Australian Vintage relaunches Tempus Two to UK
Posted by Daily Wine News | Filed under Wine Reviews
Australian Vintage has set up its own independent and on-trade division to distribute its premium Tempus Two range in the UK. It was launched last week at the Festival of Dorset when award-winning winemaker Scott Comyns came over to help with the launch. The range was originally made available in the UK three years ago, and distributed by a number of suppliers to the supermarket channel, before being withdrawn, reports Harpers Wine & Spirit.
Pushing Waipara (NZ)
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“We think we’re the most exciting food and wine region in New Zealand!” enthuses Angela Clifford, marketing executive for the newly formed WaiparaValleyNZ, a collaborative group organised to promote the gustatory joys of the Waipara Valley. From Pinot Noir to Porcini, Riesling to the region’s lamb, the quality and variety of the valley’s produce is the message the initiative is poised to spread in the biggest collective push it has been given to date, writes Jo Burzynsca in The Press.
Nelson wines are the toast of tasting (NZ)
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Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne is toasting the success of the district’s wines after they beat contenders from Italy and the United States in a blind taste test at Woollaston Estate at the weekend. Each country made their own team of 15 wines a mixture of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Riesling - and judges had to decide on the top wines to make up an overall First XV. A trophy was awarded to the best of each variety, and the region with the most wines won the overall award, reports Nelson Mail.
Signs of life in vineyard sales (NZ)
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Marlborough vineyard sales are beginning to pick up, Bayleys Marlborough says. However, most are mortgagee or receivership sales. The real estate company has sold five vineyards so far this year, compared with only one last year. Harcourts Marlborough did not respond to inquiries about sales. Bayleys Marlborough senior viticulture specialist John Hoare said the market was beginning to accept the lower prices, reports Business Day.
Wine: Talking sense (NZ)
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Many wine lovers will be familiar with the concept of tasting wine blind - obscuring a wine’s identity to arrive at an unprejudiced judgment - but what about making wine blind? Well, that’s what the Lazarus wine label is all about, a Spanish initiative that harnesses the heightened sense of smell and taste of a team of blind winemakers. It’s the brainchild of Dr Antonio Tomas Palacios, a winemaker and researcher in the Department of Oenology at the University of La Rioja, writes Jo Burzynsca in The New Zealand Herald.
Sydney International Wine Competition invites public to dine
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Organisers of the Sydney International Wine Competition are inviting the public to taste and judge about 16 trophy-winning wines at a special dinner next month. This year is the 31st year of the Sydney International Wine Competition, a unique wine show where wine is judged alongside appropriate food.
Local wines set for China
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The Holy Grail for wine producers is China, according to Mick and Sandra Banks. They have just sold 2000 cases of fortified wine to a business in Shanghai, but they haven’t celebrated just yet. “Technically the wine is good,” Mrs Banks said. “But whether customers will buy it is a different thing. China is where the money is and the people are.” The Chinese market comprises mostly of beer and spirits. The Banks may be filling a niche in the market or as Mrs Banks says there may not be any demand, reports Wellington Times.
Life is a cabernet for wine judges
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Orange’s hero varieties of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay were overtaken at the 10th annual Orange Wine Show yesterday with the Cabernet Sauvignon wines impressing the judges. Top wine of the show went to the 2009 Ross Hill Family Series Cabernet Sauvignon which was chosen unanimously by judges, reports Central Western Daily. Chairman of judges David Bicknell, of Oak Ridge Wines, said there was always an expectation coming to a show where cool climate wines usually appealed to the judges’ palates.
Think-tank finds wine tax claims ‘flimsy’
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Wine industry claims that jobs would be lost if changes are made to how the popular tipple is taxed are “flimsy”, research conducted for a health group says. An alliance of public health organisations and experts is pushing for the federal government to tax wine based on the volume of alcohol it contains. Now the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation has commissioned the Australia Institute to examine Winemakers Federation of Australia statements about job losses, increased hardship for pensioners and how wine is taxed in Australia compared with other countries, reports Ninemsn.
Black Box(R) launches 500ml Tetra Pak(R) wines (US)
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Black Box(R), America’s first premium and best-selling 3-liter box wine, is introducing three of its varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay - in 500-milliliter Tetra Pak(R) cartons, or the equivalent of three servings per pack. While Black Box 3L wines are part of the fastest growing table wine category, the growth of Tetra Pak size packaging also continues to increase among glass table and boxed wines with double-digit sales and volume growth since 2009, reports Market Watch.