Wine Australia’s September quarterly report has named Victoria’s Yarra Valley as one of Australia’s top 15 Geographical Indication (GI) regions. This identifies the wine produced in the region as possessing a given quality, reputation, or other characteristics of the wine attributable to the geographical origin of the Yarra Valley. The September report showed an overall growth of Australian wine exports,…

During the cooler month of September, drinks’  very own Tasting Bench, comprising nine industry experts, tasted 65 of the latest wines from Pinot Noir producers in Australia and New Zealand. Here are the Top 20, ranging from RRP $80 a bottle to just $20 and categorised by region. All distributors are listed so that you can arrange stock before these wines run out! The Tasting Bench: Anna Mantchakidi Dip…

Rekorderlig has made the decision to temporarily withdraw its Cocktail Cans after discovering an issue that compromises the quality of the product. Rekorderlig has asked all retailers to withdraw the Rekorderlig Cocktail Cans to ensure that no other consumer experience is affected by the defect. Rekorderlig will be replacing the stock. A small manufacturing defect in the cans has resulted in some non-harm…

Chairman of the Board of Australian Vintage Limited (AVL), Richard Davis, has told investors that growing its export business, increasing sales of its three key brands – McGuigan, Tempus Two and Nepenthe, and controlling costs are all part of the company’s strategy to increase sales over the next year. The ASX-listed Australian winery was hit by the termination of a large vineyard lease and Brexit in FY16…

A boutique winery in Margaret River has won the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, awarded at the 2016 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards. Deep Woods Estate received the accolade for its 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, marking the first time in six years since a cabernet has won the coveted trophy. The same cabernet also won the trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon of the show. Punt Road in Victoria was also among suc…

BWS has partnered with The Good Beer Co to “help save the world, one good beer at a time”. Launched with a crowdfunding campaign in November 2015, The Good Beer Co is Australia’s first social enterprise beer company, working with Australian brewers to create and sell beer whilst raising money for worthy causes. 100 BWS stores across Queensland are now stocking the company’s first beer, Great Barrier Beer,…

The Wine Export Report, released by Wine Australia this week, shows China has moved into top position as our number one export market for wine. Wine exports to the country in the last year more than doubled to $474 million, the highest they’ve ever been. This is a significant increase from only a decade ago when Australian wine exports to China were valued at just $27 million. And Adam O’Neill, Internatio…

Champagne Day 2016 is this coming Friday, October 21. Here are ten top bottles of fizz recommended by drinks’ independent panel to celebrate with your customers on what is the biggest celebration of Champagne each year. The judging panel included wine writers Tyson Stelzer and Ken Gargett, Alison Eisermann MW, wine judge Travis Fuller, winemaker Xanthe Hatcher, sommelier Istvan Nohra, Tumblong Hills’ Mi…

This Wednesday, October 18 nine competitors battled it out in the very first Australian edition of the Patrón Perfectionist Cocktail Competition. Top honours went to Nick Cozens from Eau De Vie in Melbourne with his Song of the Sea cocktail. Held at The Island on Sydney Harbour, finalists were allocated ten-minute slots to re-create their entry and present it to the judges. The judging panel included Patr…

Yalumba Wine Company, together with AGL Energy Limited, are installing the largest ever solar photovoltaic (PV) system at an Australian winery. The 1.4 MW Solar PV System is also one of the largest commercial solar systems in South Australia and will consist of 5,384 panels in total. Yalumba Wine Company Managing Director Nick Waterman said, “This installation has been the result of a strong, collaborativ…