This week’s cold snap has had local grape producers on edge. Spring is a critical time for vines as buds burst, and frost can have serious negative impacts on the plants. Temperatures plunged to seven degrees below average this week, with a light dusting of snow recorded on the Barrington Tops. Upper Hunter vigneron Brett Keeping said buds have burst earlier this year.
Pepper Tree announced yesterday that Gwyn Olsen has been appointed as new head winemaker for the brand. Olsen comes from her current position as winemaker and general manager of Briar Ridge Vineyard where she has been responsible for outstanding growth and wine show success over the past two years. Her awards include Gourmet Traveller Young Winemaker of the Year in 2014, Dux of the AWRI Advanced Wine Assessment Course in 2014 and Hunter Valley Rising Star award in 2015.
Representatives of wine companies and national, state and regional wine industry bodies appeared at a public hearing in Adelaide yesterday as part of the Senate inquiry into the grape and wine industry. The hearing was the first of three, with the second starting in Launceston, Tasmania, this afternoon and the third scheduled for the Swan Valley in late October.
NAPA — Washington State may be overshadowed by California’s wine industry, but it is gaining prominence and will continue to do so thanks to cheap land, fewer regulations and growing recognition of the quality of the Evergreen State’s varietals. That was the message Tuesday from Ted Baseler, president and chief executive of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates of Woodinville, Wash., which has grown to be the nation’s seventh-largest wine company through the strength of its home market.
New Zealand wines have notched up a record number of top awards at the prestigious UK-based International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). New Zealand beat entrants from all other nations to take home both the IWSC Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc Trophies, as well as 20 gold medals across one of the widest spread of styles and varieties ever seen from New Zealand at the competition.
The receivership of Marlborough’s Isabel Estate Vineyard is drawing to a close, but the wine company still owes more than $4.5 million. The latest six-month receiver’s report, released on September 1, showed around $4 million was paid to secured creditor Bank of New Zealand in the year to July. But a further $4.5m remained unrecovered. Unsecured creditors, who were collectively owed $200,000, were “unlikely” to be repaid, the report said.
Château Tanunda claimed 17 medals at the 2015 China Wine and Spirits awards, including the trophy for Australian Wine of the Year. John Geber, Château Tanunda proprietor, said he was thrilled that the result came in the winery’s 125th anniversary year. “Our 125th anniversary year is continuing with such a comprehensive performance in a very competitive show,” he said.
For many years, fortified wines have been an intricate part of the Rutherglen Wine Show, so much so, that in 2010 the first ‘Australian Fortified Wine Show’ was launched. The home of great fortified wine, Rutherglen is hosting the premier Rutherglen Wine Show and Australian Fortified Wine Show this week. More than 1,300 entries have been sampled since Friday by a judging panel of renowned judges from across Australia.
Minister for Regional Development John Barilaro will launch The Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Alliance on Thursday. The alliance, a partnership between Cessnock and Singleton councils as well as the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association, aims to double overnight visitor expenditure in the region by 2020. “International tourists will be encouraged to travel due to the strength of the Australian dollar, domestic tourists will be encouraged to tour within Australia and we must all ensure we pursue excellence.”
Grape and wine researchers are reminded that applications for Wine Australia’s travel and visiting scholar bursaries will close on Friday 2 October 2015. Each year, Wine Australia invests $50,000 in travel bursaries and $30,000 in visiting scholar bursaries with applications open to grape and wine researchers twice a year. Applications are currently open for travel set to commence between 1 January and 30 June 2016. Dr Liz Waters, Wine Australia RD&E portfolio manager, said the bursaries help to support local researchers to increase their knowledge and develop skills that will benefit the Australian grape and wine community.