Hermitage is a famous appellation in France, and the Hunter Valley road of the same name no doubt honours its northern Rhone namesake, famous for “limited quantities of seriously long-lived reds”. The boutique wineries that take in the Hermitage Road at the north-eastern corner of Pokolbin also have a reputation for limited quantities of seriously good red wine (and Semillon), if its cluster of much-awarded medallists is anything to go by.

Industry analysts at IBISWorld have compiled an analysis of the beer, wine and spirits industries and assessed how the sector could be affected by switching to a flat volumetric tax. Performance of the wine, beer and spirit categories was mixed over the analysis period. Wine production in Australia has struggled over the past five years with a persistent oversupply in both the Australian and overseas markets.

Wines of Western Australia has called on the Federal Government to respect and adhere to the core principles it agreed with winemakers with respect to WET reform. The Federal Government has said that for its 2016 Budget it will be introducing WET rebate reforms which is calls, “well designed and sustainable”. Last year Wines of WA engaged in an extensive consultative process with the Winemakers Federation of Australia, and made a pre-Budget submission to the Government.

A growing appreciation for premium Australian wine has driven the value of wine exports up 13 per cent in the year to March, to $2.1 billion. Wine volumes also increased, with the United States holding its position as Australia’s largest export market. China is now the second largest market, overtaking the United Kingdom.

Italy’s wine producers are happy to see more and more buyers from China to choose Italian wine, especially in this year’s wine exposition in Verona, the city of love in Italy. During the 50th edition of the Vinitaly, an annual international wine fair in Verona, many wine producers witnessed a dialogue between Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Alibaba founder and Chairman Jack Ma.

One of the oldest biodynamic estates in the world says they don’t need chemicals in a great environment like this. SOME of the last grapes in the district came off the vines at Manutuke yesterday, marking the end of a challenging season for Millton Vineyards and Winery. “It is the saddest day of the year for us. We have to wait one year to enjoy the fruits of our labour but when you work this hard it is an enjoyment as well,” says winemaker James Millton.

WELDERS mix with winemakers at the landmark Delegat winery beside the Hawke’s Bay Expressway in Hastings. Representing the biggest investment in the region’s industry for more than 30 years, currently function is more important than form in the 13,000sq m building under construction, enabling it to process this year’s harvest.

Over the years this column has focused regularly on the so-called “alternative” or “emerging” wine grape varieties that have created a growing following among winemakers and plenty of tasty adventures for curious consumers. Many of the wines reviewed began their lives in the Adelaide Hills district of Kersbrook at a 120-hectare vineyard grown by Caj Amadio, who began planting there in the late 1990s.

In warm climate regions such as South Australia’s McLaren Vale, Grenache is a better grape than Shiraz, especially when it comes to making wines that taste of where they’re from. That’s got your attention, hasn’t it? Well, it has if you’re a wine geek and/or you reckon McLaren Vale Shiraz is the bloody duck’s guts, mate, and Grenache is for girls. I know it’s a generalisation, but the more I taste of the new wave of Grenaches coming out of the region.

International guidelines for alcohol consumption are so confusing it’s enough to turn you to drink. Scientists who studied low-risk drinking advice around the world concluded that there is a “substantial” risk of misunderstanding. Guidelines were found to vary greatly, with measurements of the amount of alcohol in a “standard drink” ranging from 8g in Iceland and the UK, to 20g in Australia.