Last week we looked back over Rothbury Estate’s origins, from its idealistic start in 1968, at its early struggles, at enforced pragmatism that saw production focus shift from Hunter Valley shiraz to Cowra chardonnay, at its public float and, finally at its takeover by Mildara Blass and the fresh breeze blowing through what now appears … Continue reading Rothbury Estate — part two of two: Foster’s Mildara Blass takes over
An insider’s view of the Australian wine industry and one of its successful brands The following is a transcript of my interview with Phil Laffer at Roland Flat, Barossa Valley, 14 March 2006. The interview was one of two I conducted with Phil for the production of The view from our place, a booklet released in … Continue reading The Phil Laffer tapes
To the outsider motoring along the Riddoch Highway, Coonawarra looks flat and homogenous – twenty or so kilometres of vines stretching away east and west of the highway. The highway, bisecting the vines north-south, sits almost imperceptibly above the ground level of the vineyards. But the slight elevation means good drainage, probably explaining why nineteenth … Continue reading Wynns Coonawarra — snapshots of the great terra rossa
A few weeks back this column looked at the massive decline in value of Foster’s wine assets over the past decade. Despite the carnage, however, the business maintains a pulse. And within the newly named Treasury Wine Estates some of the key Australian brands remain intact from a grape-growing and winemaking perspective – albeit savaged … Continue reading Wynns unleashes Coonawarra’s diversity
On 21 July Foster’s Group Limited changed the name of its global wine business from Fosters Wine Estates to Treasury Wine Estates. The change followed Fosters decision in May to split its beer and wine divisions into two separate companies to be listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2011. Despite the name change, the … Continue reading Foster’s unveils new name for its wine business
Wolf Blass — behind the bow tie Liz Johnston, Fairfax Books 2009, $39.99 Old winemakers and merchants don’t retire. They push on past the golden years, working until they drop. At 75 years Wolf Blass remains the man behind the brand, owned by Fosters since 1996 – and out of his financial control since 1991, … Continue reading Book review: Wolf Blass — behind the bow tie
You read the vintage hype, stash a few boxes away and now, a decade on, comes the moment of truth. Do your treasured 1998 Coonawarra cabernets measure up to the excitement surrounding the vintage? It was a warmer than average season in the region, producing sturdier reds than usual. This prompted a 1998s-are-atypical critique, followed … Continue reading Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon 1998 — a report card
The quality and style of several great Australian wine brands owned by Foster’s remain intact despite the wine division’s ten per cent sales decline in the first half 2006–07. But will great brands like Penfolds, Wynns and Wolf Blass flourish long term under the Foster’s banner? Will Foster’s remain in the wine business in the … Continue reading Will Foster’s stay in the wine business
Saltram Mamre Brook Barossa Shiraz 2004 $18–$26 On a day trip to Foster’s main winery in the Barossa recently 2004 vintage showed great class across several of the company’s brands and regions – Saltram Barossa, Metala Langhorne Creek, Wolf Blass Langhorne Creek, Barossa and McLaren Vale, Annie’s Lane Clare Valley and Mildara Coonawarra. This buoyant, … Continue reading Wine Review — Saltram Mamre Brook, Wolf Blass & Metala
Bob Oatley, the bloke behind Rosemount Wines, recently hopped back into the wine saddle a little over a year after dismounting. And like anything Bob attempts, it’s a venture on a serious scale. If you don’t know Bob, think – or imagine — back to 1969. Australians had just begun to embrace table wine and … Continue reading Wild Oatley sows another crop