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JENNA HEMSWORTH NAMED AUSTRALIA’S BEST BARTENDER
The Australian finals of the Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition took place at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. Four finalists stirred and shook it out to claim the title of Australia’s best. Jenna Hemsworth of Sydney’s Restaurant, Hubert, was announced the winner. Hemsworth was victorious with her stand out cocktail, The Monarch, and will travel to Amsterdam to represent Australia and compete against 48 top bartenders from around the world.
HOP PRODUCTS AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION
Good news for Australian brewers is Hop Products Australia has planted the first 50 acres at its new home in Victoria’s Buffalo River Valley of what is the beginning of a $35 million dollar expansion project. The expansion will increase the company’s output by 50 per cent over the next six years. During phase one of the project, 150 new hectares will be planted as well as construction of a new harvest complex comprising six kiln floors and space for two Daunhauer pickers. Phase two will see an additional 150 hectares planted plus an extra six kiln floors at full production by 2024.
NEW ZEALAND CREAM LIQUEUR FAVOURS GLASS FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Lewis Road Creamery has teamed with leading glass-packaging company Croxsons to deliver Lewis’s Road Kahlua Cream product in glass bottles moving away from aluminum packaging. Lewis Road is focused on sustainability and package all their milk products in bottles made with 100 per cent recycled plastic, which can also be recycled after use. The company is looking for ways to reduce its use of plastic and hopes the Kahlua Cream line becomes the catalyst for more glass use in the business.
SOUTHTRADE INTRODUCE CORAZÒN TEQUILA
SouthTrade International has announced the launch of Corazón Tequila in Australia. The range will feature Corazón’s three premium single estate tequilas (Blanco, Reposado and Añejo) and an entirely unique limited edition Expresiones del Corazón range. The Expresiones range is the combination of two great distilleries – Casa San Matías and Buffalo Trace Distillery, where the tequila is aged and finished in bourbon barrels.
Corazón Tequila is produced at the Casa San Matías Distillery in Los Altos of Jalisco, Mexico. With over 130 years experience, it is one of the oldest tequila distilleries in Mexico and one of the few family-run distilleries and agave estates remaining in Jalisco. Owner and CEO, Carmen Villarreal, prides herself on their unique and artisanal process. The Corazón Extra Añejo was awarded Double Gold at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
WORKSMITH TO OPEN AT ELLA IN MELBOURNE CBD
The hospitality workers hub, Worksmith, is set to expand with new premises in Melbourne’s CBD in the Melbourne Central precinct, ELLA where Elizabeth Street meets La Trobe. Scheduled to open in April, the popular meeting and working place for entrepreneurs, consultants, sole traders and businesses in the food and beverage sector is proving extremely popular. Founders Michael Bascetta and property developer, Roscoe Power, said Worksmith at ELLA is more drinks-focused than its Collingwood sibling, with an on-premise lab for drinks professionals and liquor companies to experiment and prepare for events. Hightech features include centrifuges, water baths and dehydrators that are fully contained and soundproof to respect other guests.
Located on Level One of the development, the new location will also feature an adjoining retail space for Worksmith events and pop-ups, offering a highly-visible means to connect with city workers and commuters.
“We’re giving our members a new way to promote and trial their products on the fringe of one of Australia’s most iconic and highly visited shopping precincts,” says Bascetta. “We’re closing the circle between our members and the public.”
Born from the idea of giving back to the industry, Worksmith caters to the 800,000 people that work in Australia’s food and beverage industry, where the vast majority work in non-traditional office settings due to the specific demands of their job.
Co-working spaces are an emerging trend in Australia, growing by 297 per cent between 2013 and 2017. In Australia, co-working currently occupies 0.7 per cent of the total office market with Melbourne boasting the highest concentration of co-working spaces at 49 per cent of the market and over 152 spaces.
DEAKIN ESTATE WINEMAKER CELEBRATES 50 YEARS.
Frank Newman, winemaker for Deakin Estate, has commenced his 50th vintage.
From crushing Riverland Sultana for Penfolds Magill Estate in January 1969 to crushing Murray Darling Chardonnay today, he has a tale or two to tell.
Frank became senior white, then red winemaker, for Penfolds and worked alongside Max Schubert in the creation of Grange. Frank was then chief winemaker and production manager at Angoves for more than a decade and also made wine for BRL Hardy’s Renmano. He joined Deakin Estate in 2014 after decades of rich winemaking experience. “My aim is always perfection and my football team’s motto is something that has been the driving influence over my years as a winemaker. ‘Nil satis nisi optimum’ – not satisfied with less than the best’,” Frank says of his approach to winemaking.
AUSTRALIAN WINE DISCOVERED LAUNCHED
Wine Australia has taken international wine education to the next level with the global launch of its comprehensive new education program – Australian Wine Discovered – at the annual Australia Trade Tasting in London.
The content-rich and globally accessible program features 22 education modules, detailed information guides, videos, maps, tasting tools and more.
The topics are suitable for beginner to advanced levels, offering an introduction to how wine is made, to taste, to how to identify wine faults, to more specific topics such as aged Australian wines and Australia’s old vines.
To explore and download the free education modules, tools and resources, visit www.australianwinediscovered.com
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SALTRAM CELEBRATES 160 YEARS
Barossa iconic wine producer, Saltram, celebrates its 160th anniversary this year. William Salter and his son Edward discovered Barossa in 1859 foreseeing its potential for producing quality wine. Today Saltram’s winemaker Alex MacKenzie is the 10th winemaker for the brand and is passionate about keeping the rich heritage of Saltram alive and continuing a tradition of producing quality, full-bodied wines.
“For over 160 years Saltram has celebrated the heritage and tradition behind the Barossa Valley, making flagship red wines of great style and taste. I feel honoured to be able to continue this legacy…and I want to ensure we continue to produce wines that are as superb and unique for years to come,” says Alex.
To mark this incredible milestone, Alex is pleased to announce Saltram will release a Special Rare Anniversary Edition Tawny and a 2016 Angaston Road Single Vineyard Estate Grown Shiraz.
“To celebrate our 160th, we wanted to release two wines that reflect our consistent winemaking excellence. Given the diverse range of award-winning wines we have produced over the years, we believe these two releases are great examples of where our vines have been planted, where the roots have grown, and what we are focusing on. The future looks bright and it’s an exciting time to be involved with Saltram,” he said.
Mr James Coward has been appointed to the role of Director of Policy and Communications. James has previously worked in policy and public affairs roles at government relations companies, industry associations and peak bodies such as Restaurant and Catering Australia, Barton Deakin Government Relations and the European Australian Business Council. James’ major responsibilities include coordinating policy and advocacy campaigns at a local, state and federal government level, developing relationships with political and industry stakeholders to advance the retail liquor industry’s key policy objectives and managing all of Retail Drinks’ strategic communication activities, including the authoring of submissions, media releases, industry reports and policy position statements.
ACCOLADE GLOBAL WINE DIRECTOR PAUL LAPSLEY TO RETIRE AFTER 40 YEARS
Accolade Wines has announced the retirement of highly regarded wine industry veteran Paul Lapsley as its Global Wine Director. Mr Lapsley first joined the company with Houghton in 1987 before rising through the ranks to become Group Red Winemaker in 2004 and then 20th Chief Winemaker for Hardys in 2007. He assumed responsibility for all winemaking operations across the business as Group Chief Winemaker before being appointed Global Wine Director in 2016. Highlights of Mr Lapsley’s career include winning 29 gold medals in a single year at the 2009 Hobart Wine Show, kick-starting the Houghton premium red program that culminated in the inaugural release of iconic Jack Mann in 1994, and overseeing the 2014 Hardy 165th Anniversary Cabernet Shiraz, Accolade’s first ever 99-pointed wine. Mr Lapsley said he would look back fondly on an incredible career in which he was fortunate enough to work with industry leading viticulture and winemaking teams as well as world class mentors.
AUSTRALIAN WINE SUPPLIES TIGHTEN AS EXPORTS GROW
Australian wine sales exceeded production in 2017-18 by an estimated 7 million cases (5 per cent of production), the greatest margin since 2010-11, which saw a drawing down of inventories, according to Wine Australia’s Australian Wine: Production, Sales and Inventory report 2017-18.
Strong growth in exports and stable domestic demand saw total sales during the financial year increase by just under 8 million cases (6 per cent) compared with the previous fiscal year, while a smaller grape crush in 2018 led to a decrease in wine production of 10 million cases (7 per cent).
Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer, Andreas Clark, said the stock-to-sales ratio now was 1.34 times annual sales for reds and 1.4 times annual sales for whites, levels that were slightly below the 10-year average for reds (1.63) and slightly above the average for whites (1.31).
“Sales of Australian wine reached a record volume in 2017–18, driven mainly by exports,” Mr Clark said.
International demand for fine Australian wine grew strongly in 2018, with an increase in wine exports of 10 per cent in value to $2.82 billion free on board (FOB) and 5 per cent in volume to 850 million litres (94 million 9-litre case equivalents) in the year ended 31 December 2018.
POSITIVE NEWS FOR AUSTRALIAN WINEMAKERS AMID BREXIT TURMOIL
WFA welcomes the signing of a new agreement on trade in wine between Australia and the United Kingdom (UK), signed in London overnight. The Australia-United Kingdom (UK) Wine Agreement mirrors provisions Australia has held for many years within an existing agreement between Australia and the European Community on Trade in Wine. It provides greater certainty of market access for Australian wine exporters and allows for a smoother transition when the UK formally separates from the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019.
“WFA has been working with the Australian Government to ensure this agreement came to fruition, and we congratulate the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, the Hon. David Littleproud MP, and the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, for getting the deal across the line” said Tony Battaglene, CEO of the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia.
The UK is the world’s sixth largest wine market, and Australia’s number one export destination by volume. It is also Australia’s third largest export destination by value, with $380 million worth of Australian wine exported to the UK in the 12 months to September 2018. AUSSIE STARTUP REVOLUTIONISES TAP WINE
Font Tap Wine is the brainchild of bar operator Connor Fitzgerald who developed a system that does not require a keg, gas bottle or glycol chiller. It boasts its own patent-pending pump system made specifically for wine. The Font Tap Wine system has a very small footprint that only requires a powerpoint. It works with two ten litre wine containers holding two single varietals of all Australian, vintage wine.
“Wine on tap has been around for a long time, longer than people might know. The issue we face is that someone’s perceptions may have been tainted by one of those early interactions when the quality wasn’t necessarily there,” said Connor.
“The wine coming out of the tap is only as good as the quality of wine that you are putting through the system – this is why we’re seeing great success with people who try our wine.”
Font Fine Wines now has more than 130 taps installed in venues across Victoria and are looking to expand into venues throughout Australia in the next 12 months.
“The next step for us is continuing to spread our message of good quality, sustainable, wine on tap to venues. That’s what gets me excited, helping other businesses find solutions for issues they’re facing. We want to keep growing and we want to see more wine flowing through our taps so that more customers get to experience great wine,” said Connor.
Stroh is a cool Aussie startup business that is passionate about protecting our oceans and the environment from plastic waste. Straws are a shocking contributor to plastic waste especially considering their use is so brief and prolific. With a background in social media and digital marketing in London and Sydney, founder Teresa Aylott, increasingly concerned about climate change, decided to do something about it. Months of research into sustainability led her Holland where she discovered wheat drinking straws made from the stem of a wheat plant. Wheat straws are considered an agricultural waste product of the harvesting process so they do not deplete any natural resources and because they are 100 per cent natural they are fully compostable – a truly circular product.
Stroh is now stocked in various forward-thinking bars and restaurants around Sydney, Melbourne, Malaysia and New York. From small cocktail bars and cafes to the larger groups such as Merivale and the Opera Bar. The word about wheat straws is spreading.
