The volume of grapes crushed for wine in the Murray Darling and Swan Hill regions fell by more than 20 per cent in the 2011 vintage, according to a survey published today by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The Murray Valley, incorporating the Murray-Darling and Swan Hill wine regions, contributes up to 25% of Australia’s wine production for worldwide brands such as Deakin Estate, Jacob’s Creek, Lindemans, Tall Poppy, Trentham Estate and Zilzie. The DPI’s survey... ...Read more »

A leading Australian researcher at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology has designed new compounds that mimic the activity of antioxidants found in wine and chocolate, which have potential applications in fighting disease. Dr Aaron Micallef is a free radical chemist and associate investigator for the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology. He believes the new compounds will promote the body’s natural antioxidant... ...Read more »

Australian-based global winemaking and distribution business Treasury Wine Estates Limited, formerly owned by Australian brewer Foster’s Group Limited, today announced first year profits of A$64.4 million. In its first full year report since demerging from Foster’s in May 2010, Treasury Wine Estates reports earnings that have continued to grow for the third consecutive half. David Dearie, Chief Executive Officer of TWE said, “This is a solid result, our first since we became a standalone... ...Read more »

Lion, the Kirin-owned food and drinks company, has experienced challenging conditions and declining revenue across its businesses in Australia and New Zealand over the last six months, ending March 31 2011, according to its latest financial figures reported on August 5, 2011. The report shows declines in Lion’s beer, spirits and wine divisions in Australia and New Zealand, and in its dairy and drinks division: Beer, spirits and wine divisions in Australia and New Zealand delivered earnings before... ...Read more »

A new survey by the Good Food & Wine Show has revealed some interesting truths about Australian eaters: our most influential culinary icon is Margaret Fulton, but we wish we were Nigella or Jamie; we’re nostalgic for dishes like Beef Stroganoff and prawn cocktail; more than half of us eat take-away more than once a week (with Thai food the most popular); we claim not to like KFC or McDonalds when eating out; we eat chocolate and mashed potato for comfort food; and Cab Sav and Sav Blanc... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has announced that it does not intend to oppose Woolworths Limited’s proposed acquisition of The Cellarmasters Group. The ACCC said it had concluded that the proposed acquisition would be “unlikely to substantially lessen competition given the presence of several significant competitors in wine retailing, production and associated services”. The competition regulator said it had consulted widely with competitors, suppliers and customers... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australia New Zealand has called for comment on a plan to reduce the minimum alcohol levels in Australian wine, after the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia applied to reduce the minimum level for flat and sparkling wine from 8% to 4.5% alcohol/volume. “This will align Australian produced wine with the European Union, which is Australia’s largest wine export market. It will also address a regulatory disadvantage for the Australian wine industry compared to imported wine... ...Read more »

Looking to spice up your sex life? Try adding ginseng and saffron to your diet. Both are proven performance boosters, according to a new scientific review of natural aphrodisiacs conducted by University of Guelph researchers. Indulge in wine and chocolate, too, but know that their amorous effects are likely all in your head. Stay away from the more obscure Spanish fly and Bufo toad. While purported to be sexually enhancing, they produced the opposite result and can even be toxic. Those are among... ...Read more »

At a time when wine seems to be getting cheaper and cheaper, Vok Beverages – a joint venture partner of Foster’s – is planning to go the other way by raising prices in a bid to draw consumers away from bargain-basement wine. Vok, which teamed with Foster’s in late-2009, sells a number of brands with Australia’s largest alcoholic beverage group; the most well-known being the Queen Adelaide brand. The privately owned group will be upping the price of Queen Adelaide from... ...Read more »

A Shiraz and a Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills region have claimed the Best Red and Best White Wine awards at the Winewise Championship this month. The wines were assessed by a judging panel comprised of four of the regular Winewise panel and experienced show judges – Lester Jesberg (Championship Chair), Deb Pearce, Len Sorbello and Phil Trickett, as well as two of Australia’s most respected wine judges – Tom Carson (Chairman of the National Wine Show of Australia) and Huon Hooke... ...Read more »