The 2015 Sydney International Wine Competition winners and Top 100 Wines have been announced. Across categories, winners of this year’s competition include Casella Family Brands, Jansz Tasmania, Taylors Wines, Yealands Wine Group, d’Arenberg, Grant Burge Wines, Jacob’s Creek, The Yalumba Wine Company, Oyster Bay Wines, Villa Maria, De Bortoli Wines, Calabria Family Wines and Peter Lehmann Wines, in no par…

Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) reports that beer sales are expected to surge in the lead up to and on Australia Day. The brewing giant says sales have been increasing year on year, and saw a significant increase by 3.4 per cent between 2013 and 2014. “Relaxing and beer go hand-in-hand with most people who drink beer, seeing it as something which makes them feel laid back and sociable”, CUB’s Jeremy Gr…

An article by Tim Gregg, posted in the Sydney Morning Herald this week, puts forward an interesting argument for the separation of alcohol and violence. Titled: ‘It’s not the drinking – it’s us: Violence doesn’t necessarily follow boozing’, the article uses Germany as a model example to question the perceived relationship between alcohol and violence in Australia. Tim argues that violence remains low in G…

The Australian Grape and Wine Authority’s (AGWA) latest Wine Export Approval Report December 2014, released on Wednesday, reports that Australian wine exports are up by 1.9 per cent in both volume and value. This is the first increase to have been seen in export values since the global recession in 2007. In addition, the Wine Export Approval Report also finds that Australian wine was exported to 121 desti…

The closing date for entries to the inaugural Australian Distilled Spirits Awards (ADSA) is steadily approaching – closing on Friday January 23. Entrants will be judged between February 24-25, with eight major trophies available to win, across whisky, gin, vodka, brandy, rum, liqueurs and alternative spirits. ADSA is a first-ever awards program for distilled spirits and liqueurs, launched by The Royal Agr…

Future Leaders is in search of its next 15 applicants to join its development program. Funded and coordinated by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA), applicants should be from the grape and wine sector, who are early- to mid-career, and who are already demonstrating leadership potential. If successful, candidates will enter the six-month program, commencing in June. Applicants will take part in…

As we kick off the New Year, the drinks association is thrilled to welcome SCG Events/Delaware North to its group of Corporate Partners. The latest business to align itself with the association, SCG Events and parent company Delaware North, are set to deliver a new level of prestige to association events, in particular the annual Australian drinks Awards. Sharon Arrow, GM Hospitality & Sporting Servic…

New data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows positive declines in alcohol-related violence, the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing recently reported. Data for the September quarter found alcohol- related non-domestic assaults for NSW down by 10.9 per cent, and more significantly down by 26.8 per cent in the Kings Cross Local Area Command.

Campari Australia has become a signatory to the Alcohol Beverages Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code (ABAC) this January. While Campari already participates in ABAC with its services and adjudication decisions, as signatory of the code, Campari will additionally commit funding towards the scheme. Campari now joins a large number of other alcohol marketers committed to the objectives of the Code, who toget…

Coles has paid out a $10 million fine to settle a case with the competition watchdog, ACCC, after allegations were made against Coles, accusing the chain of “engaging in unconscionable conduct against its suppliers”, and forcing suppliers into “profit gap” and “waste” payments. Since then, new and similar allegations against Woolworths have surfaced, accusing the retailer of having demanded millions of do…