Australia - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Cooke takes Thistledown out of Alliance

Published: 28 January, 2025

Giles Cooke MW is parting with Alliance Wine Group to take its Australian Thistledown winemaking project solo.

Australian wine exports buoyed by ending of Chinese tariffs

Published: 29 January, 2025

Australian wine exports showed an impressive 34% increase in value to $2.5bn (AUD) with volume up to 649m litres for 2024, according to Wine Australia’s export report.

Berkmann announces Australian portfolio expansion

Published: 24 January, 2025

Berkmann Wine Cellars has announced the additions of Kooyong from the Mornington Peninsula and South Australia’s Rieslingfreak.

AWL welcomes clearance for Accolade Wines merger

Published: 25 October, 2024

Australian Wine Holdco Limited (AWL) has welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) decision to grant merger clearance for the combination of Accolade Wines with Pernod Ricard's Australian, New Zealand and Spanish wine businesses.

Shipments to China lift Australian wine exports to three-year high

Published: 22 October, 2024

Australian wine exports surged in the 12 months to September 2024, with value rising 34% to AU$2.39bn and volume up 7% to 643 million litres, according to Wine Australia’s latest report. These figures represent the highest levels since August 2021, mainly driven by a strong return to the Chinese market after it removed import duties on Australian bottled wine in late March 2024.

Berkmann hosts Australian Wine Tasting: A showcase of premium offerings

Published: 18 September, 2024

Yesterday (17 September), Berkmann hosted a distinguished wine tasting event at Woods Quay, featuring four esteemed Australian wineries. The event, Berkmann's first tasting “not on dry land,” marked a significant moment for the supplier, as it brought together four leading winemakers in a collaborative, flighted tasting by grape variety. This gathering exemplified the spirit of Australia’s premium wine industry, challenging the misconception that Australian wine is only synonymous with mass-produced, budget-friendly offerings.

Oxford Landing clinches official wine partnership with the British & Irish Lions

Published: 02 September, 2024

South Australian family-owned winery Oxford Landing has been announced as the Official Wine Partner for The British & Irish Lions for their upcoming Lions tour to Australia.

Brown Family Wine Group appoints Hallgarten & Novum as UK distributor

Published: 19 August, 2024

Australia’s Brown Family Wine Group has chosen Hallgarten & Novum Wines as the exclusive UK distributor for its Brown Brothers range. The team at Hallgarten will be responsible for introducing the wines, which have alcohol content ranging from 0-15%, to the UK’s hospitality and retail sectors.

Australian wine exports reach $2.2 billion

Published: 30 July, 2024

Australian wine exports increased by 17% to AU$2.2bn in 2023-24, the highest since September 2021, while volume remained steady at 619 million litres, according to Wine Australia’s Export Report.

Penfolds appoints Goedhuis Waddesdon as principal UK distributor

Published: 25 July, 2024

Goedhuis Waddesdon has been named the main UK distribution partner for Penfolds, aiming to expand the distribution of the core Bins Collection, including wines from France and the US.

Pernod Ricard wines to join Accolade at Holdco

Published: 17 July, 2024

Pernod Ricard has confirmed the signing of the much anticipated agreement to sell a majority of its wine brands to Australian Wine Holdco (AWL), the consortium which owns Accolade.

Penfolds awards AU$200,000 in inaugural Evermore Grant Programme

Published: 08 July, 2024

Penfolds has announced the recipients of the inaugural Penfolds Evermore Grant Programme. Four recipients in Australia have been selected for their projects contributing to community and culture and will share in AU$200,000 of funding.

Australia and New Zealand team up for 2025 trade tasting

Published: 03 July, 2024

Wine Australia and New Zealand Winegrowers will be buddying up for their annual UK trade tastings next year in what will be their first ever joint event.

TWE reports surge in Chinese demand post-tariff removal

Published: 20 June, 2024

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has provided a significant update on its Penfolds brand and strategic direction in China, almost three months after the lifting of tariffs on Australian wine imports.

Australian Vintage seeks emergency capital raise as Accolade deal falls through

Published: 29 May, 2024

The crisis in the Australian wine industry has deepened now that buyout negotiations between Australian Vintage and its larger rival Accolades Wines have collapsed. The former has requested a suspension of its shares on the Australian stock exchange as it grapples with a grape glut and mounting debt.

Decade of progress for women in Australian wine

Published: 21 May, 2024

A new report marks significant progress for women in the Australian grape and wine industry, ten years after the first study of its kind was published.

Accolade Wines eyes deal with Pernod Ricard

Published: 13 May, 2024

Accolade Wines is currently in negotiations with Pernod Ricard regarding the sale of some of its assets, Harpers has learned.

James Halliday announces retirement

Published: 09 May, 2024

Veteran Australian wine critic James Halliday AM has announced he is stepping back from his wine writing and tasting commitments, while also embarking on a wine memoir.