SW Labour Solutions is presenting this online information session for members seeking new solutions to secure staff in their business. Through the PALM scheme, eligible businesses can recruit workers for seasonal jobs for up to 9 months or longer-term roles of between one and 4 years in unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions. These longer-term engagements allow for stability in key positions.
Learn more and register for the session on Wednesday 22 March from 10am to 11am here.
Wednesday 15 March, Flinders University Adelaide
Join innovators in the fields of viticulture, wine, and tourism technology showcasing their game-changing ideas. Get an inside look at the latest advancements in the wine industry, from grape to glass, and network with like-minded individuals.
In this webinar DTC Business Coach and Strategic Consultant, Georgia Rasmussen will look at benchmarking your existing DTC Channel vs the Global DTC Winery Market. Through that process, Georgia will discuss and define the key metrics you should be tracking to measure your success, and will then walk through how to prioritise your to do list drive program improvement.
Wineries attending this Webinar are likely to be at different stages of the growth curve, but there will be something for everyone in this hour of talking DTC.
Registration is free to ALL WCA Members, Non-Members will be charged $50 + GST.
The world of social media continues to evolve. Video continues to be king of content and we compete for attention given the average social media user accesses on average seven platforms. In many instances, it’s pay-to-play to ensure that your messaging is even seen. Join us as we explore the social media landscape in 2023 and talk about how to think differently about using these tools in your marketing mix.
This webinar will include some of the trends presented at Social Media Marketing World in San Diego the week prior.
The highly respected journalists at The Real Review Wine have just launched a new classification of Australian wine based on a track record of a decade or longer of outstanding results, and Margaret River Chardonnay and Cabernets dominate.
Each wine that made it into the Classification system demonstrated their quality in their blind tastings over the course of at least 10 years, and they have published them into three classification tiers: 3 Merit, 2 Merit and 1 Merit with 3 Merit being the highest classification.
3 Merit wines are iconic wines Australia, wines of true provenance and exemplary track record. Fewer than 0.5% of wines produced achieve this tier. Most of these wines have received gold ribbons for recent vintages. Top vintages will score 98 points or more.
3 Merit Wines (MMM)
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay
Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon
Stella Bella Luminosa Cabernet Sauvignon
Cullen Diana Madeline
2 Merit wines are wines that achieve gold and high silver ribbons in recent vintages, with top vintages achieving 96 points or more.
1 Merit wines are wine that reliably achieve gold and silver ribbons in recent vintages, with top vintages achieving 95 points or more.
1 Merit Wines (M)
Devil’s Lair Chardonnay
Flametree Chardonnay
Fraser Gallop Estate Parterre Chardonnay
Hay Shed Hill Block 6 Chardonnay
Howard Park Chardonnay
Lenton Brae Wilyabrup Chardonnay
McHenry Hohnen Calgardup Brook Chardonnay
Moss Wood Chardonnay
Vasse Felix Chardonnay
Voyager Estate Chardonnay
Xanadu Chardonnay
Moss Wood Semillon
Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc
Pierro L.T.C Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay
Cape Mentelle Shiraz
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Shiraz
Deep Woods Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Hay Shed Hill Block 2 Cabernet Sauvignon
Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon
Stella Bella Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon
Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon
Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon
Cape Mentelle Zinfandel
Cullen Mangan East Block
Moss Wood Amy’s
Thursday 19 May – Voyager Estate
Margaret River Wine Association presents our 2022 Sustainability Program.
5pm to 7pm (late arrivals welcome)
Free for MRWA Members, non-members $25.
Please note: there is a limit of 2 tickets per business to the sundowner (should you require more please contact Pip.
Full day field workshop event for Viticulturists, Grape Growers and Wine Producers with in field practical demonstrations.
Limited to 20 participants, 1 ticket only per company. Register here.
Busselton – 31 May – 1 June
Tourism Council WA will be delivering newly updated tourism workshops in Busselton These workshops take into account the latest information, research, and trends to assist your tourism business. Upcoming workshops are:
Planning for Marketing Success: This is an entry-level workshop ideal for business owners or marketing managers who are involved with marketing the business.
Promotion & Publicity for Your Tourism Business: This is an intermediate level workshop ideal for business owners or marketing managers looking to increase their knowledge about publicity and public relations, and implement new strategies for their business.
Intermediate Social Media for Tourism Businesses: This is an intermediate workshop for participants who have been using at least one social media platform consistently for some time, and are looking to take their online presence to the next level.
Advanced Social Media for Tourism Businesses: This is an advanced workshop for participants who have been having success with social media but are ready to completely optimise their online presence.
Tourism Council WA will also be hosting a Tourism Connect networking event in Busselton on 31 May. Each Tourism Council WA member is entitled to two complimentary tickets per business. They welcome businesses that are not members or that are not in the tourism industry to attend, however there will be a fee of $25pp. Additional attendees for Tourism Council WA members (i.e. more than two people) will also incur a fee of $25. Please click this link to register.
The world is your oyster. Learn about choosing your next export market and have your questions answered at this Zoom information session.
Join WA Wines to the World on Wednesday 24th of November 9:00am – 10:00am for an information session about choosing your next export market, as well as an update on upcoming activations from WA Wines to the World.
The AWRI is presenting an online workshop on the use of aeration in red ferments, in preparation for vintage 2022. The workshop is aimed both at winemakers who currently use aeration during fermentation and those who would like to try it next vintage. The workshop will cover the equipment needed, how to set it up and use it, as well as insights into the latest technology for measuring oxygen during fermentation. Two winemakers at different ends of the scale will discuss how they use aeration and what they have learnt over the years.
Workshop attendees will walk away with knowledge required to implement aeration of red ferments in their winery, as well as where to find more information and support.
Finlaysons are delighted to be “back on the road” in 2021 to present their Wine Roadshow 29. Last year, Finlaysons’ Wine Roadshow 28 was presented by way of webinar due to the impediments caused by COVID-19.
This year’s seminar series is entitled “Adding to the Blend” and will cover the critical issue of diversifying our export markets for wine.
Finlaysons Wine Partner, Will Taylor, will be joined on the road by the CEOs of Australian Grape & Wine and Wine Australia and there will be video presentations by Wine Australia’s people “on the ground” in the USA and the UK.
Will Taylor said the objective is to give the guests at the seminars some practical, “nitty gritty” insights as to where the opportunities lie in foreign markets and “tips and traps” regarding getting your wine in to those markets and trading there successfully.
Exporters seeking a brief introduction to the US market to determine if it’s the right fit for their brands can attend Wine Australia’s new two-part series ‘Export Ready USA’, launching 20 October 2021.
Join host Aaron Ridgway, Wine Australia’s Regional General Manager, Americas, as he shares tips and tools for navigating this complex market, followed by a Q&A session.
DTC Changes Gear: results and insights from the 2021 Wine DTC survey
In this webinar Sandy Hathaway will present the key findings and benchmark statistics from the 2021 Wine Direct-to-Consumer survey conducted in Australia by Wine Australia in collaboration with Wine Business Solutions. Peter McAtamney will provide further insights from the data, including international benchmarking derived from an equivalent survey conducted by Wine Business Solutions in New Zealand and South Africa comparing with US data.
The presentation will cover cellar door, wine club and online/database sales practices and statistics.
Join us to find out what lessons can be learnt from the experiences of 2020-21, what’s working well and what needs to change.
REGISTRATION: This webinar is free to ALL WCA members, non-members will be charged $50 + GST to access.
Looking at some of the latest trends and consumer insights, Wine Communicators of Australia, Wine Communicator of the Year Trish Barry, Mastermind Consulting will share some practical tips and insights into direct and digital marketing considerations for the year ahead. She’ll touch on advertising trends, the role of different social media platforms and key themes to reach and engage your customers.
After this practical session with Trish, we will have an informal winemaker Q&A hosted by sommelier Bridget Raffal in conversation with Emma Norbiato of Calabria Family Wines. We encourage you to BYO something from NSW to enjoy for this part of the session.
Bridget Raffal is the Beverage Director at Where’s Nick Wine Bar and the founder of Women and Revolution – a new organisation representing and connecting women across all sectors of the wine industry. She currently sits on both the NSW Events Committee and the National Executive Committee for Sommeliers Australia.
Emma Norbiato is Chief Winemaker at Calabria Wines and has received widespread recognition for her winemaking skills, including ‘Winemaker of the Year’ in 2016 at the Australian Women in Wine Awards and a finalist for Gourmet Travellers 2019 ‘Winemaker of the Year’. She is a respected wine judge and a Len Evans Tutorial Scholar.
The event runs for one hour on zoom and will be packed full of useful information for maximum value, and minimum zoom fatigue. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW, $15 pp (WCA members & non-members)
Ticket holders will receive the link to join the virtual workshop via email the day prior.
Module 1: Tuesday 19 October 10am- 12pm AWST
Module 2: Wednesday 20 October 10am- 12pm AWST
You are invited to attend a 2 x 2 hour interactive online session When
to make informed decisions on using e-commerce channels to Module 1
capitalise on the growing demand from Asian consumers. Tuesday
At out workshop you will: 19 October 2021
• Learn how to tap into the world’s largest e-commerce Module 2
market and access Asia’s rapidly expanding middle-class Wednesday
consumer base. 20 October 2021
• Gain a detailed overview of e-commerce platforms and
opportunities for SMEs in a variety of Asian markets, with a Time
key focus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 10.00 am – 12.00 pm AWST
(ASEAN), India and China.
• Understand supply chain models required for an e- Where
commerce strategy Webinar
• Consider cultural needs for marketing, social media and
building your brand in an Asian context
Dan Murphy’s would like to take this opportunity to invite submissions for the 2022 Dan Murphy’s and BWS Red Wine range review. In store live dates are early May with initial orders expected early April.
Both brands will be working closely together as they look to further curate their ranges to ensure they are locally relevant and reflective of current and future growth areas. Of particular focus are submissions in the following areas:
Across all varietals and price points (although of particular interest in classic varietals); they are looking for products that satisfy different lifestyle & occasion needs e.g. Organic, Vegan, Lower Alcohol, Non-alcoholic/Alcohol Free and Other Attributes/Claims (e.g Certified Biodynamic, No Preservatives Added, Preservative Free, Sustainable Winery etc). These may be overt call outs on front label or supported by more discreet back label or shelf edge ticketing communication
New pack formats and bottle types across all varietals and price points
$25 – $100 wines with provenance across all varietals for higher wine mix stores; representing 100 of our most important Dan Murphy’s and 300 of our most important BWS wine stores across the country.
$20+ wines across the following varietals; Gamay, Grenache & Grenache Blends, Malbec, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Nero d’Avola, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and other unique varietals / blends with a particular focus on wines with regionality and provenance
Other important points to note:
All NPD will be expected to hit pre agreed hurdle rates; an initial review will be conducted 13 weeks post implementation and failure to meet these will require successful plans to address performance to maintain ranging
Where proposed or likely ranging includes a small number of stores and / or projected velocity would see movement of <1 pallet a month through our DC network, Fulfilled By Endeavour or direct to store delivery would be the preferred distribution method. Speak to your relevant category manager if more information is required.
Dan Murphy’s Only
The red wine range review does not cover their entire red wine range. The following areas are Out Of Scope for this review, with these reviewed at different times of the year:
Cellar Release
Cleanskins
Value Bins
Wines Of The World (mainly products that aren’t varietally labelled)
Non-alcoholic/Alcohol Free
Whilst they are looking for new products to add to the existing range, they’ll also be reviewing the existing range based on the following metrics:
Commercial Metrics – Sales per store, Growth, Profit
All products will be reviewed against their competitive set within each brand.
Range contraction will occur in varietals / price nodes with range duplication. Products that do not provide differentiation and / or have low customer loyalty will be removed from range. BWS in particular will be reviewing SKU proliferation in some store clusters, which may lead to a net reduction in those stores.
Change To Timelines and Process
Please read the following carefully as it contains important information regarding changes to timelines and submission processes.
If your product matches the above criteria and you wish to submit for ranging in either Dan Murphy’s and / or BWS, please complete the 2022 Endeavour Drinks Red Wine Submission Formno later than Friday 15th October. No physical product samples are required at this stage.
Suppliers of shortlisted products will then be invited to submit physical samples (either tank samples or finished goods) for assessment. All submissions will need to be made to the Endeavour Drinks Wine Panel via the Sample Submission Formwith samples sent to Endeavour Drinks Wine Panel – Red Wine Review at 789 Heidelberg Road, Alphington, Victoria 3078 by no later than Friday 19th November.
Please do not send physical samples unless asked to do so.
Suppliers of successful products will then be invited to enter details into Partner Hub (if you do not have access to Partner Hub, please contact [email protected] in advance) with full set up needing to be complete by no later than Friday 24th December.
Please appreciate that they often receive in excess of 1,000 submissions and will not be able to provide feedback on all products to all suppliers, but they will endeavour to notify of any range changes in a timely manner.
Regards
The Endeavour Drinks Wine Team
Ian Wolfe – Category Manager Endeavour Fine Wine West – [email protected]
Mark Samaha – Assistant Category Manager Endeavour Fine Wine West – [email protected]
Rick Blundo – Assistant Category Manager Endeavour Fine Wine West – [email protected]
30 September – Online
Navigating new winemaking trends-finding solutions to existing issues
Constant changes in markets, consumer preferences, regulation and lifestyles require winemakers to continually adapt and innovate to maintain their edge. This seminar aims to challenge winemakers to think outside the box as an industry and continue to challenge the way we make wine- why we make wine additions; why we filter; how we get our energy. Presenters will provide insight into the changes and trends and challenges winemakers to realise opportunities by embracing the risks of innovation by providing real-life problems and case studies from winemakers that have to meet the challenge positively.
Session 1 Global and domestic trends that are shaping winemaking Session 2 Being brave enough to make change – pushing forward and embracing risk Session 3 celebrating success- change management and innovation adoption
For tens of thousands of years Aboriginal people’s intimate knowledge of their country, their relationships with and responsibilities to it, has allowed them to survive and thrive on the driest continent on earth.
This knowledge, referred to as Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a complex, localised and adaptable body of knowledge and practices that is highly valued and passed from generation to generation.
In the South West, TEK has provided the Wadandi-Pibulman people of the Bibbulman nation with an intimate knowledge of the weather, seasonal cycles of plants and animals, and their links with culture and land uses.
As Land Managers today we can all learn much from TEK, specifically TEK can assist us to take a more holistic view of the land, and help us to understand the farm as an integrated and interconnected ecosystem. In this workshop Iszaac Webb, Wadandi-Pibulman cultural custodian, will share with us some of the Wadandi-Pibulman peoples’ valuable Traditional Ecological Knowledge, providing participants with an introduction to understanding Wadandi Boodja (country) including:
the cultural connection of landscape people, plants, animals, water, soils and landforms.
A seminar exploring the use of visitor analytics systems to profile wine tourists and guide cellar door experience development and measurement.
Wineries can attract a diverse range of visitors, each looking for a tailored and unique experience. Using visitor tracking analytics and customer profiling it is possible to develop a wide range of activities and experiences and test their effectiveness and impact on cellar door ROI.
Using insights and techniques developed through their Wine Australia-funded research project, Dr Ben Thomas and Associate Professor Jeremy Galbreath will deliver a seminar on how wine producers can tier their cellar door service offering and maximise the value delivered to a range of different customer segments. Topics covered will include:
An overview of different wine tourist segment profiles
Ways to tier your service offering
Effectiveness of each service offering as a revenue stream
Impact of charging for wine tastings
Ways to implement data collection and cellar door service offering optimisation
Margaret River Seminar Details Date: Monday 3 November 2019
Time: 10.00am – 12.30pm
Location: South Regional TAFE – 272 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River
Morning tea/lunch provided
Supported by Wine Australia, Wines of WA and DPIRD
Registrations are now open for the next series of AWRI’s 2021 webinar program.
Webinars through October and November will cover biological sprays for Botrytis control, breeding and evaluation of new mildew-resistant grape varieties, carbon sequestration in vineyard soils and the Bureau of Meteorology’s seasonal outlook for vintage 2022.
Each webinar will include a presentation and, where appropriate, a practitioner to provide real-life examples and scenarios. There will also be an opportunity for audience members to ask questions.
Sessions are held on Thursdays at 11:30 am (SA time).
All webinars are free to attend but do require pre-registration.
Margaret River Region Chardonnay Tasting Friday 10 September Vasse Felix
The Margaret River Region Chardonnay Tasting is a time to celebrate everything that is great about Margaret River Chardonnay!
At the tasting we will be looking at samples from the 2021 Vintage. All Chardonnay producers are invited to submit samples and participate in the blind tasting.
How to get involved
If you have one or more representative vineyard samples from within the Margaret River GI Region you are encouraged to get involved. You are welcome to submit as many samples as you wish, with each sample to be supplied in 4 x 750ml bottles. All samples we receive will be open and available to taste.
Please note this will be a blind tasting, with technical and geographical data displayed for each sample. All participants are invited to bring a colleague to the tasting on 10 September, commencing at 10:30am for a 10:45am start.
Registrations & Information
To register your participation please do so here, or for more information please contact me on (08) 9756 5035 or by emailing [email protected]
We hope you can join us!
We are calling on all of our Fine Vines Festival venues, suppliers and partners to join forces with us to spread the word as far and wide as possible, so we can ensure a successful first year for all of us.
Here is a small schedule of promotion that we strongly encourage you to take part in. If everyone does what they can from their businesses, we have no doubt we’ll all be able to build the festival’s audience quickly.
We’re starting off with a Social Media Blitz on Thursday 26th August at 5pm. This is where everyone posts about Fine Vines Festival on the same day, at the same time in order to flood everyone’s news feeds so we can reach as many people as possible about the festival.
You can post about your Fine Vines event, or you can post about the festival in general. To make it easy for you, here is a link with some social tiles, images and suggested copy that you can use to schedule your posts.
If you have any questions at all, please get in touch with Erin or Brianna at Ahoy Management.
Registrations are now open for the next series of the AWRI’s 2021/2022 webinar program.
25 November 2021 – Irrigation scheduling tools to make every drop count
Dr Vinay Pagay (University of Adelaide), Dr Everard Edwards (CSIRO), Jeremy Giddings (Agriculture Victoria)
2 December 2021 – Reviewing the standard procedures for grape sugar and colour measurement
Kieran Hirlam (AWRI)
16 December 2021 – Filtration, filterability and facts
Dr Paul Bowyer (Blue H2O Filtration)
20 January 2022 – Fungicide resistance in Australian viticulture
Dr Mark Sosnowski (SARDI), Dr Suzanne McKay (SARDI), Dr Ismail Ismail (SARDI), Lincoln Harper (Curtin University)
In challenging times, it’s easy to get caught up in running your business and miss out on opportunities to advance, optimise, adapt and develop your business as a result. This event has been designed for business owners and senior management as a forum to understand trends, solutions, and options from international industry leaders and key service providers. It brings togetheris the Australian grape and wine community to discuss important topics, including business culture, finance, risk, and licence to operate. There will be presentations about new tools and best practices to help you succeed in today’s dynamic marketplace, and you’ll also get to network with others facing the same challenges as you. ASVO is here to help in these challenging times for many businesses by gathering like-minded individuals to share knowledge and a better future.
Exporting wine or looking to start? Get ready for myth busting insights into the Australian Wine Sector, exporting war stories and hidden gems that may open doors to wine exporting opportunities for your business.
The wine sector has been hit hard by the pandemic and changing global trade measures.
SW Accounts & Advisors be exploring the issues and opportunities for exporters of Australian Wine with real life scenarios, war stories from experts and no cliches!
Join them and experts from across South Korea, Japan and India as they:
• Explore the latest in the Australian Wine landscape with Stuart Barclay, General Manager, Marketing at Wine Australia
• Discover the tastes, competitive landscape and export potential for Australian wines across South Korea, Japan and India
• Provide practical tips via Q&A to make your export diversification ideas your reality.
Join us on the 29th of July (from 9.30am – 10.30am) to be informed of the current activities being undertaken in the WA WINES TO THE WORLD program and to hear from global logistics provider Hillebrand on the topic of shipping and logistics from a WA wine industry perspective.
This is the first of our quarterly Zoom info sessions, designed to update WA wine exporters on our program activities and provide information about specific practical topics of interest.
This session will cover:
WA WINES TO THE WORLD – Program Update
Shipping & Logistics:
LCL versus FCL shipments
Shipping containers – sizes, types and liners
Export pallets and slip sheets
FOB definition (Incoterms)
Freight Forwarder FOB charges
Challenges with FOB Fremantle terms
Current global shipping trends
There will also be time for Q&A after the presentation.
2021 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay & Cabernet Challenge to Unite.
The James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenges will be ‘blended’ and judged simultaneously for the first time in August 2021.
The James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge is a celebration of the world’s most popular two varieties and Australia’s outstanding regional diversity.
Margaret River Wine Association and Wine Yarra Valley will collaborate and jointly host the Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenges. They will be judged in the Yarra Valley in August this year and then will move between the two iconic regions on alternate years.
Born in the Yarra Valley in 2012, the James Halliday Australian Chardonnay Challenge celebrates all chardonnays in its quest to find the nation’s best. Chardonnay is Australia’s most planted white variety and the continuing evolution of its style by Australian makers is heralded globally.
The James Halliday Australian Cabernet Challenge was launched in 2016. As the world’s most widely planted vine and Australia’s third most planted variety, Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Australian wine’s great success stories.
“The decision to bring the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon Challenges together in August provides a win-win scenario for all the stakeholders. This year the Challenges will be held in the Yarra Valley, next year in Margaret River. The results will provide a unique snapshot of the state of play of these two great varieties.” James Halliday
The highest pointed wines for each variety will be rewarded with the James Halliday Trophy and the regional winners with scores of 95 points or more are also recognised.
Entries are open until Friday 30th July 2021. Judging will take place Monday 23rd August – Wednesday 25th August 2021 in the Yarra Valley, and a comprehensive contingency plan is in place if changes are required.
Wine Yarra Valley – Sarah Donnellan, Marketing Coordinator [email protected]
Margaret River Wine – Pip Heaford, Communications & Events Manager [email protected]
Margaret River Wine and Wine Yarra Valley are the official and peak wine industry bodies in their respective regions. While each is passionate about their own area, they are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with another Australian fine wine region.
Program Update & Info Session: The Changing Global Consumer
Join WA Wines to the World on Thursday 2nd September from 9.30am – 10.30am to hear about the changing expectations of global consumers, from Wine Consumer specialists, Wine Intelligence.
This is the second of their Zoom info sessions, designed to update WA wine exporters on their program activities and provide information about specific practical topics of interest.
This session will cover:
Introduction to Wine Intelligence and their data
UK, USA and Canada – similarities and differences
Asian market insights – Japan, Singapore and HK- similarities and differences
Data available to WA wineries
There will also be time for Q&A after the presentation.
As workforce shortages look set to continue in 2022, tourism and hospitality providers are invited to meet with local workers who are ready and equipped with the basic skills required to enter the industry, as part of Tourism WA’s Hospitality Job Connect Program. The 5-day Hospitality introductory course is aimed at High School Year 12 Non ATAR and ATAR, and Year 11, as well as those seeking to work in the industry, and aims to train local people for jobs in the Margaret River Region.
Renowned chef Tony Howell and South Regional TAFE Margaret River will lead the program, which will deliver a range of exciting nationally accredited elements, including:
Customer service training
Barista (coffee making) skills
Safe food handling techniques
CV support/work readiness tips
Masterclasses led by chef Tony Howell
Onsite days at two local hospitality venues
Statement of attainment for successfully completed units
On the final day of the program, local employers are invited to attend a morning tea to connect with the job-ready participants. Employers
in the Margaret River Region with job vacancies available are encouraged to register their interest in attending.
When: Friday 3 December Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm Where: The River Hotel, 40 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River
At the event, businesses will be asked to give a quick 2 minute introduction, detailing their current job vacancies and types of candidates they are looking for.
Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) invites you to join us them as they discuss the Recycled Content Guide (launching later this month), a practical new resource to support Australian organisations to use more recycled content in their packaging. The resource provides clear and practical information on the importance of incorporating recycled content into packaging, and practical steps for businesses. This webinar delves into how the guide will benefit your organisation throughout all stages of the sustainable packaging journey. Facilitated by Alison Appleby with special guest speakers Richard Smith (Amcor) and Andrew Smith (PACT Group).
Winepartners Nordic is one of the largest importers in Norway and one of the top 5 independent importers.
The Norwegian monopoly, in charge of the sale of alcoholic beverages in that country, has opened some interesting opportunities for wines from Western Australia, and for us these opportunities are strategic. Please find the description of the requested wines below these lines.
Specifications (ref #202201003):
Red wine
Australia – Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales or Victoria
Based on min. 70 % Shiraz
Organic
No or discreet influence of wood
No use of oak substitutes such as wood staves, wood chips, wood extract or similar (written confirmation from producer to be presented upon purchase)
Vintage: 2019 or more recent
Glass bottle 75cl
Price: Vinmonopolet wants a retail under 200KR. To reach a retail price of 169,90KR we need an EXWORK of 5€ with max alcohol level of 13,5%. However, we can also present a retail price up to 190,90KR and for that the price can go up to 6.50€ per bottle on a wine with max. of 13,5% alcohol.
Uncommitted prognosis: From 3.000 a year up to 20.000 bottles a year depending on price and availability.
Samples must be sent before 5/8/2021
Specifications (ref #202203002):
White wine
Australia – Western Australia
Appellation: GI Margaret River
Blend based on min. 80 % Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
No or discreet influence of wood
Vintage: 2019 or more recent
Glass bottle 75cl
Price: Vinmonopolet wants a retail under 220KR. To reach a retail price of 179,90KR we need an EXWORK of 5€ with max alcohol level of 13%. However, we can also present a retail price up to 219,90KR and for that the price can go up to 6.50€ per bottle on a wine with max. of 13% alcohol.
Uncommitted prognosis: From 1.000 a year up to 17.000 bottles a year depending on price and availability.
Samples must be sent before 16/9/2021
Specifications (ref #202203003):
Rosé wine
Australia
Based on min. 80 % Shiraz or Grenache
No use of wood
Max. 5 g/l sugar
Vintage: 2021
Cardboard packaging 75 cl or 100 cl
Price: Vinmonopolet wants a retail under 135KR (75cl). To reach a retail price of 129,90KR we need an EXWORK of 2.40€ with max alcohol level of 13.5%. However, we can also present a retail price up to 134,90KR and for that the price can go up to 2.80€ per 75cl cardboard on a wine with max. of 13.5% alcohol.
Uncommitted prognosis: From 17.000 a year up to 47.000 bottles a year depending on price and availability.
Samples must be sent before 16/9/2021
Only one offer per producer. If more than one offer is submitted by the same producer, only the lowest priced offer will be assessed for purchase, regardless of wholesaler.
Specifications (ref #202203005):
Red wine
Australia – Western Australia
Appellation: GI Margaret River
Based on min. 80 % Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2018 or more recent
Glass bottle 75cl
Price: Vinmonopolet wants a retail under 300KR. To reach a retail price of 210,90KR we need an EXWORK of 6.40€ with max alcohol level of 13%. However, we can also present a retail price up to 299,90KR and for that the price can go up to 11.70€ per bottle on a wine with max. of 13% alcohol.
Uncommitted prognosis: From 600 a year up to 2.000 bottles a year depending on price and availability.
Samples must be sent before 16/9/2021
Winepartners seek to make a price proposal that points towards an accessible retail, aspiring to high sales and a long-term business that allows the brand to be extended in the future. In addition, prices can be reevaluated and raised after 7 months on the market.
Date: Wednesday 4th August Time: 8.30 -10.30 am Venue: Clairault – Streicker Conference Room at Restuarant, a field trip will follow.
Genevieve Hanran-Smith and Drew McKenzie of Nature Conservation in collaboration with Chris Gillmore ofClairault Streicker will present current practices for arum lily eradication through the Arum Lily Blitz program with insights into practical development of Biodiversity Actions Plans to meet Sustainable Winegrowing Australia requirements.
Did you know 6000ha are ‘under vine’ across the Margaret River wine region?
That makes for a lot of wine-producing land – and lots of opportunities for weeds to take hold. Chris Gillmore, of Clairault-Streicker Estate, takes this threat seriously and is a great example of how arum lily control, asset protection and environmental responsibility can coincide.
This is also an excellent opportunity for those members and growers to understand how develop strategies to meet Sustainable Winegrowing Australia Freshcare AWISSP Viticulture and Winery standards. Both Standards require a Sustainability Action Plan (M2 Freshcare AWISSP) to be developed that requires various management plans, in this case specifically the Biodiversity Management Plan (E5 of Freshcare AWISSP – Viti and E6 of Freshcare AWISSP – Winery). Drew McKenzie has many years of experience developing Biodiversity Management Plans and will be available to answer questions during this session in relation to this.
Chris is one of over a thousand land managers in the Margaret River region that have joined the Arum Lily Blitz, a coordinated campaign to control arum lilies to protect biodiversity, agriculture and landscape values across the region.
To find out how you can become an integral part of the campaign to control arum lilies please join us for an informative morning that will also include morning tea, insights into developing a Biodiversity Management Plan and field trip (on site at Clairault Streicker 3277 Caves Road following the presentation).
Full day workshop seminar & networking event for Viticulturists, Grape Growers and Farmers
Field Day – Date TBC: – Growing Biodiversity on our Vineyards, with in field practical demonstrations*
Full day field workshop event for Viticulturists, Grape Growers and Wine Producers – Limited to 20 participants only.
Due to the uncertainty around travel in January the Field Workshop date will be confirmed when we are certain Mary will be able to travel to WA. The Workshop Seminar will be presented remotely if need be.
A new hero wine event, Fine Vines Festival, has been announced for the Margaret River region this spring, taking place between Friday October 15 and Sunday October 24.
The festival is set to celebrate the people, passion and places that make Margaret River the renowned winemaking region it is, over a series of more than 35 events throughout the 10 days.
The festival will allow visitors to get up close and personal with the region’s growers, winemakers and venues, including exclusive behind-the-scenes visits to vineyards that aren’t usually open to public, incredible wine degustations such as the Vasse Felix Heyetesbury Chardonnay Dinner and Leeuwin Estate Art Series Lunch, In Conversation sessions with key sommeliers and wine producers, and museum and vertical tastings of some of the region’s most iconic wines.
Festival Director Erin Molloy from AHOY Management said Fine Vines is a unique offering of events dedicated to showcasing the quality and depth of the Margaret River wine region.
Ms Molloy said, “For the aficionados and the occasional drinkers alike, the festival invites people to discover new aspects of our wine region through tastings and tours, masterclasses, dinners and exclusive museum wines.”
Margaret River Wine Association CEO Amanda Whiteland said, “Margaret River is without question one of the world’s greatest wine regions, and the idea behind the Fine Vines Festival was to celebrate this special time of year in the vineyards and the world-class wines produced here through a series of unique wine experiences”.
“October is such a special time of year to visit the Margaret River wine region. It is Kambarang, or second Spring in the Noongar six season calendar, with wildflowers abound. It’s also when we expect to see a lot of new release wines.”
The full program and tickets will go on sale in late June. A taster of what’s to come on the program is listed below:
Icon Chardonnay Dinner at Vasse Felix – A celebration of Margaret River’s Queen varietal. Join Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock on an exploration of the power, concentration of flavour and fresh acidity that define great Margaret River Chardonnay, with a focus on cult Icon, the Heytesbury Chardonnay. Over a six course menu, discover the nuances of site selection and winemaking techniques which create the subtle, hallmark wild characters that distinguish the Vasse Felix style. Featuring a wine focussed menu paired to selections from the Vasse Felix Chardonnay collection, including museum vintages of Heytesbury Chardonnay.
The Art of Fine Wine at Leeuwin Estate – A winemaker’s masterclass. Discover the story behind Leeuwin Estate’s acclaimed Art Series Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz in a two-hour, winemaker-led masterclass set against the backdrop of the Leeuwin Art Gallery. Experience the wines’ renowned age-worthiness across 15 current and museum release Art Series tastings, connecting the emotion of wine expression to the contemporary Australian art works that adorn both the labels and the gallery walls. A three-course lunch finds its match in accompanying museum release Art Series wines after the masterclass.
Pet Nat Party at Bungalow Social – Dunsborough’s Bungalow Social is giving up its back deck to celebrate Margaret River Region Pétillant Natural, giving the oldest of sparkling winemaking methods a contemporary reboot. Some of the region’s favourite Pet Nats will be poured alongside a selection of fried chicken snacks running the gamut from tacos to wings. Relax with friends and raise your complimentary glass of Pet Nat to the DJ’s smooth beats.
In Praise of Pink at Flametree – Margaret River region rosé is the star at flametree winery’s collaborative tasting event. This increasingly popular wine style is getting its time in the spotlight at a rosé tribute where fine wines meet floral fashions at Flametree. Don your best Spring ensemble and take to the “pink” carpet to celebrate the sparking, dry and sweet rosé styles from Margaret River’s wineries. Learn about rosé from local winemakers against a styled backdrop with live music at an event that pays homage to this elegant and youthful varietal.
Sparkling Sundowner at Howard Park Wines – Raise a glass to the sinking sun.
Oysters, sparkling wine and the golden glow of last light. The romance of sparkling wine finds expression at Howard Park Wines this International Champagne Day. Guests will enjoy a glass of Petit Jeté on arrival, and an ensuing experience of winemaking excellence that allows soiree attendees to choose their own class of bubbles – including French Champagne from the winery’s Burch Family Wines’ arm. A taste of elegance and Méthode Traditionelle in the heart of the Margaret River Region.
Around the World in a Wine Glass at Rustico, Hayshed Hill – Satisfy your wanderlust.An experience of the world beyond the South West wine region means an evening of winemaker Michael Kerrigan’s World Series wines matched to a six-course meal by Rustico at Hay Shed Hill. A transformative taste to fuel unrequited wanderlust. Western Australia’s own jazz supremo Jessie Gordon will set the tone for a dinner designed to transport you afar.
Wine on the Water with Clairault Striecker – Whale watch with wine in hand.
Step aboard a 20-metre catamaran from the Quindalup Boat Ramp and join the team from Clairault Streicker on a sunset canape cruise in search of whales as they begin their migration season along the Cape Leeuwin Naturaliste ridge. Canapés suited to the seas will be served alongside Clairault wines in a guided tasting. A definitive Margaret River Region experience that showcases the wild beauty of a landscape producing some of the world’s best wines.
Syrahcentric at Domaine Naturaliste – An exploration of shiraz and Syrah. Lovers of Syrah and Shiraz can dive deep into the similarities and differences of those two wine styles with trophy-winning winemaker Bruce Dukes at Domaine Naturaliste. Take a tasted tour of the Rhone Valley, South Australia and return to Margaret River via six wines showcasing classic examples of the two styles, accompanied by a selection of charcuterie.
Spring Garden Party at Voyager Estate – A progressive Voyager Tasting.
Experience Voyager beyond the dining room with a four-stop progressive food and wine tasting through the Estate’s famed Cape Dutch-style gardens. The new release of Project Pet Nat will combine with crowd favourites of sparkling Chenin Blanc and the winery’s acclaimed Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon styles, matched to head chef Santiago’s beautifully executed bites. Learn from chefs and winemakers on hand, and finish the afternoon alfresco with DJ sets and a marron bun or gourmet hot dog from the grill.
Organisers suggest following Fine Vines Festival on social media via Facebook and Instagram for updates and to see what events are taking place. You can also visit the website www.finevinesfestival.com.au
The Fine Vines Festival is supported by Margaret River Wine Association, Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association, City of Busselton and Shire of Augusta Margaret River.
The Undalup Association together with the SWCC invite you to come along for a Cultural Presentation with Wadandi/Pibulmun Cultural Custodian Iszaac (Waalitj) Webb with the Wadandi Rangers, to learn how local Aboriginal people Traditionally used fire to Care for Country in a Culturally respectful way. The knowledge shared will assist you to learn how to manage bushland, including timing, frequency, intensity, what and where to burn and not to burn.
Date: Tuesday 22 June 2021
Time: 9:00 am to 1.30 pm (lunch provided)
Venue: Shelter Brewing
Forming strategic partnerships with others can benefit both sides, bringing added value to your business.
Western Australian food and beverage producers are invited to attend a half-day interactive workshop, presented by international partnering expert Ian Dixon, which will include:
an introduction to partnering principles
identifying which partnerships are critical to success
setting up successful partnerships at strategic points in your value chain
how to work together for mutual benefit.
Join this free industry event brought to you by Food Industry Innovation at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
Experiential Travel Summit – collaboration, co-design and a bold approach to wine, food and tourism experiences
The Experiential Travel Summit (ETS), held at various Margaret River wineries on 13 and 14 June, is an out of the box wine, food and tourism event that will bring innovation, agility and new ways of thinking about visitor experiences.
The new conference is specifically created for professionals and business owners working in marketing, communication, customer experience, business operations and content creation in the wine, food, hospitality and tourism industries. ETS is particularly relevant for wine tourism where businesses are looking to differentiate, both individually and regionally. It was created to support and elevate businesses to go beyond delivering an experience, it’s aim is to help business make their story part of the visitors’ story.
Attendees can expect practical workshops, skills development opportunities, and exposure to unexpected thinking to push people out of their comfort zone and help the industry move from strength to strength. The program is designed with speakers and workshops that get straight to the point, addressing common challenges, pain points and mapping unexpected solutions.
MRWA Members receive a 25% discount.
To access the discounted price:
– go to the book tickets page here
– click on ‘Access Hidden Tickets’
– input the discount code ETSMRWINES to receive 25% off the standard ticket price
Tuesday 29 June 2021
Grape growers and wine producers are invited to attend this workshop featuring Dr Mardi Longbottom from the Australian Wine Research Institute. Learn more about the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia program and how you can get involved to improve your business’ sustainability credentials. Producers already involved in the program or those interested in participating are encouraged to attend.
The half day program will include:
Presentations on the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA) program.
Opportunity for one-on-one discussions with Margaret River Wine Association Sustainability Engagement Officer, Ely Jarvis.
Presentation of benchmarking case studies relative to the Margaret River region.
9.30am – 1.00pm
Margarets In Town (Townview Room)
Cnr Bussell Hwy & Tunbridge St, Margaret River
Registration to [email protected]
This is a free workshop. Please include dietary requirements with your RSVP.
Please ensure there are adequate quantities available for purchase of the wine you send in for sampling.
Minimum sale amount 1 pallet.
Has Your Wine Been Selected?
Whilst Qantas endeavours to respond to every submission, given the high number of submissions received, this regrettably is not always possible.
If you have not heard back from Qantas by 31st October 2021 please assume that your wine has not been selected in this instance.
Sales Training Expert Yvonne Hilz will be in Margaret River in June offering two options to improve your team’s skills in delivering excellent service and implementing customer centric sales strategies.
Public Workshop* – Monday 14 June (max 5 people per winery)
Custom Training workshops (virtual half day & onsite half day) – 3 Sessions available Tuesday 15 June morning, Thursday 17 June afternoon and Friday 18 June afternoon.
Option for smaller winery for public workshop to send one person Workshop $900*
Coaching $500*
Combo $1200*
+gst for all the above.
California Trade & Sommelier Opportunity – 4 spots remain
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Promotion
The MRWA has secured a 90min Virtual Tasting hosted by Cristie Norman, with leading sommeliers and hospitality professionals in Southern California, at 1pm Monday 19th July PST (4am Tuesday 20th July AWST).
Cristie Norman is a Wine Educator and Sommelier, certified through the Court of Master Sommeliers and WSET (Level 3). She is also the President of the United Sommeliers Foundation. Christie was also the 2020 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star “Wine Educator of the Year”.
We are looking for 6 wineries, interested in participating in this Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon tasting.
To register your interest, please contact [email protected] by Friday 11 June 2021.
All wines must be available in the USA market (preferably in Southern Californian market) for follow up sales opportunities.
Initial Cost: $950 + GST per winery.
Plus wine (approx 6 bottles)
Note: A 50% rebate has been secured through the WA Wines to the World Program so cost is not $475 + GST
Wine comes from the vine, and the impact of soil and vineyard floor management is critical in how ensuring each vineyard reaches its optimal production potential both now and into the future.
The impact of environmental, social, and financial change on the Wine industry is making the process of growing wine more challenging by the year. The program for “Growing Wine from the Ground Up” is formed to highlight some of the challenges we face, such as improving soil organic carbon, effective weed management and water use.
Due to the uncertain nature of COVID restrictions, we plan to have multiple venues with a mix of streamed and live presentations in strategic regions across Australia to avoid cross border travel, but still provide networking opportunities.
Venue: Margaret River Visitor Centre Meeting Room
Cost (includes catering): ASVO member $133.00 | Non member $190.00
Program Session 1: Financials Drivers to Change
This Session will focus on what financial levers drives the adoption of management practices. This will be headlined by Charlie Massey, discussing landscape management through regenerative farming. Other topics covered will include the influence of market demands to change production strategies, macro market drivers of agricultural production, and financial incentive programs to increase farm biodiversity.
• Chair, Brooke Howell, Yalumba
• Robert Poole, KPMG
• Charlie Massey OAM, Australian National University
• Richard Norton, CRC – Food futures
• Haylee Pubrick, Tabhilk
Session 2: Vineyard Floor Management
Vineyard floor management is one of the most critical aspects of maintaining good soil function for the production of wine in a changing climate. This session will highlight issues such as the impact of various weed management practices on crop production, the effects of undervine cover crops on mycorrhiza, and a case study on sub soil irrigation. With herbicide access and efficacy becoming reducing in different parts of the world, we also hear about alternative methods of control for different weed situations.
• Chair, Dr Mark Krstic, AWRI
• Mark Krasnow, Thoughtful Viticulture Ltd
• Melissa Brown, Gemtree Wines
• Joseph Marks, University of Adelaide
• Dr Mercy Olmstead, Gallo
Session 3: Additives, management, and plant response
Soil related plant response is often be attributed to additives in the soil. This session focus on some of the management practices and additives used in these situations. The impacts of cover cropping on the carbon cycle, improving moisture retention and yield in warm inland regions with additives, the as well as the uses for bio stimulants and biochar.
• Chair, Roberta De Bei, University of Adelaide
• Professor Tim Cavagnaro, University of Adelaide
• Sam Bowman, Duxton Capital
• Dr Tommaso Frioni, University Cattolica Piacenza
• Justine Cox, NSW Department of Primary Industries
Session 4: What’s next?
This session will begin with a presentation from 2019 Nuffield Scholar Richard Leask on regenerative farming for viticulture and approaching problems from a different perspective. The focus will then shift to a panel discussion, including several earlier speakers who will contemplate solution to existing problems, and how to build a vineyard of the future.
• Chair, Alex Sas, Wine Australia,
• Richard Leask, Leask Agri
Panel
• Chair Andy Clarke
• Melissa Brown, Gemtree Wines
• Dave Gerner, Wine Australia
• Rebecca Richardson, Wine Ingenuity
• Hayley Purbrick, Tabhilk
• Sam Bowman, Duxton Capital
Tuesday 25 May
Understanding your obligations and how it impacts accessing government training incentives.
CCIWA and Apprenticeship Support Australia collaborate to present the recently passed changes to the casual worker legislation.
Director of Business Law, Ryan Martin, will go through the changes and the obligations employers now need to understand when employing casual workers including rights around conversion to permanent employment after certain periods of time.
This will be followed up by training incentives expert, Louisa Lidington, who will explore how adhering to these new requirements may just make it easier for you to access a range of apprenticeship and traineeship incentives for new and existing workers.
The Porto Protocol is an international, non-profit Foundation, created to foster climate change solutions for the wine industry.
Information exchange is a major mission, and Climate Talks (webinars) are a major focus, with large international audiences.
An upcoming 60-minute webinar with the title “Mitigating Carbon throughout the Wine Value Chain” has been organised by Richard Smart and features two Australian speakers.
These are Kieran Hirlam of the AWRI, who will present carbon footprint analyses of Australian wine with special emphasis on packaging, and Dr Heena Panchasara of University of Central Queensland, who will propose pyrolysis treatment of vineyard and winery waste streams.
Richard Halstead, UK-based CEO of Wine Intelligence will discuss alternate packaging, including consumer reactions and environmental attributes.
The session will be moderated by Tiago Alves de Sousa, leading Portuguese academic and distinguished winemaker-wine producer.
Organisers of the climate talk series are especially excited to have a seminar addressing climate crisis mitigation.
The webinar will be on Friday July 2nd, 10 am Lisbon time (GMT +1), and the same day in the evening 7 pm AEST.
A series of three workshops at Tourism Western Australia and via Zoom
These workshops are designed to provide local government Economic Development Officers with an understanding of tourism opportunities, link them with key contacts and share case studies. Small businesses, visitor centres and anyone wanting an understanding of how WA’s tourism industry works will also gain valuable knowledge and connections from these workshops. Attendees are encouraged to attend all three sessions.
Workshop 1: Tourism overview – 25 May 2021
2-4pm, plus networking at Rooftop Bar, DoubleTree By Hilton Perth Waterfront
Workshop 2: Developing tourism in your region – 15 June 2021
2-4pm, plus Matagarup Bridge Climb
Workshop 3: Making tourism easy – 20 July 2021
2-4pm, plus Aboriginal cultural tourism experience
Thursday 27 May 2021
8.30am – 1.30pm
Margaret River HEART
47 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River
Grapevine viruses pose a significant risk to the productivity, quality and sustainability of Australian vineyards. This symposium provides grapegrowers and winemakers with the latest information on grapevine viruses presented by expert speakers from NZ, Vic, SA and WA. The event is being simulcast to both Margaret River and Coonawarra with speakers presenting in-person and virtually.
The program aims to deliver:
– improved understanding of virus biology and transmission vectors
– insights into the virus status in NZ, Limestone Coast and Western Australia
– new technologies and methodologies for detecting viruses
– practical advice on management strategies
This free event is a collaboration between Wines of WA and Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council Inc. funded via the Wine Australia Regional Program.
Wild rabbits, foxes, feral pigs and other vertebrate pests cost the Australian agricultural industry about $800 million per year and this is climbing. Beyond the economic cost there is also a significant threat to our biosecurity, biodiversity, environment and community wellbeing.
Pest animals are a complex challenge, requiring proactive and strategic action by a wide range of stakeholders to achieve net benefits for the economy, the environment and the community.
To be effective, pest animal prevention and management needs to be a shared responsibility, with all stakeholders adopting a coordinated and collaborative approach. However, contributing factors such as the biology and behaviour of pest animals, the availability of control techniques and the cost:benefit ratio of management actions increases the complexity of pest management.
In the May Talkin’ After Hours, presenter Dr. Peter Adams from DPIRD will drill down and cover the application and key considerations of current best practice control strategies available for a range of vertebrate pest animals in WA. If you want to know more about how to manage feral pests on your property then don’t miss this key webinar.
Winter Wine Options is a fun and informative identification guessing game that takes you on a journey around the world of wine.
Have a taste and guess the answers to questions such as this:
Could it be from the northern or the southern hemisphere?
Is it a pinot noir, a cabernet franc, a sangiovese or a shiraz?
What vintage is it from: 2009, 2012 or 2018?
Held over three nights this winter; play one or play them all to win the Perpetual Barrel Head Trophy.
Friday 5 August:The River Hotel – hosted by Karen & Rob Gough (fancy dress with prizes for best dressed)
6pm for 6:30pm sharp start. BYO nibbles.
Supper served after the results have been announced. Please consider your skipper for the evening.
Get your team of four together; think up a great name and be in it to win not only prizes but eternal fame and glory.
Tablebookingsfor 4 people: $200 .
Ticket includes tastings of 9 wines and supper.
Strictly no BYO alcohol – beer, wine and soft drinks available for purchase.
Growing your Customer List and Driving Up Conversion Metrics
11 May @ 11 am – 12 pmAWST
Two key commercial drivers to building you DTC sales, are growing the number of customers on your ‘list’, and increasing conversion metrics through your ongoing communication channels with your customers.
In this webinar, Georgia Rasmussen will discuss the fundamentals of list growth, and run through a health check of conversion tactics – both at the Cellar Door and away from the Cellar Door. She will also highlight the key drivers of conversion and sales growth through emails, outbound and social media channels.
If you are interested in further understanding the key drivers of DTC sales, or are responsible for driving the channel within your business, then this webinar is for you.
This webinar is free to ALL WCA Members. To register, CLICK HERE
Non-Members will be charged $50 + GST to access the webinar. To pay and register, CLICK HERE
Thursday 27 May 2021 – SOLD OUT
1pm till 6pm
Address: Tanah Mahar function Centre, 277 Tanah Mahar Road, Bramley, Margaret River.
Community Fire workshop
The workshop will include guest speakers, Wadandi Elder Dr Wayne Webb and Wadandi Cultural Custodian Iszaac Webb with the Wadandi Traditional Fire practises knowledge, Dr Joe Dortch on the Cultural and science backings of correct burning practises on Wadandi country, Gary McMahon from Ecosystem Solutions about his experience with bushfires and FMPlans, Suzzanne Strapp from Fawna about the after math from Bushfires, with the opportunity to burn on the site location of the workshop.
This is an Opportunity for everyone to work in Collaboration to burn country proper way proper time.
The more buffer zones we get people to create, the better.
WA Forest Alliance, Margaret River Regional Environment Centre and Denmark Environment Centre are working together to host and sponsor a Fire & Biodiversity Forum for one full day at Margaret River HEART on Friday 4 June, with additional workshop and field trip options on offer for Saturday 5 June.
Broadscale prescribed burning is used extensively as a fire mitigation tool in the SouthWest of WA.
In this forum we will examine its effectiveness and the ways it interacts with the natural landscape, including its impact on all living things.
Our objective is to further develop an informed and nuanced conversation around fire mitigation, responses to fire, biodiversity, people and places, in the face of a changing climate.
Wine consumption across the Asian continent represents around a fifth of Australia’s export volume. As a group, Southeast Asian markets are high-value destinations for Australian wine. In 2020, 68% of the value exported to Southeast Asia was shipped at an average value above $10 per litre.
The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre, in partnership with Wine Australia and the Austrade Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia offices, are hosting a Wine Trade Readiness Webinar.
Hear from in-market representatives and experts. You will receive the latest updates on the business landscape in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, and gain insight into how Australian wine businesses can navigate through the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and capitalise on opportunities created by the strategic partnership between Australia and ASEAN.
The webinar takes place on 7 July 2021 from 11 am to 12.30 pm AWST. Registrations close on 6 July 2021 at 3 pm AWST.
South Regional TAFE Margaret River Campus
South Regional TAFE provides high-quality vocational training, apprenticeships, traineeships and short courses that can lead to an exciting career. You can study full-time, part-time or online. Their training delivery is flexible to suit your needs.
The Short Course flyer includes the new Skill Set courses which are Fee Free for concession holders.
Margaret River Education Campus, 272 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River
Two biosecurity workshops will be delivered in Margaret River by Wine Australia’s Craig Elliott in August.
These half day workshops are designed to improve knowledge of biosecurity principles and actions including a hands on guide on how to prepare a property biosecurity plan specific to the business of those attending.
Workshops numbers will be restricted to allow Craig to work with each participant on their own unique requirements so please be quick to secure a place at one of the workshops.
Funded via the Wine Australia Regional Program and supported by WoWA, this a unique opportunity for producers and cellar door operators to access one-on-one expert training and tools including property signage to mitigate biosecurity risks.
To attend a workshop please register to Yu-Yi Liao at [email protected] with the nominated day.
Attendees are asked to bring an aerial image or map of their properties.
These workshops are provided free of charge.
Vineyard Managers, Cellar Door Managers & Vignerons should attend!
Are you missing the full power of the Direct-to-Consumer opportunity?
DTC Expert Georgia Rasmussen will be in Margaret River offering two options to improve your Direct-to-Consumer sales via either a:
Regional Workshop* – 8.30-1pm Tuesday 1st + Wednesday 2nd June, plus DTC Tool Kit (RRP $349) for $950
Private Session – 2.5 hour highly personalised on-site mentoring session, targeted to key topics of interest, plus DTC Tool Kit offered on Monday 31st May & Thursday 3rd June for $725
“Georgia Rasmussen over-delivered with the DtC Tool Kit. The tools she provided have helped me with forecasting club sign ups/mailing list and sales. She offers very practical and easy to follow checklists that I use on a daily basis. Easy to work with and professional- she is highly recommended!” – Paris Hokin, Arlewood and 2020 Margaret River Wine Tourism Excellence Winner
Georgia is happy to chat further about the level and detail in the program, if you are unsure if either of these programs would suit your business. Please let Pip know if you would like to arrange a call from Georgia to discuss the program content further.
To register your interest please complete this form.
*minimum 5 wineries required
8th, 15th & 22nd June
Scheduled for 11am AEST for three consective Tuesdays in June, the Improving Wine Business Profitability Webinar Series 2021 will help you optimise your entire value chain so as to become more profitable.
Workshop One – Building Competitive Advantage – June 8th
• The best opportunities for your business right now.
• Positioning your business to take advantage.
• Developing world beating strategy using value innovation.
Workshop Two – Making Money in the Wine Business – June 15th
• The levers of profit and cashflow in the wine business.
• Managing price in order to maximise profit.
• Optimising the whole value chain
• Export and distributor management.
Workshop Three – Preparing to Win – June 22nd
• Leveraging latest technology
• Improving Customer and Staff Engagement
• Getting it all done.
$495.00
Workshops will be run as 90 Minute Webinars starting 11 am Australia Eastern Standard time.
All participants will have the opportunity to submit and have their individual questions answered.
FOMENT is an annual program of activities designed to accelerate the growth of innovative viti, wine and tourism companies and speed up the adoption of new technologies by the wine and tourism industry. A joint partnership between Flinders University New Venture Institute, Hydra Consulting and Wine Industry Suppliers Australia, FOMENT is running for the third time in 2021.
To launch FOMENT 2021 they are hosting our annual FOMENT Viti, Wine and Tour Tech Variety Hour on Tuesday April 27th at 4pm ACST. Broadcasting live from Torbreck Wines in the Barossa, the event invites anyone interested in the future of the wine and tourism industries, from the perspective of an incredible line up of speakers.
We all know what a beautiful & biodiverse hotspot we live in so the topic of weeds is an important one. Weeds can & do displace our native species, altering not only the diversity & interactions of the flora, but also its value for the fauna as a food source and habitat. Weeds are also a major issue for primary producers, with impacts on market access and agricultural production.
Presented by ‘weedspert’ Greg Keighery, this special 2-hour workshop & Q & A will increase your knowledge around local weed problems, & discuss best practice weed control options for dealing with them. To make the workshop really relevant for you please bring along any plant samples you want identified or are interested in finding out more about.
Postponed due to Covid restrictions – rescheduled date is to be confirmed.
As a wine producer, wine grape grower and transporter of grapes and bottled wine, you are required to comply with the Chain of Responsibility requirements.
This includes ensuring that goods are not overloaded and that they are secured properly.
For heavy vehicle transport within Western Australia, these requirements are subject to Western Australian laws, whereas any heavy vehicles from Western Australia crossing into the other States are subject to the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
To ensure a consistent approach to Chain of Responsibility across wine growing regions of Australia, a new Registered Industry Code of Practice is being developed by the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) in partnership with Australian Grape & Wine (AGW).
As part of the national wine industry roadshow, two stakeholder engagement meetings will be held in Western Australia.
What is the purpose of the Roadshow?
The purpose is to provide an opportunity for the wine industry to provide industry input, discuss key issues and practical solutions in relation to Chain of Responsibility compliance to ensure any Code of Practice reflects industry needs and requirements.
Who should attend?
The meeting is aimed at wine producers, grape growers, vineyard contractors and transporters.
For more information on the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative visitwww.nhvr.gov.au/hvsi
13 April @ 11am – 12.30 pm AWST
Wine Communicators of Australia Webinar: Driving Sustainability in Drinks Packaging Design.
Join Rowena Curlewis, CEO and co-founder of Denomination to better understand sustainability and how you can make improvements to your wine brand designs.
City Wine, Perth’s Winter Wine Festival is back on 21 & 22 May 2021 at its new home of Russell Park, Northbridge and is shaping to be very similar to the successful UnWined Subiaco 2020. Ticket sales are the best they have ever been for City Wine.
With capacity restrictions at the moment, the event will expect 3,000 visitors over the weekend. City Wine is a great opportunity to sell wine during those cooler months. The event will have cover and heaters to keep visitor’s cosy.
New Dates – 21 & 22 May 2021 for better weather New Location – Russell Park, Northbridge for a better format and feel (same location as Fringe’s Pleasure Garden) New Session Times – Shorter times to encourage more sales New Feature Area – VIP Park Lounge
As a wine exhibitor, you can provide complimentary wine tasting, glass sales for onsite consumption, bottle sales for take away and case sales for delivery after the event. It’s also a good opportunity to build your database onsite.
If you have any questions or to book a stand please contact Paige Stirton at [email protected].
26/3/2021
Please be advised that the City of Busselton is intending to commence its autumn 2021 planned burn program from Tuesday 6 April 2021. This map outlines the burns to completed in the City’s western program this autumn.
In addition to this, the City of Busselton is currently in the restricted burning period. Permits to burn are starting to be issued to private land holders for their burning requirements and the use of camping or cooking fires is currently allowed without having to obtain a permit. Burns where a permit has been issued will be visible on the Emergency WA page.
11, 18 & 25 March
Tourism businesses are being invited to Grow with Google OnAir Australia: a free three-part online event series designed to help small to medium sized businesses show up and stand out online. Focused on the travel industry, the series will discuss industry trends, insights and examples of how travel businesses can grow using digital marketing. The series will cover how to create and manage a Business Profile on Google, how to grow brand awareness using Google Ads; and how to turn data into actionable insights with Google Analytics. Sessions will stream at 2:00pm AEDT on 11, 18 and 25 March 2021.
Many cellar doors and wineries already offer a discount to locals (usually 10% to 15%) but this is not widely known.
This Margaret River Wine campaign is aimed at locals, especially to sustain the upcoming quiet winter months.
Starting from 19th April (post school holidays) and will be supported by Social Media & Local Print Advertising.
To be listed on the page please complete this form.
Artwork Concepts: Click here. Cost to participate: Free for MRWA members For more information: Contact Pip Heaford
The US Market Entry Program provides in-market support to wineries interested in entering or re-entering the US market. It also provides in depth brand strategy support to wineries ready to move commercially in the market. Wine Australia offers guidance and marketing support in communications, import logistics and trade outreach, to assist entry-to-market and brand exposure needs. Collaboration with importer brokers, media outlets and key trade and media contacts will be a central focus of the Market Entry Program in FY’22.
Note applications opened 22 March 2021 and Wine Australia has a preferred sign-up date of 23 April 2021.
Additional funding support and a market preparedness training program is offered through WA WINES TO THE WORLD for a maximum of 10 program participants. Assuming producers are also eligible for Wine Australia’s Wine Export Grants, this could mean producers pay as little as 25% of the $12,500 participation fee.
Register for funding support (max 10 producers) through WA WINES TO THE WORLD here.
We welcome all program participants’ feedback. If you have any questions at all re the above please contact us.
Wine Communicators of Australia
9 March @ 12:30 pm – 1:30 pmACDT
Most research and recommendations concerning wine packaging focus on a single brand or sub-brand. However, most wineries produce many variants, some at the same price point made from different varieties or blends, and some at lower or higher price points but still carrying the same brand name.
In this webinar hear more about the benefits of linking wines with the same brand name together through their packaging, based on years of research at the Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Science.
Professor Larry Lockshin will present some very recent research measuring the consistency of packaging across a number of Australian wine brands from small, medium and large wineries. The research highlights which aspects or attributes of wine packaging are most commonly used across brands in the same portfolio and which have the greatest effect on perceived consistency across the portfolio.
By attending this webinar you will gain knowledge of how to build mental availability across a portfolio of brands. Leveraging consistency across sub-brands will increase the possibility that a consumer buying one brand will recognise and choose other brands in the portfolio.
Presenter: Professor Larry Lockshin – Professor of Wine Marketing, Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Science, University of South Australia
This webinar is free to ALL WCA Members. To register, CLICK HERE
Non-Members will be charged $50 + GST to access the webinar. To pay and register, CLICK HERE
26 February
Regional Roadshows drive to elevate business success
Business owners will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, sustainability, and accelerate success with the launch of a series of Regional Roadshows being rolled out to the South West, next week.
This new and exciting initiative steered by Business Station under the ASBAS program funded by the Federal Government, will enable business owners to access the hugely successful and highly relevant, low to no cost ASBAS Digital Solutions program.
Rolling out to Margaret River on Friday, 26 February, the program includes workshops covering essential and specific topics and one-on-one advisory sessions necessary to succeed in business today and into the future.
Presented by respected expert advisors, well-established and successful in their own businesses, the program is the gift that keeps on giving…the first interaction with the ASBAS Digital Solutions service is FREE. For those business owners who have previously taken advantage of the wide range of topics, there is a nominal fee of $20 plus GST.
Event details: Venue: Margarets in Town, Corner Bussell Highway/Tunbridge Street
Workshops: Topic 1: 9am to 11am – Protecting Business Information
Topic 2: 9am to 11am – Scaling with Success
**Break for Lunch – on us! See below:
Topic 3: 3pm to 5pm – The Visual Power of Instagram for Business.
*One to One Advisory sessions will be held between presentations.
Diarise: Hosted by Business Station to celebrate the launch of the Regional Roadshows, business owners are invited to join us for lunch, at our expense, at the fantastic River Hotel (Courtyard) from 11.30am to 1pm. It ‘ll be a chance to catch up with like-minded associates, enjoy locally sourced food and refreshments, get to know our Advisors and find out how the ASBAS program can drive business.
We wouldn’t want any business owner to miss this ‘golden’ opportunity to attend the renowned leading advisory service ASBAS program, or the lunch.
Registration is required for all events so please click on the below link:
And there is no need to miss any of the events – can’t make it to Margaret River? The Roadshow is accelerating to:
Wednesday, 24 February– Bunbury
Bunbury Geographe CCI
15 Stirling St
Workshops: 9am – 5pm
Facebook and Instagram Regional Business
Introduction to Tender Writing
Scaling with Success.
Thursday, 25 February – Busselton
Busselton Youth Community Activity Centre
212 Foreshore Parade
Business owners are invited to the celebratory ‘Drinks are on Us!’ From 5.30pm – 7pm at the city’s popular Ship Inn.
Workshops: 9am – 5pm
Government Business Grants and Assistance
Customer Retention Strategy, Growth and Profit
Paid Advertising Facebook and Instagram.
Presented by local agro-ecologist Mark Tupman from Productive Ecology, this workshop will explore the pros and cons of the various diagnostic tools available and the measures we can implement in the development of a sound economical program that ensures robust growth and high quality production in any agricultural or horticultural enterprise.
When? Thursday February 18th Presentation: 4.30pm to 5.30pm. Networking BBQ: 5.30pm to 6.30pm
Soil is the lifeblood of agriculture and is fundamental to our survival. Healthy soils are essential for healthy plant growth, food production for human nutrition and ecosystem services such as clean water and air. Healthy soils help to regulate the Earth’s climate and store more carbon than all of the world’s forests combined.
Presented by internationally respected author, educator, & farmer, Graeme Sait, this workshop & field walk will give farmers a deeper understanding of how soils function, what factors may be the limiting their soils productivity, & what steps they can take to ‘breathe life’ into their soils for year round soil health.
EVENT LOGISTICS When? Tuesday February 23rd 2021, 9.00am to 4.00pm
Where? Glenarty Road
Cost? $100 + GST / participant
Find our more here or please contact: Kate Tarrant, LBLCDC Communications Officer
T: 9758 4021 | E: [email protected]
27 February
Temple Farm
RSN 509 Marron Pool Rd
Cherry Tree Pool, WA 6395
Soil is the lifeblood of agriculture and is fundamental to our survival. Healthy soils are essential for healthy plant growth, food production for human nutrition and ecosystem services such as clean water and air. Healthy soil biology is essential for healthy soil, and this 1 day workshop and field walk will give farmers a deeper understanding of how soils function, what factors may be the limiting their soils productivity, & what steps they can take to ‘breathe life’ into their soils for year round soil health.
Presented by Graeme Sait (CEO, Nutri-Tech Solutions), an internationally respected author, educator, and farmer, and author of the “Nutrition Farming” podcast series, the workshop and field walk will explore the theme “Mastering Microbes – building the biological pathway”.
Recent wet weather across a number of grapegrowing regions has led to conditions that are favourable to the development of Botrytis bunch rot. Botrytis outbreaks have been reported across regions in Victoria and NSW and further wet weather is forecasted in other states.
To assist growers dealing with this issue, the AWRI has organised a panel-style webinar on Botrytis management for next Tuesday 9 February at 2.30pm central daylight time.
Panel members include two eminent plant pathologists, Dr Kathy Evans and Barbara Hall, and two highly experienced industry practitioners, Liz Riley and Warren Birchmore. Three presentations will be followed by a Q&A session. The webinar will include discussion of the short withholding period ‘biological’ fungicides.
Over the last 3-years the MRWA Export and Wine Tourism Plans have had a strategic focus on Singapore. Promotions have included in-market events, masterclasses, PR and famils to drive sales and support new exporters. Singapore has one of the highest values per litre for Margaret River wine at $15.62 (vs. USA at $11.99 and China at $12.75).
The “Margaret River Wine Tasting Series” will present WA’s best wines and personalities to this market in a virtual way.
There would be a minimum of 20-30 guests per session, and four masterclasses in the month of April 2021
Each masterclass would showcase of different wineries, which would be grouped based on themes
Guests would buy a ticket to the F&B venue and a winemakers/ambassador will personally host the masterclasses via video conferencing from Margaret River
Following the masterclass, guests will be directed to the www.margaretriver.wine/shop-singapore/ and encouraged to purchase their favourite wines at a special rate from the importer in Singapore or directly from the winery
IWINETC Grape Escape Destinations for 2021 features a packed live and on-demand content programme with 10 sessions looking at grape escape destinations around the world designed to help wine and culinary tourism professionals look towards a brighter future as our industry rebuilds and recovers post pandemic.
IWINETC Grape Escape Destinations for 2021 online event will bring together 10 of the world’s exciting wine tourism destinations with agents and media from around the globe. Destinations included in the programme are: Armenia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Champagne, Greece, Italy and Portugal.
IWINETC Grape Escape Destinations for 2021 online uncorks on 11 February at 16.00 CET with Explore Armenia Through a Glass of Wine with Dr. Zara Muradyan and Hayarpi Shahinyan of the Wine & Vine Foundation of Armenia.
For more information and registration, visit: www.iwinetc.com
Essential Skills for the Wine Industry – Enrol Now!
The Cert III in Wine Operations course commences next Tuesday 2 February 2021. Delivered over two days per week for those wishing to work in various roles in the wine cellar industry. You will learn about the various functions of the winery with an extensive induction and gain hands-on, practical experience in various areas such as manual handling, workplace safety and cellar operations.
On completion of the course, participants will receive a Statement of Attainment for the nationally accredited units:
FDFFS2001A Implement the food safety program and procedures
FDFCEL2019A Carry out transfer operations
FDFCEL2005A Operate the pressing process
FDFCEL20002A Perform fermentation process
FDFCEL2018A Carry out inert gas handling operations
Phone 6371 3800 or email [email protected]
Due to the current lockdown, this workshop
will now be offered online as a webinar via Zoom.
This two hour workshop with Perdaman Global Solutions will explore:
The development of a Designated Migration Agreement for the region, and how this might assist your business.
Other types of visa programs available and how to determine what will work best for your business.
Date: Thursday 4th February Time: 9 – 11 am Location: Zoom Webinar (please sign in 5 minutes prior to 9 am).
Cost: Free
Please register your attendance and an email will be sent out with the Zoom meeting details prior to Thursday: HERE
The next round of certification workshops will be online presented in three 2.5hr sessions held over the following times:
Session 1: Developing a sustainability action plan – 2:00 – 4:30 pm (ACDT), Tuesday 12 January 2021
Session 2: Implementing and maintaining sustainability plans in the office, vineyard and winery – 2:00 – 4:30 pm (ACDT), Wednesday 13 January 2021
Session 3: Review of plans, FAQs and preparing for an audit (including a presentation from an auditor) – 2:00 – 4:30 pm (ACDT), Friday 15 January 2021
*Please note you are required to attend all of these sessions to receive a training certificate.
Please complete registration and payment here as soon as possible to secure your place. Upon receipt of payment, you will receive a confirmation email.
Thursday 28 January 2021
Estimates of Botrytis contamination of wine-grapes are typically conducted using visual inspection of the fruit but such methods are subjective and prone to error. This is particularly the case if the variety of grape in question has a tightly packed cluster with little space between the individual berries. As such it is not unusual to find that the centre of a grape bunch contains fungal rot while the exterior appears disease-free. This presentation will review some of the recent developments and alternative ways in which Botrytis contamination can be assessed and quantified. The advantages and limitations of each of the methods will be compared with particular reference to in-field situations.
This intensive five-day course is ideal for vintage workers and those who aspire to work in various roles in a winery.
You will learn about the various functions of the winery with an extensive induction and gain hands-on, practical experience in various areas such as manual handling, workplace safety and forklift operation.
Students are required to attend all sessions over the five days.
Get your Forklift Ticket as part of the course.
Find out more and how to register
4th to 7th May
Wine Australia will soon be introducing changes to the product approval process in the Wine Australia Licensing and Approval System (WALAS), in preparation for the launch of theWine Export Label Directory. From 1 June 2021, all Australian wine exporters will be required to upload copies of their labels to WALAS prior to submitting a shipping application. To assist with this transition, exporters will be able to voluntarily upload labels from early May (users will be advised as soon as this option is available) and multiple daily online training sessions will be available from 4 to 7 May 2021. Register for training here and read FAQs for more information.
27 & 28 February 2021
A new wine festival by CMS Events to be held at the B Shed in Fremantle on the long weekend 27 & 28 February 2021.
As an exhibitor you will be able to provide complimentary wine tastings, glass sales for onsite, bottle sales for takeaway and carton sales for delivery after the event. Its also a great opportunity to increase your database and future sales.Each stand is 3m by 2m and includes company sign, trestle, ice, water, wine bags, spittoon, exhibitor pack and cool room for only $1450. A social media pack can be purchased as an extra for $150 and will include an enewsletter feature, Instagram post and Facebook post.
Contact Paige Stirton, Sales & Marketing Manager, CMS Events for more information and to book your stand.
08 9201 9888 | 0434 825 827 | [email protected]
1 to 3 December
The 28th annual Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference, to be held at the HEART, Margaret River, is less than one month away. This year, Eco Tourism are offering an online attendance and a series of ‘Satellite Nodes’ around the country. If you live in Western Australia you can attend onsite and enjoy all Margaret River has to offer, whilst national and international guests can use the online experience, or join a more social event at one of the hubs. To view the full list of satellite node locations, click here.
9 December
8am – 9am AWST
Our brains operate somewhere between reason and random, and the field of behavioural science can help us understand why. Dan Monheit of Hardhat looks at a collection of behavioural biases that are relevant for the wine sector in a world post-lockdown. This rapid-fire presentation will leave you feeling ready to take 2021 by the horns with key insights and takeaways to drive growth.
South Regional TAFE provides high-quality vocational training, apprenticeships, traineeships and short courses that can lead to an exciting career. You can study full-time, part-time or online. Their training delivery is flexible to suit your needs.
Wine Australia has developed a new Introductory Growing Wine Tourism and Exports program to help wine businesses grow exports and attract more tourists into their wine region.
Delivered online, the workshops cover insights, tools and strategies to grow your business.
Join us to explore the breathtaking Margaret River region and its fresh, elegant Chardonnays. Discover how the region’s maritime influences, ancient soils, modern history and Gingin clones all contribute to create this unique style.
Winemakers Steve James (Voyager Estate) and Virginia Willcock (Vasse Felix) will be beaming in live from Margaret River, whilst Tom Cannavan leads the conversation and fields questions.
The winemakers will be sharing their experiences in the vineyard and winery as well as their perspectives on the region and the wines. Find out what’s special about Margaret River and why it’s such a hotspot for Chardonnay. Discover the opportunities and challenges working with this grape variety, what the winemakers are learning and how they’re adapting.
Tom, Steve and Virginia will be tasting and talking about these six wines during the webinar:
Thompson Estate Chardonnay 2018
Flametree S.R.S. Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2018
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2018
McHenry Hohnen Hazel’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2017
Voyager Estate MJW Chardonnay 2017
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2017
Western Australia’s hospitality industry is being prepared for a return to business with the launch of a mandatory COVID-19 hygiene training program to protect the public and venue staff. This training initiative ensures strong COVID-19 protections will be in place when restrictions are eased in the future.
The course is being delivered by the Australian Hotels Association (WA) and is supported by the McGowan Government.
This training applies to all Cellar Door and food service staff and is mandatory prior to re-opening of premises.
A trained Hygiene Officer must be on the premises at all times (if you intend on completing the Hygiene Officer Course, you do not need to complete the Tier 1):
The AWRI is presenting an intensive three-day course on the latest techniques and technologies in viticulture. Participants will travel in a small group across four SA regions to visit sites and meet practitioners who are at the cutting-edge of Australian viticulture.
The course is aimed at practising viticulturists with an interest in innovation and is limited to a maximum of 20 participants to ensure an intensive and interactive learning experience. Find out more and register.
Webinar: Future Leaders – Take your wine career to the next level
13 October @ 12:30 pm – 1:30 pmACDT
Wine Australia’s Future Leaders Program is the wine community’s peak personal and professional leadership program. It is designed for the ’emerging leaders’ who are ready to step up and take their businesses and our sector to the next level.
What’s available to you? presented by BDO AustraliaNow more than ever, it’s important for all businesses to ensure that they are up to date and making the most of the tax incentives, Research and Development (R&D) incentives and grants that are available. The support measures for the Wine Industry announced in the recent Federal Budget are also important to be aware of.
Join Ryan Wilton, Director, Business Services and Melissa Fardone Director, R&D and Grants from BDO for a practical presentation and hear how your business can take advantage of these incentives.
This webinar is free to ALL WCA Members. Non-Members will be charged $50 + GST to access the webinar.
The South West of WA is synonymous with quality and unique experiences, representing the best that Australia has to offer.
Remaining connected to the market whether it be local or international has never been so important. All sectors of government realise this and there are several programmes that are designed to assist local businesses to weather the storm.
RooLife is a WA-based and ASX-listed company and is hosting a seminar on 10 September for SW businesses on how these programmes can be leveraged to activate sales, locally and internationally, and grow sustainably the South West.
Margaret River wine producers are invited to attend a wine tasting workshop featuring the latest wine trials from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
Hosted by DPIRD research scientist Richard Fennessy, the tasting will include:
Two clones of Merlot produced from Margaret River
Four clones of Shiraz produced from Frankland River
Six clones of Tempranillo produced from Geographe
Trial wines of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon and Frankland River Shiraz demonstrating how water additions can mitigated elevated Baumes and the impact on wine quality
The tasting will be held on Tuesday 22 September at the Margaret River Education Campus (sensory lab) starting at 1.30pm until 4.30pm.
Wine Australia is investing $750,000 in improvements to theAustralian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) national online platform to develop wine-related functionality and help wineries more effectively market their businesses and increase their online exposure through tourism distribution networks.
The webinar will be delivered by the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) with a representative from each relevant State Tourism Organisation. The sessions are designed to be practical and informative and to help transition wineries to the ADTW platform.
Wednesday 14 October & Wednesday 28 October, 8.30am – 9.30am
With COVID-19 severely restricting traditional routes to market, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) channels are now more important than ever for Australian wine businesses. Wine Australia is hosting experienced international DTC specialist Georgia Rasmussen for this free, special two-part webinar series, as she introduces eight core principles for wineries to help grow DTC sales opportunities. Also hear from guest wineries about their own DTC journey. Georgia will share valuable tips and practical resources in this two-part webinar series not to be missed by wineries interested in growing their business.
Dates: Wednesday 14 and Wednesday 28 October 2020 Time: 11 am – 12 pm SA (11.30 am NSW, VIC, TAS; 10.30 am QLD; 8.30 am WA)
A recording of this webinar will be accessible by Australian wine sector levy payers only.
If you would like to discuss any aspects of this presentation, please contact Georgia directly at [email protected]
The Wine Tourism Product Development Business Coaching Program provides subsidised assistance to businesses across the Margaret River region to accelerate the development and growth of compelling wine tourism experiences for visitors from our region’s key international tourism and export markets.
There are six places available in the two part program, which entitles business to up to 60 hours of business coaching support. The program is valued at $6,000, but available to MRWA, MRBTA or ASW members at a subsidised cost of $3,000. Please see full details of program on page 2 here.
The program is currently taking Expressions of Interest. EOI’s will be reviewed by the International Wine Tourism Steering Grant Committee. Preference will be given to businesses who are seeking to develop product not currently available in the Margaret River region, with the ability to drive visitation.
This program is supported by the International Wine Tourism Grant funded by Wine Australia, MRWA, MRBTA, SWDC and ASW.
Join us in celebrating the world’s most widely planted vine (and delicious wine)!
Similar to the successful Chardonnay Campaign we ran early this year, we will be:
Posting to socials with Cabernet with stories, facts and recipes to encourage everyone shop for Margaret River Cabernet to celebrate Cabernet Day
“Cabernet Live” virtual tasting with Yarra Valley & Coonawarra
Cabernet themed eDM & blogs
Cross promotion with Nick Ryan and the Good Food & Wine Show
And the James Halliday Australian Cabernet Challenge by Langton’s (judging on 7th-8th Sept)
What you can do:
Let us know what you have planned so we can promote and share your photos, stories and online events
Please send U an updated offer for our SHOP page with any Cabernet specific deals
Tag us in your IG posts and stories @margaret_river_wine
Hashtag #MargaretRiverCabernet and #InternationalCabernetDay and encourage everyone to do the same
PS apparently in the UK it is celebrated on 30 Aug but Australia follows the US, therefore celebrating on the Thursday before the US Labour Day weekend.
26 August
Australian Grape & Wine is proud to present the 2020 Australian Wine Industry Grower Summit. Join them for this free, 2 hour virtual interactive summit to hear from, and engage with, experts in their field as they discuss water management, varieties and market trends, marketing your business to be a supplier of choice, succession planning and strategic planning for a business in 2020 – from a growers perspective.
South Regional TAFE provides high-quality vocational training, apprenticeships, traineeships and short courses that can lead to an exciting career. You can study full-time, part-time or online. Their training delivery is flexible to suit your needs.
LO-FI WINE IN MARGARET RIVER is riding the very front of the wave of ‘cool’ right now. There is no doubt it is trending. But… what is it?
By Erin Larkin
In a nutshell, while the term is officially undefined, it indicates that a wine has been made with a ‘minimal intervention’ ‘hands-off’, or ‘lo-fi’ approach in the winery. This does NOT mean ‘lazy’, or ‘less work’, in fact it can often be quite the opposite. Lo-fi indicates no or very few additions or adjustments throughout the fermentation process (such as but not limited to: acidification/deacidification, added tannin, chaptalisation (aka added sugar), inoculated ferments and most other tweaks that you can imagine here) and often the wines are bottled unfiltered and/or unfined. Whether or not sulphur is added at bottling is up to the winemaker, however it does assist in maintaining freshness and stability post bottling, so not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination.
These principles in the winery often follow-on from the farming practice in the vineyards. When applied to viticultural practice, ‘lo-fi’ can refer to an avoidance of pesticides/herbicides sprays on the vines were possible, and the implementation of sheep, guinea fowl and others to assist with supporting overall biodiversity and health of the earth, the vines and the surrounding grounds. The animals also help to keep inter-row weeds at bay, all the while contributing their manure as a natural fertiliser. All in all, a pretty neat and logical circle of life, really. Organics and bio-dynamics (certified or practiced) are not necessary to the lo-fi movement, but they are often part and parcel, as both methodologies eschew the use of chemicals and encourage a more ‘natural’ approach to growing grapes and making wine.
I have just referred to ‘lo-fi’ as a ‘movement’, which makes an implication about impermanence. That is not the intention. I firmly believe that the focus on minimal intervention in winemaking is a) not ground-breaking – it has been happening since the dawn of time in relation to winemaking, we are just coming a full circle, and b) our current fascination with it is a product of our desire as consumers in 2020 – we not only want to know more about what goes into the food and drink products that we buy and consume, we demand it. The world has moved on into an educated space and as technology advances, and our knowledge of the impact of the chemicals we use have on the environment and our bodies expands, we become more vigilant about what we put in them. Hence, this uncomplicated approach to growing the right clones in the right place, utilising natural defence mechanisms where possible against pests and threats to overall vineyard health, and then bringing those grapes into the winery at the right time and ushering them into the bottle, is not only the healthy choice but the most effective way of conveying the story of their place.
So apart from the obvious, isn’t that why we choose one wine over another in the first place – to taste the difference, to taste the place?
