Cool climate wines could grow Aussie volumes
02 February 2012 08:28 PM
Written by Laura Heywood Thursday, 26 January 2012
Cooler-climate wines could be the answer to Australia's problems of shrinking off-trade volumes and under-representation on restaurant lists. The category saw take-home volume sales drop 2.7% in the year to September 2011, while value sales remained static at £1.1 billion, according to a recent Wilson Drinks Report commissioned by Wine Australia. In the on-trade, the country only has a 9% share of red listings and 7% share of white on wine lists. But the future is bright if it gets its cool-climate offering right. "The big opportunities for Australia are to continue to develop and promote cooler-climate wines," said Adrian Brice, consultant and former group wine buyer at D&D London. Andrew Connor, manager at Lutyens restaurant, agreed. He said it is having "pleasing success" with Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir. Mornington Chardonnay and Pinot can "more than hold its own" against wines from Burgundy, said Robin Davis, owner of online merchant Swig. Sarah Ahmed, wine writer and educator, pointed towards "the recent advent of sparkling wine of Pinot Noir, and also the turnaround of Chardonnay" as to why new wine drinkers are engaging with Australia.
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Australia grubbing up programme 'too slow' and too little
02 February 2012 08:28 PM
Tuesday 10 January 2012 • by Rebecca Gibb in Auckland
Wine bosses in Australia are frustrated by the slow progress of the country's vine removal programme, with around half the projected amount of vines being grubbed up since 2009. Australia: 20,000 surplus vines The 2009 Wine Restructuring Action Agenda (WRAA) indicated there were 20-30,000 hectares of surplus vineyards in Australia. The Winemakers' Federation of Australia estimates 14,000 ha have been removed since the Agenda's launch but reform has not been as been as extensive as hoped. Stephen Strachan, CEO of the WFA, told
Decanter.com, ‘Reform has been slower than we hoped it would be but it is happening. ‘The reassuring news is that there is some progress, albeit slow progress. Based on two surveys, we estimate that, in the two years to June 2011, there have been approximately 14,000 hectares removed,’ he added. Since the launch of the Agenda, the global financial crisis and an increasingly strong Australian currency has made business even tougher for Australian producers. ‘Moving forward two years, if anything, the outlook for Australian wine sales is even more challenging, largely on the back of the Australian dollar appreciation,’ said Strachan. ‘Accordingly, the [estimate of] 20,000 hectares of surplus vineyards ought to be considered to be on the low side.’ Figures from another national body, Wine Australia, show there are another 5,000ha of vines not yet bearing fruit, which could potentially add another 50-60,000 tonnes to current production within the next three years.
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UPDATED PRICE INDICATIONS & Fruit Fly Update
30 January 2012 08:53 AM
PRICES
An updated Price Indications Grid is attached for your information. Please note the following changes to the Grid – as first released immediately prior to Christmas, and highlighted in yellow where there is a new or revised price.
- Accolade Wines has revised selected varieties upwards.
- Kingston Estate Wines pricing is now included. Please note that these prices are for new KWE annual contract growers for 2012 vintage only and include a $30 per tonne freight rebate for delivery to Kingston.
- Andrew Peace Wines pricing is now included.
- Additional prices for The Wine Group (TWG) are included for Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdelho, with a minor downwards adjustment of the Shiraz price originally published.
- Qualia prices are included and actual – rather than minimum prices originally quoted to growers.
- Auswine prices for selected varieties are also now included.
As of today – Friday 27 January – MVW is not yet aware of release of prices to growers by Casella Wines, De Bortoli, Berton Vineyards or Zilzie.
An updated grid will be released as new or revised prices come to hand. Growers with uncommitted fruit should refer to the attached Wineries Contact List.
MVW recommends consideration of vesting fruit with Vintage Traders Australia, which because it has large volumes available in its varietal grape pools has been able to leverage placement of fruit with a number of larger wineries, who may not be accessible to individual growers. VTA can be contacted on 5023 7410.
FRUIT FLY UPDATE
2 new Queensland Fruit Fly Outbreaks have been notified by DPI Victoria at Goodnight North (NSW) and Kenley which overlap and extend the existing interconnected Goodnight, Goodnight North and Boundary Bend Outbreak 15km Quarantine Zones. Please refer to the attached Outbreak Zone maps and related information regarding movement of fruit.
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Murray Valley Wine Growers
24 October 2011 11:45 AM
Welcome to the Murray Valley Winegrowers' Inc. blog. Use this page to check for up to the minute news and events or information related to your industry. Murray Valley Winegrowers' Inc. represents the interests of some 1,000 wine grape growers within the boundaries of the rural cities of Mildura and Swan Hill in Victoria, and the shires of Wentworth, Balranald and Wakool in New South Wales. This area takes in the Geographical Indicators (GIs) of Murray Darling and Swan Hill in which more than 20,000 hectares are planted to wine grapes. Major wine varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Colombard, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet, Semillon and Shiraz. The multi-purpose varieties Sultana and Gordo are also produced in significant quantities.For more information about your Industry or to become a member visit the Murray Valley Winegrowers' Inc. Website.
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