Carrington Place owner/chef Scott Webster loves to open doors for young people in the food and beverage industry. To do it in the name of his good mate, winemaker Trevor Drayton, is the icing on the cake. The inaugural Trevor Drayton Food and Beverage Scholarship is open to food or beverage employees in the Hunter Region who have been working in the industry for five years or less. The winner will have the opportunity to work with internationally acclaimed chefs and winemakers and undertake work experience at Webster’s Osia Restaurant, in Singapore, reports the Newcastle Herald.

The Western Australian wine industry says it is not too concerned about smoke taint from fires over recent days in the south-west. Some grape crops are nearing the harvesting stage slightly earlier than usual because of warm weather accelerating the ripening process. It is a high risk time for smoke taint of grapes. Wine Industry Association of Western Australia general manager Aymee Mastaglia says windy weather would have been a saving grace for grape crops, reports ABC News.

Wine Australia has axed its controversial export approval panel with immediate effect, replacing it with a permanent company audit regime. The changes are the result of a consultation by Wine Australia (formerly the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation), the Government statutory authority responsible for wine export compliance and regulation, a statement released yesterday says. Exporters will no longer have to submit their wines for approval but they will be licensed and will be subject to audit, and must provide wine for comprehensive testing as required, reports Decanter.