A change to the Wine Australia Corporation Act 1980 means that from now on, ‘Sherry’ produced in Australia must no longer be called “sherry” but can be called ‘Cream, crusted/crusting and solera fortified’; and ‘Port’ is now called ‘Vintage, ruby and tawny fortified’. It is also possible for Australian wine-makers to invent their own descriptor or trademark as another option. The change in law was included in an Australian Bureau of Agricultural... ...Read more »

The ongoing oversupply of grapes and a volatile Australian dollar are exacerbating the difficulties faced by many Australian wineries, according to the annual financial benchmarking survey for the Australian wine industry – Vintage 2008 report, released today by Deloitte. In its tenth year, the Deloitte survey examines the financial performance of wineries across Australia for the 2008 financial year, and is based on the individual financial results and information provided by wineries. “The... ...Read more »

With speculation rife that beer and wine will be subjected to tax hikes in the upcoming budget, the Australian Winemakers Federation has expressed fears about the future for the sector. CEO Stephen Strachan said that tax increases would cause a substantial loss of jobs as the industry continues to struggle with a glut. “There is concern in the industry that the Government will move in the forthcoming Budget to increase the tax on wine, or to look at a change in the way wine is taxed,”... ...Read more »