Australia’s independent winegrape growers are being urged against taking a “business as usual approach” in negotiating contracts with grape purchasers for the 2012 harvest. Wine Grape Growers Australia Executive Director Lawrie Stanford gave the warning while launching new online information tools to help growers negotiate their grape sales. The online initiative was launched last week at WGGA’s annual general meeting in Adelaide, reports Stock and Land.

Many of us love to soak in the big bodied character of the Barossa region, now moves are being made to ensure the major food and wine producing area retains its celebrated personality. New legislation was recently introduced to the South Australian House of Assembly to protect the Barossa Valley’s landscapes, heritage and scenery through restricting urban sprawl and industrial developments. However with the bill unlikely to move through parliament until early next year, the State Government has put in place an interim Development Plan Amendment (DPA) as short-term protection for the Barossa, reports ABC News.

Jimmy Watson is 50. Not the Wine Bar in Carlton, but rather the prominent wine show award named for the bar’s founder. And in its 50th year it has received a long overdue makeover, a tightening up of entry rules. The trouble with the award is that it outgrew humble origins to become one of the most sought after – and deeply flawed – awards on the Australian wine show circuit, writes Jeni Port in The Sydney Morning Herald.

An apple grower from Tasmania’s north-west coast has won Australia’s most prestigious Pinot Noir award. The Pinot Noir trophy at the Royal Hobart Wine Show went to a 2009 Blustery Banks wine, made by Rebecca Duffy for Brett and Linda Squibb. They grow just two hectares of grapes – only half of which is Pinot – at Wesley Vale near Devonport, reports ABC Rural.

A New South Wales winemaker has been named international winemaker of the year at a ceremony in London. McGuigan Wines from the Hunter Valley took out the title for the second time in three years at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). The company was also named Australian producer of the year at a gala ceremony yesterday, reports News.com.au.

The trade is being offered the chance to find out more about Australian wine from leading wine writers and educators in Wine Australia’s new one day wine school running later this month. The course will take place in London on November 28 and 29 and in Bristol on December 2. The wine school is designed to provide an understanding of the breadth and depth of wines coming out of Australia today, reports Harpers Wine & Spirit.

Marisco Vineyards owner Brent Marris is buzzing after his winery was named best Kiwi producer at a top British wine competition – complete with trumpets and a who’s who of top international wine families. Speaking from London after the International Wine and Spirit Competition awards dinner yesterday, Mr Marris said the win was the pinnacle of his career and a tremendous statement about the quality of the 30 staff he employs, reports The Marlborough Express.

Wine industry support business Vitis New Zealand has moved into its new premises in Grove Rd, Blenheim. The family business, which has operated in Blenheim for more than 20 years, officially opened its new store yesterday. Vitis New Zealand chief executive Cathy Robinson said it was exciting to enter a new chapter in the business. The store boasts a purpose-built layout which showcases products on shelves against one wall. Winery equipment including, pumps, crushers, filters, tool and larger processing equipment are all on offer to buy or hire, reports The Marlborough Express.

The organic and biodynamic winemaking lobby uses ’emotional black magic’ to get its message across, a prominent consultant will argue in a debate next month. Viticulturalist Richard Smart is going head to head with biodynamic evangelist Monty Waldinin a debate at the London headquarters of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. They are equally passionate in their views. Smart says his approach to viticulture is ‘based on conventional science, and not emotional “black magic”,’ reports Decanter.

Anthony Barton has stressed his opposition to the practice of recorking old vintages of Bordeaux, dismissing it as “a racket”. The owner of second and third growth châteaux Léoville Barton and Langoa Barton confirmed that he refuses all requests from customers wishing to send their bottles back for recorking, a policy shared by many other Bordeaux producers, reports The Drinks Business. “I’m against recorking,” he stated, remarking: “99 times out of 100 it’s a racket.”