The historic Victorian-era precinct of Oamaru could soon have a new tourist attraction after it was earmarked by a pair of Oamaru wine lovers as the possible location for a new “urban” winery. Oamaru businessman Matt Haywood set up the Birdlands Wine Company just 18 months ago, in partnership with local winemaker Craig Lory, and although Mr Haywood said it had always been their plan to make and process their own wine, fate meant that would happen sooner than they had planned, reports Otago Daily Times.

The global wine glut has been cited as a major contributor to Gisborne’s slump in economic performance in the latest Berl report for 2011. Berl ranks local authorities, regional councils and cities each year on their overall economic performance — and in the latest report Gisborne ranks worst out of 66 local authorities. Wairoa also rates badly. BDO Gisborne audit partner Daryl Keast says Gisborne has never been a star performer in Berl reports, compared with other regions in New Zealand, reports The Gisborne Herald.

“I love harvest time,” enthuses winemaker Matt Thomson. “When you get this state of flux, it’s exciting.” Terrifying, more like. Or at least that’s how it seems to me: to be at the mercy of Mother Nature, who can undo a year’s hard work and the annual opportunity winemakers get to create their product through ill-timed bursts of weather, as has been her way this vintage. While many of us have been moaning about our summer, or rather lack of, the cool, cloudy and wet weather this season has created chaos across most of the country’s wine regions, writes Jo Burzynsca in The New Zealand Herald.

Wine types are hopeful that transactions within the besieged wine sector appear to be gathering pace, which could be good news for Nufarm boss Doug Rathbone. Of late, Margaret River’s Clairault Wines was sold to New York real estate executive John Streiker. Streiker, chairman of Sentinel Real Estate Corp, has been developing vineyards in the region for the past decade, according to The Australian Financial Review. Another winery, in the Mornington Peninsula, is understood to have been sold to a Chinese investor interested in taking supply straight back to China.

The Hunter Valley Wine Industry will come together at Lindeman’s winery, for the sixth annual Hunter Valley Legends and Wine Industry Awards on Thursday, May 24 to celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals throughout the region. The Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association (HVWIA) is proud to announce this year’s finalists in the categories of Winemaker of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Viticulturist of the Year and Cellar Door of the Year, reports The Mornington Bulletin.

It’s the WA wine considered as good as Grange – at just a sip of the price. The 2008 Woodlands Margaret, currently on shop shelves at $45, has been rated on par with the 2007 Penfolds Grange, released on Thursday and retailing at $625. The price of a bottle of the Margaret River red will buy you just 50ml or one-third of a glass of Australia’s most lauded wine, reports Perth Now.

South Africa has launched an industry-wide seal which guarantees its wines have been produced in line with fair labour practices. Outlined and audited by the country’s Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA), the first of these full traceable seals are expected to be awarded later this year. The initiative is intended to complement South Africa’s existing sustainability seal, established in 2010, with the hope that these two programmes will eventually be combined, reports The Drinks Business.

English producers are relying on the 2012 vintage for a bumper harvest to raise low stock levels, as demand is outstripping supply. Figures just released for the 2011 vintage, supplied by the Wine Standards Branch (Food Standards Agency) via DEFRA, shows volume production was down by just over 30% due to poor weather at flowering. There are now 419 registered vineyards, up from 404 in 2010, while hectarage is up from 1,324 to 1,384, with the average size of vineyards also on the rise, reports Harpers Wine & Spirit.

Do you find French wine labels confusing? Hard to pronounce? Many ailing producers are sensitive to your plight, convinced that tradition, the rock on which the glorious French industry is based, has become a bit of a millstone. Hence we’re seeing helpful words like “Merlot” and “Sauvignon Blanc” crop up on bargain bottles of Bordeaux where grapes previously dared not speak their name. Some companies are creating fresh brands using English words, reports The Globe and Mail.

White wine is starting to gain exposure and popularity in Asian markets and it’s widely expected this enthusiasm will continue to grow. This observation was made early this year in a letter from Peter Fredatovich, export manager at Distant Land Vintners. The company’s new releases have been doing well in a range of competitions and this has resulted in strong interest from buyers in southeast Asian and Chinese markets. Here’s proof that there’s value in entering competitions – success can pave the way in an export drive to market, reports the Marlborough Express.