 2010, and the first vintage – made up of 6000 bottles – quickly sold out, says co-founder Tim Lightbourne. He said the second, 24,000-bottle vintage of the low-alcohol Sauvignon, released late last year, was snapped up by retailers in New Zealand and around the world, reports the New Zealand Herald.

Two of Nelson’s leading winemakers are challenging the proposed funding of a planned $42 million water storage scheme for the Waimea Plains. The Waimea Water Augmentation Committee and the Tasman District Council are proposing a compulsory rate to pay for the scheme that backers say will drought-proof the plains outside Richmond. The project has been eight years in the planning, but revelations of the compulsory and standard rate of about $600 a hectare has some opponents fuming, reports Radio NZ News.

Two of Nelson’s leading winemakers are challenging the proposed funding of a planned $42 million water storage scheme for the Waimea Plains. The Waimea Water Augmentation Committee and the Tasman District Council are proposing a compulsory rate to pay for the scheme that backers say will drought-proof the plains outside Richmond. The project has been eight years in the planning, but revelations of the compulsory and standard rate of about $600 a hectare has some opponents fuming, reports Radio NZ News.

The nation’s early-bird wine region is braced to start harvesting this week with big hopes for a bumper season as the year’s fruit and wine export prices look ripe. The value of Australian wine exports increased by 1 per cent to $2.69 per litre in 2011, according to Wine Australia figures released last week, marking the first value rise in five years. But the volume of exports was down 10 per cent, which Wine Australia attributed to production falls over recent years from 1.42 billion litres in 2005 to 1.07 in 2011, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Tasmanian wine producers hope a three year study will help them add value to the state’s globally renowned sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. The industry has spent $1.8 million from producers and the federal government to improve the quality of the wine. It is unveiling the results at this month’s global symposium for cool-climate producers in Hobart, reports ABC News.

Hunter wine industry leaders say they hold Premier Barry O’Farrell accountable for a “promise” they said he made before the 2011 election to protect vineyards by removing them from coal seam gas exploration areas. Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association president Andrew Margan said the verbal assurance was made during a formal meeting with Mr O’Farrell, Nationals leader Andrew Stoner, present Planning Minister Brad Hazzard and Environment Minister Robyn Parker in November 2010, reports the Newcastle Herald.

Hunter wine industry leaders say they hold Premier Barry O’Farrell accountable for a “promise” they said he made before the 2011 election to protect vineyards by removing them from coal seam gas exploration areas. Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association president Andrew Margan said the verbal assurance was made during a formal meeting with Mr O’Farrell, Nationals leader Andrew Stoner, present Planning Minister Brad Hazzard and Environment Minister Robyn Parker in November 2010, reports the Newcastle Herald.

Tiki Wines is a reasonably new name on the New Zealand wine scene. We were keen to try some wines from Tiki’s Wairau Valley, Marlborough, vineyards because we could easily imagine the location throwing some big challenges at the growers, not least of which is a short growing season with heightened threat of frost late spring and early autumn. For Marlborough grapegrowers and locals who seldom venture beyond Wairau Valley township, the emergence of grapegrowing in this subalpine area will come as a surprise, reports The Marlborough Express.

Wine cellar management software company Vintner Systems has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen.The appointment for Vintner Systems is the result of the Royal household having used the Vintner Enterprise software package since 2006 to manage their wine cellars at Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle, Sandringham House and Windsor Castle as well as its en primeur and stock held in bond, reports The Drinks Business.

Yannick Evenou, managing director of Chateau La Dominique, Chateau Fayat and Chateau Clement-Pichon, has bought a Cotes de Bordeaux estate in his own name. Part of a 12-strong consortium, Evenou bought the 26ha Chateau Réaut (formerly Chateau Réaut la Gravière) in Cotes de Bordeaux from Champagne Roederer. The deal was completed via the creation of a property sharing group or GFA (Groupe Foncier Agricole), with 400 members of the public taking shares in the property. The scheme had used social networking site Facebook to attract potential investors, reports Decanter.