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Wine producers and growers across the Riverland have breathed a sigh of relief when it became apparent that “commonsense had prevailed” and the taxation of wine would remain unchanged. “There has been much lobbying by interest groups to change from the current value-based tax, to a volumetric tax on wine, similar to that levied on [...] [...]

High-profile advertising and branding guru Todd Sampson from the Gruen Transfer will speak at the 15th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference. The Conference will be held at the Sydney Convention Centre from 13 to 18 July. To book your place at the triennual Conference visit www.awitc.com.au WBM is the Media Partner and the June issue [...] [...]

Wine Australia has announced the resignation of chief executive, Andrew Cheesman. The Week That Was on Friday said it had heard reports that he had quit. Mr Cheesman, who has led the organisation since 2009, has resigned to pursue other opportunities in the wine sector. Chairman George Wahby said, “I would like to take this [...] [...]

South Australian pastoral family business A.J. & P.A. McBride, which owns eight stations in the north and is one of Australia’s largest wool producers, has bought 38 percent of Bleasdale in Langhorne Creek. The winery’s Asian distributor, Monita, owned by Hong Kong importers Charles Poon and Raymond Ran, has bought 10 percent. The Potts family, [...] [...]

McWilliam’s Wines has appointed Jim Chatto as chief winemaker based at Mount Pleasant in the Hunter Valley. This follows the retirement of Phil Ryan last year. Jim has become the fourth chief winemaker to be based at Mount Pleasant since Maurice O’Shea established the Hunter winery in 1921. He joins McWilliam’s from Pepper Tree wines [...] [...]

Delegat’s Group Limited has entered into an agreement for sale and purchase to acquire the assets of Australian winemaker Barossa Valley Estate Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) for $A24.7 million payable in cash. Settlement is expected to occur in June following satisfaction of incidental conditions precedent. The Barossa Valley Estate assets being acquired include a [...] [...]

Gemtree Vineyards in McLaren Vale has received a $30 million injection of working capital from its Asian partner, self-made Chinese multi-millionaire businessman Mr Yuangang Song. This follows Mr Song’s $5 million investment in the winery last year. Gemtree managing director Andrew Buttery said there were big plans afoot for the wine business including increased production [...] [...]

Brown Brothers has announced that a fourth-generation family member, Caroline Brown has joined the business in the role of PR manager. Caroline is following in the footsteps of her elder sister Katherine, who has held the PR manager role for nearly three years, and will now be moving into the position of brand manager, with [...] [...]

Australian wine exports are showing some positive signs with the number of exporters increasing and bottled wine exports to major markets such as the US growing across higher price segments, according to the latest Wine Export Approvals Report March 2013, released by Wine Australia today. The number of wine exporters  for the year ending March [...] [...]

Wine writer Mike Bennie is on the cover of our April WBM! Mike, 34, has had a very successful year, being named WCA Digital Communicator of the Year, delivering a profound speech on authenticity at Pinot Noir New Zealand, and helping to organise the game-changing Roostock Sydney event. “I see so much opportunity in the [...] [...]

Medhurst Yarra Valley Cabernet 2010 received 94 points from Mike Bennie in the March issue of WBM – Australia’s Wine Business Magazine. Mike said in the review: “Medium bodied, svelte, touched by fine grainy tannins, long in flavour and with a nigh on elegance. It’s enjoyable for blue fruits, cedary oak and comely dried herb [...] [...]

The Barons of Barossa welcomed Wayne Dutschke, Jane Ferrari and Kevin Scarce, Governor of South Australia, into their wine fraternity on Thursday at the Barossa Grand Cellar Dinner. Stephen Henschke, the fraternity’s Grand Master, said, “It is a pleasure to acknowledge these three very different people for their dedication, creativity and passion for the Barossa. [...] [...]