Australian wineries have until close of business today (Wednesday, Australian Central Daylight Time) to register their interest in the Wine & Viticulture Journal’s forthcoming tasting of sparkling wines made from non-traditional varieties. The tasting is open to dry white or red sparkling styles not made from the varieties traditionally associated with sparkling wine production, namely Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
It took two childhood buddies and one experienced winemaker to create Canberra’s newest wine label, the eponymous Three Lads. Working together to create a wine was a natural progression for public servants Luke McGaghey, 30, and Aaron Harper, 41. The pair, who met at church in Canberra nearly 20 years ago, are wine “enthusiasts” who started hosting their own tasting nights after fielding more than one desperate call from friends at the bottle shop.
Treasury Wine Estates says it plans to cut $30 million in annual costs from its supply chain by fiscal year 2020. The Penfolds maker will consolidate or divest supply chain infrastructure, consolidate underperforming vineyards, and simplify logistics, warehousing and freight arrangements, as part of the cost reduction. The company will provide write-downs for up to $44 million in fiscal 2016. These include cash cost writedowns of $14 million, and non-cash provision of between $20 to $30 million relating to production assets that are being closed or sold.
The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) has welcomed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as an opportunity to grow wine exports and attract future investment. Tony D’Aloisio, WFA president, said the TPP promised to level the playing field for those entering the 12 signatory countries which last year accounted for 45 per cent of Australia’s wine exports – or $837 million out of the total $1.9 billion in total wine exported in 2014.
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The grape vines that grower Frank Leeds tends in Napa Valley stand among the unheralded heroes of California’s drought, producing decade after decade of respected Cabernets and other wines without a drop of added water. In a state where farms and dairies take the biggest gulp of the water supply, Leeds and the owners of his Frog’s Leap Winery are among a minority — but a growing minority — of California growers and winemakers who believe that when it comes to wine grapes, the less irrigation, the better.
China’s wine imports in August surged 28.9% year on year to 44.6 million litres in volume and rose 12.7% to US$154 million in value, but the average import price declined from both a month and a year earlier to only US$3.45 per liter, prompting the nation’s leading wine companies to acquire upstream wineries or related enterprises abroad, reports the Shanghai-based National Business Daily, citing statistics compiled by GrandView, a private think tank in China.
Primary producers in South Australia’s Riverland are set to benefit from a new regional food, wine and tourism branding project. Regional Development Australia has secured a $40,000 grant to develop a collaborative marketing strategy and brand identity, to help promote local premium products and experiences.
Lindeman’s is the latest wine brand to embrace millennial drinkers, especially males, who are under-represented in wine sales compared to beer or cider, with the launch of a new product called the Gentleman’s Collection that will hopefully introduce the 172-year-old brand to a new generation of drinkers. It follows on the footsteps of McGuigan, which recently pitched its own generation Y brand called You, with other winemakers set to follow as they attempt to pick up new drinkers and tempt younger consumers away from rival drinks.
Treasury Wine Estates, owner of Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Rosemount, may look closely at buying the Sterling Vineyards wine brand in California but is likely to steer clear of other lower-end brands that British alcoholic drinks giant Diageo is putting up for sale. Diageo, which has a market capitalisation of $43 billion, makes most of its profits from its spirits portfolio which is led by Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff Vodka, Captain Morgan rum and Tanqueray gin, while in the beer category it also sells the Guinness brand.