European wine law often amounts to an impenetrable tangle of red tape. Well done to Austria then, for pushing ahead with a simplification of sorts. With the ratification of new regulations in June, Austria continues apace. In Austria’s most easterly region the old appellations of Neusiedlersee, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Mittelburgenland and Südburgenland are now all subsumed into the single appellation Burgenland unless they are from one of Burgenland’s DACs (Disctrictus Austriae Controllatus).

Napa County residents packed a local court on July 15 for a rather arcane hearing on rules for qualifying voter initiatives for election ballots. Extra chairs were brought into the courtroom to accommodate the spectators, with dozens more people standing outside in the hallway, several wearing buttons that read “Save the Watershed.”

THE origin of ginger remains a mystery. Depending on whom you talk to, it originated in the lush tropical jungles of south China or India. One of the earliest written accounts of ginger is in a four thousand year-old Chinese book in which the underground root’s medicinal qualities are examined in detail.

The depreciation of the British pound (GDP) following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union could hurt demand for imported wine, including from Australia. The UK is the world’s largest market for imported wine by volume and is the largest importer of Australian wine. Agribusiness specialist lender Rabobank says sterling’s dramatic devaluation following Britain’s vote to leave the EU is of immediate concern because a lower pound means it’s more expensive for the UK to buy wine from overseas.

Yealands Family Wines (Yealands) has just become the first winery in the world to carry the DQS Green Company GC-Mark for its winery operation at their Seaview winery in Marlborough. DQS Group (DQS) based in Germany are one of the leading certification bodies for management systems worldwide. DQS have developed a checklist of criteria to obtain a Green Company GC-Mark that is based on national and international recognized standards and regulations. To receive a Green Company GC-Mark, a company must succeed in “minimising its negative impact upon the environment.”

One of the largest wine competitions in Japan, the Women’s Wine Awards has announced the launch of its 2017 event with entries open from October. Chaired and founded by Yumi Tanabe, a wine educator, journalist and consultant, the Japan Women’s Wine awards is now in its fourth year and aims to recognize the increasing quality of indigenous Japanese grapes as well as international varieties. The competition is open from 1 October to 30 November with samples to be delivered to Sakura’s head office in Tokyo by 13 January.

Nestled between Waikerie and Morgan, in South Australia’s Riverland, sits a beautiful cellar door right on the edge of the Murray River. It’s only been open for a few years, but Caudo Vineyard has cemented itself as one of the most popular and progressive wine businesses in the region. The winery’s philosophy of ‘wine inspired by a lifestyle’ has been driven by Zac Caudo who now manages the family business in between water skiing, wakeboarding and fishing. Emilie Reynolds reports.

Judge Rock 2014 Pinot Noir from Alexandra in Central Otago won “Red Wine of the Show” at the Australia and New Zealand Boutique Wine Show 2016 held in Sydney a few weeks ago. I was one of the judges and can say, with some authority, that the standard of entries was very high indeed. The show only accepts entries from wine producers that crush less than 250 tonnes of grapes each vintage.

On behalf of the Planning Committee of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference and Trade Exhibition, I look forward to welcoming you to Adelaide in July. All signs are pointing towards a positive and successful event. I’m particularly excited about some of the features that will make this year’s conference a little different from previous years.

He has been an advocate for Margaret River wines forever and a day, so it was only too fitting that James Halliday was awarded the inaugural Cullen Award for Excellence at a gala event in the region last weekend. Halliday, universally considered the leading wine critic in this country, was on hand to receive the award from Cullen winemaker and owner Vanya Cullen at a black-tie event at the Wilyabrup winery.