Winestate Magazine

WELCOME TO WINESTATE MAGAZINE’S 45THYEAR of publishing and 318th issue! It certainly has been a wild ride! Scary how time passes (particularly after viewing the above)! It’s hard to believe that what started as such a humble outfit all those years ago has turned into a successful global wine publication and one that we have been very proud of. It is sad to say, however that the time has come, and this will be our final issue as a regular wine magazine. Whilst the magazine side is closing the Winestate name will continue. The Winestate website and its reviews and articles and all social media channels will remain to continue to provide education and as an archival resource for the public. We are also looking at future possibilities for select or bespoke events…

SYDNEY BEACHSIDE HOTEL GETS $30M MAKEOVER ONE of Sydney’s most popular beachside hotels, the Manly Pacific M Gallery has unveiled a new look after two years of refurbishment. The standout hotel in one of Sydney’s favourite beachside suburbs has undergone a $30 million transformation. Behind the refreshed façade are 213 redesigned rooms including The Infinity Residence and nine ocean-facing Coastal Suites. Hotel facilities include a rooftop pool and bar, a sundeck with an infrared sauna, 55 North - a new lobby bar - and a conference and events floor. Good news for wine lovers: the mini bars in the suites comes with two Vintec wine fridges that boast the likes of Roederer Cristal Brut, as well as a premium range of whisky, spirits, coffee and chocolate from local providores. For those wishing to entertain…

'ALTOGETHER UNIQUE' - NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS NEW GLOBAL BRAND PLATFORM NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS (NZW) kicked off 2023 by rolling out its new global brand platform. ‘Altogether Unique’ is its first brand refresh since 2006 and aims to highlight the New Zealand wine industry’s location, people and climate. NZW worked with creative agency Many Minds to distil consumer insights to “define its brand essence and create an accompanying new visual identity”. As well as updated branding, a short video was created featuring actor Sam Neill, who since 1993 has also been proprietor of Two Paddocks vineyard in Central Otago. This aims to generate “an emotional connection to New Zealand wine,” or as described by Charlotte Read, NZW’s general manager marketing, “This storytelling asset will tell the foundational story of New Zealand wine…

REPORTS of Europe’s 2022 vintage, the harvest for which usually occurs between the end of August to October, have been dominated by extreme climate events: spring frosts, then excessive heat almost throughout the growing season from May to September. Despite this, at the international level, volumes are largely stable. The OIV (the International Organisation of Vine and Wine - a scientific and technical inter-governmental body working with vine-based products, including wine, table grapes, raisins, vinegar) estimated that global wine production for 2022 is around 260 million hectolitres (mhl). This makes it in line with the previous few years, all of which have been 3-4% below the 20-year average. The global production volume might have been even lower, but Europe, in the end, produced more wine than anticipated given the sequence of different…

LOCATED some 400km from Adelaide, Coonawarra is one of Australia’s most remote wine regions. With some notable exceptions (Great Southern and Margaret River), most regions are within easy striking distance of a major city. But Coonawarra is well worth the drive and is a successful viticultural area, driven by a number of natural factors. Firstly, the region has a cool to warm climate with a mean January temperature of 20.1C. Being 80 to 100km from the nearest coastline you wouldn’t expect it to benefit much from any maritime influence. However, the Bonney Upwelling impacts the region in the growing season (November to March) which brings cold water up from the Antarctic and its effects are blown inland by strong south easterly winds, resulting in cooler nights that helps produce a high…

OVER the past year, Qantas has debuted services to eight countries the airline didn't fly to pre-Covid lockdowns, including Italy and India. Last November, Jetstar launched three times weekly services from Sydney to Seoul, which were very quickly joined by four direct flights to the South Korean capital by Qantas. The first time the Flying Kangaroo had connected Seoul to Australia in 15 years. A lot has happened during the hiatus. South Korea has emerged as the Asian style leader in fashion, film, music, food and more. With a population of close to 10 million within the core metropolitan area, Seoul is a bustling mega-city stuffed with some of the world’s best restaurants and bars. There’s also plenty of cultural and historical attractions. Seoullo 7017 is the city’s version of New York’s…