Wynns Coonawarra Estate has announced an exclusive distribution agreement with Matthew Clark and its sister company Wine Studio.
Simon Brook, business controller for the on-trade at Foster’s EMEA, said: “We are very pleased to announce this agreement with Matthew Clark.
"Regionality in Australia is becoming increasingly important in the trade and Wynns Coonawarra Estate is a key part of our Australian regional strategy.”
Many tend to lump Australia and New Zealand together as the great Down Under, but as all oenophiles know, their wines--and their restaurant wine lists--are worlds apart.
Though wine lists in both countries tend to be regional, Australia produces wines --like shirazes--that can age gracefully, while New Zealand's sassy sauvignon blancs do not.
An Aussie wine list will likely have some vintage to it, while a Kiwi wine list is likely to be, well, green.
"There is a fundamental difference between our master's course and the other existing wine courses at Adelaide (University) or Charles Sturt (University)," Professor Barlow says. "They are good courses but we cater for a very new niche; and we are not just a wine course. The new Melbourne Model means students can fit other areas of study into their existing course work."
Winemakers, wine growers, or wine marketers were once trained in a more focused manner but under the new model students will be able to add other areas of academic endeavour, such as economics, agribusiness, environmental studies, or food science on the way to their masters qualification.
The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation says 770-million litres of wine were exported in the latest year, slightly down on the year before.
There was a poor season in 2007 and this year's harvest is also drought-affected.
The Corporation reported an increase of 3 per cent in the value of exports, to just under $3 billion.
The Australian wine industry must wake up to the fact that it is "no longer best placed to compete on price or volume alone", according to Paul Henry of Wine Australia.
Speaking at a seminar at last week's annual tasting, Henry, general manager for market development at the generic body, added: " If there's a single corrective slap in the face that needs to be administered to the industry, it's that".
Tasmania's wine industry is celebrating a $1.8 million grant, the largest amount ever dedicated to cool climate wine research in Australia.
The money, from federal and state grants, will be used to study cool climate sparkling and pinot noir wine from the grape to the glass.
Two Hands Wines owner Michael Twelftree said the company's involvement was a significant achievement both for the winery and the Australian wine industry.
"It's also excellent recognition for the Australian wine industry and the calibre of our premium wine regions."
Prices for Australian wine are expected to rise this year, following 18 months of severe drought that has produced two low harvests.
Growers are concerned price increases for consumers will not be passed down the chain.
McKenzie called on growers to trigger dispute clauses in their supply contracts, claiming many were now suffering their third year of prices below cost of production.
Government statistics showed that wine production for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, fell by almost one third from the previous year to 978 million litres (258 million gallons).
A drop in production, due mainly to drought, coupled with increasing sales have drained Australia's surplus glut of wine by 15% to 1.8 billion litres (480 million gallons) last year from 2.1 billion litres (550 million gallons) the year before.
