The BWS in North Sydney is going big on South Australia. The window display shows ancient, gnarled vines and ripe grapes. A silhouetted man is drinking a glass beside a row of oak barrels. That window display is also the latest front in a long-running war between winemakers and retailers.

At first glance, the two brands being promoted are just like any other. But Coonawarra’s Riddoch and the Barossa Valley’s Cat Amongst the Pigeons aren’t just any brands. They are both owned by Endeavour, the $9 billion liquor retailing giant that owns more than 1700 bottle shops and 350 pubs. That detail is clear, of course, if customers care to read the fine print on the back of the bottle.