Associations collaborate to host Halliday Chardonnay & Cabernet Challenge
July 20th, 2021
Image: Erin Larkin judging in Margaret River in 2020.
The James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenges will be ‘blended’ and judged simultaneously by the Margaret River Wine Association and Wine Yarra Valley from this year onwards.
The James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge is a celebration of the world’s most popular two varieties and Australia’s outstanding regional diversity. Margaret River Wine Association and Wine Yarra Valley will collaborate and jointly host the Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenges.
The competition will be judged in the Yarra Valley in August this year and then will move between the two iconic regions on alternate years.
Calling all winegrowers – the 2021 Vineyard of the Year Awards
July 16th, 2021
Image: Matt Swinney (L) and Lee Haselgrove.
Following last year’s inaugural awards, the 2021 Vineyard of the Year Awards is now open for registrations.
The Awards are designed to place vineyards and growers across the nation at the heart of the Australian wine story, and the heart of the Australian wine community.
In the inaugural edition, we didn’t just applaud the trophy winners. As a celebration of Australian viticulture, we profiled the special sites and remarkable custodianship of 50 winegrowers.
“That list of 50 profiles makes for absolutely inspirational reading,” said wine writer and awards judge Max Allen.
Katrina Jackson wins the 2021 Corteva Central Otago Young Viticulturist of the Year
July 16th, 2021
Katrina Jackson from Chard Farm has won the Corteva Central Otago Young Viticulturist of the Year 2021 regional competition.
Katrina will now be the fourth woman out of six to compete in the 2021 National Final – a first for the Young Vit competition.
Congratulations also goes to Nina Downer from Felton Road who came second and Annabel Wylie from Grape Vision who came third.
Another first for the Young Vit competition is that seven of the eight contestants in the Central Otago competition were women.
The competition was held at Otago Polytechnic Central Campus in Cromwell, where the contestants rotated around various challenges such as trellising, pruning, machinery, irrigation, wine analysis and budgeting. A large crowd gathered to watch the Biostart Hortisports race and enjoy a Fruitfed Supplies BBQ. They impressed the judges by stepping out of their comfort zone in som
Naked Wines revenue grows as online booms
July 16th, 2021
Naked Wines Australia has announced an increase in local sales, totalling $84.2 million for the year ending 29 March 2021, up by 42%.
This sees the Australian results sitting in line with the company’s global results achievements. These results have been driven by evolving consumer purchasing behaviours, catalysed by the pandemic; with customers creating an online shopping boom whilst at the same time more deeply examining the impact of every dollar they spend, with a strong purchasing stance to support local businesses and communities – along with retention and repeat purchasing sitting at a new high.
Calling all aspirational wine writers
July 16th, 2021
With the South Australian wine industry displaying remarkable resilience and diversity, the time to be a wine writer may have never been better.
Against that backdrop of interesting stories waiting to be told, the call has gone out for applicants for the 2021 Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) wine media cadetship, aimed at aspiring and ambitious communicators specialising in the wine sector.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, David Basham said the cadetship, now in its fifth year, offers a six-month opportunity for the cadet to participate in a range of practical experiences including the one-day intensive Advanced Wine Assessment program, domestic wine events, media placement and mentorship within the wine industry.