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Wine

This Month

The year that changed everything for Australian wine

The industry has been through a lot in the past three decades.

Margaret River lands the world’s best vineyard awards

This year will be the first time The World’s Best 50 Vineyards announcement ceremony has been held outside Europe and the Americas.

June

Penfolds makes up almost 60 per cent of profits at Treasury Wine Estates. But the flagship brand’s profits are expected to slow in 2025-26 says departing CEO Tim Ford.

Treasury Wines warns of weaker earnings at flagship Penfolds brand

But the country’s largest winemaker says it does not expect to cut prices of the range, and will instead spend more money in China to boost sales.

Karadoc Winery in the Mildura region.

The death of this winery sums up the industry’s woes

Karadoc Winery near Mildura rode the boom when the world gorged on Australia’s cheap, drinkable plonk. Then tastes changed and winemakers were left stranded.

Liinaa Berry,

Dishing the dirt on the world’s best beaujolais

Sommeliers geek out over these classic “crus”. And it’s all thanks to pink granite, bluestone, schist and shale.

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Wine market woes inflict more pain at Treasury, Vinarchy

Australia’s two largest wine groups are being forced to make some tough decisions to counter a global decline in consumption.

May

Grape grower Bruno Brombal estimates 15 per cent of vineyards in the Riverina region may have been pulled up.

Bulldozers in the vineyards a poor omen for struggling winemakers

Bruno Brombal has seen plenty over his decades as a Riverina grape grower. But amid a never-ending wine glut, he says the best business to be in is excavation.

Accolade Wines makes commercial wine brands including Hardys, Banrock Station and St Hallett.

Accolade Wines, Pernod Ricard push turnaround in debut $700m debt deal

Sources said the syndication could still be a tough grind – thanks to assumptions around synergies between the Accolade and Pernod Ricard businesses.

Lion Group chief executive Sam  Fischer is headeding off to run Penfolds owner Treasury Wine Estates.

Penfolds owner Treasury Wines poaches new CEO from Lion

Sam Fischer, who will collect a $4 million sign-on fee, faces a challenge to reverse the fortunes of the struggling winemaker.

The people who set out to do a fully dry month lowered their alcohol intake by 61 per cent.

Why teetotallers are such a drag (on the economy)

From an economic thinker’s point of view, teetotalism is an incoherent and damaging ideology.

Vineyards in Mendoza province, Argentina. Javier Milei’s deregulation has revived interest in copper mining in the Andean foothills.

Malbec country turns back to mining

Mendoza, a province best known for its Malbec, could open a new mine in a nationwide rush for the red metal under President Javier Milei.

Vineyards in the Ningxia region in China’s central north area are among the sources of grapes for the Chinese version of Penfolds.

Penfolds or a smooth Ningxia red? China’s wine tastes are changing

Australian wine has long been a favourite in China, but an economic downturn along with a government push to “Shop in China” is seeing local vintners step up the competition.

April

Wine storage generic
Wine rack
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Accolade Wines axes dozens of brands after Pernod Ricard merger

The company, now rebranded as Vinarchy, is scrapping labels to focus its investment in higher-profile wines including Hardys, Jacob’s Creek and Campo Viejo.

Endeavour chairman Ari Mervis at the Endeavour AGM last November,

Endeavour’s Ari Mervis gets the broom out amid portfolio review

Ari Mervis is using the oldest trick in the book to placate shareholders – cutting costs, starting with staff.

The Lane winery in Adelaide Hills has come back to market after failing to sell in a campaign last year. 

Vestey family puts ‘tariff-resistant’ winery on sale with $20m hopes

One of the UK’s wealthiest clans will exit a long-standing Australian investment portfolio – once it disposes of The Lane.

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March

Restaurateur Eddie Muto inside the under-construction Melbourne Winery, at 247 Flinders Lane.

The $3m CBD winery opening in a building where AA meets

A heritage-listed former warehouse on Flinders Lane is home for the new Melbourne Winery. It makes for an unusual tenancy mix.

A render of the planned InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa, to be developed on a 21-hectare site at Lot 102 on Hoffnungsthal Road outside Lyndoch in SA. 

Barossa Valley wine mecca to get its first luxury hotel

Operator IHG has teamed up with developer Strategic Alliance to develop the 150-room InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa.

January

Barossa winemaker proves busy people can have it all. Well, sort of

With two vineyards, a winery and a two-year-old, “Life’s a bit ... saturated,” says Brett Grock. Still, he’s found the time to put his artwork on his labels.

The three things needed to lift winery asset sales out of the slump

Lower interest rates and a rise in consumer spending will help but for banks to lend more, margins will have to improve, industry figures say.

Fanda Group wine director Peter Marchant says Chinese-made wines offer something a little different for drinkers.

Why Chinese-made wine could be coming to a bar or restaurant near you

Top bars and restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide are selling Chinese wines produced by both major players and smaller independent outfits.

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