Over the past five years, cider literally flooded the Australian market. Passion for cider in Australia began with summer advertising campaigns entreating them to drink cider ‘over ice’ as a refreshing and fruity alternative to beer. In 2011-12, the Australian cider market already represented $300 million, the result of the dramatic growth the market has experienced in the past five years, with an average increase of 19.1% per annum. Sales even achieved +35% for 2011, and the cider market in Australia is forecast to continue with strong growth trend over the next five years. Is it just a fashion trend or will it last? The answer is difficult to know for now, but a lot are betting on it, and Australian are getting the move on the opportunity. Thus, cider brands are booming all over the country: The hills cider company, Cheeky Rascal, Dirty Granny, Mercury, Strongbow, Three oaks … just to name a few of them among the 90 brands of cider in Australia. Giant advertising campaigns, events sponsorship… cider companies do not hesitate investing a lot in communication to snap up market shares. So why does it work so well? Most probably because of the product range diversity, from traditional to sweet and fruity style, including premium, organic and imported varieties. And also because Aussie girls have found in cider their new favorite drink. Indeed, it offers to women an alternative option to beer, with different tastes, mixed flavors and still with low alcohol and large serving-size. Because of this lucrative craze, a lot of companies make "industrialised” ciders with flavourings and added sugar to hide their defects. Therefore, traditional cider lovers ask for a real Australian legislation defining what cider actually is. Also, it would be an important starting point for deciding how the category should be taxed. In France, cider is traditionally coming from Bretagne and Normandie, where pure juice ciders ferment naturally and are bottled without any pasteurisation or carbonation - a perfect example of the ancestral cider-making process, guaranteeing optimum development of the aromas and truly exceptional flavours. French artisanal and organic ciders do not have any added sugar or any preservatives and offer a much better quality. A few French ciders are now available on the Australian market (le Père Jules, le cidre d’Anneville etc.) and more will come shortly (le cidre Perche, Duclos Fougeray)! Cider has grown so significantly over the last couple of years that it seems natural that they have an association, allowing producers to have one voice speaking to other industries. This newly formed Cider Australia organization will bring together producers, other industry stakeholders and “cider enthusiasts”, and will be chaired by James Kendell, cider producer under the Small Acres Cyder brand, in Orange NSW. Besides, it is in Orange that has been launched, last year, the first event fully dedicated to cider and perry: The Australian Cider Awards. This show will allow the bests producers to win awards and therefore prestigious recognition helping them making the difference in the midst of this crowed market. The presentation dinner of the event will be held in Sydney, increasing the visibility of this second edition, organized on the 10 th and 11 th of October 2012. Last year, the elected “best in show” cider was an English cider, Henney’s Dry Cider, and the best Australian cider was Dirty Granny, a medium cider. A French cider maker, Domaine Dupont, from Normandie, won two silver awards in the Bottle Conditioned / Methode Champenoise Cider class. Sources : The shout ; CiderOz

France is set to overtake Italy to reclaim its title as the world’s top wine producer this year, according to estimates from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine OIV.L. Helped by favourable weather conditions, France’s production is forecast to rise by 9 percent, correcting a slump last year and allowing it to regain the crown it lost to its southern European neighbour four years ago. The OIV predicts that French production will reach 50 million hectolitres this year, while Italy’s output will fall by 13 percent to 42 million, its lowest in years. In France, an exceptionally warm spring gave some producers a headstart, according to an agriculture ministry report, while Italy was hit by poor weather. French winemakers also said a particularly warm and dry autumn made up for a cold and rainy summer. "There were exceptional conditions in September and October," said Richard Kannemacher, director of marketing for CRINAO, the Alsace committee of wine experts. "There really was an Indian summer." French vintners have suffered several years of bad weather, resulting in abnormally low yields, suggesting this year’s rise was a return to the norm and would not mean lower quality wines. "It didn’t degrade the quality, as these are volumes we’re used to treating," said Stephanie Piot, assistant to the President of the CCVF, a group of wine co-operatives across France. Aside from poorer weather, Italy also lost close to 3 million hectolitres of wine because of vine replantings, which occurred to a lesser extent in France. The OIV estimates that Germany and Austria would see gains of about 30 percent over last year, while Greek and Portuguese production would drop by 17 percent and Spanish by 2. The OIV expects global production to remain stable, despite an overall drop in vineyard surface area. The organisation was uncertain about the direction of wine consumption, which fell in 2008 and 2009 and rose a little in 2010. (Reuters - Reporting By Anna Maria Jakubek, editing by Paul Casciato)

Many wine makers and oenologists, notably those using biodynamic methods, have elected to use egg-shaped vats because they consider this promotes natural convection within the liquid during fermentation and natural mixing of the lees, generating a permanent movement around the container’s walls. TARANSAUD therefore took up the challenge of making such a container out of French oak. Until the present day, this shape had only ever been made out of concrete. Designing such a product requires exceptional technical skill for which TARANSAUD was able to call upon its teams of master coopers and barrel makers and its Meilleurs Ouvriers de France*. “OVUM” took shape over time and the result was beyond our wildest dreams, because in addition to achieving the technical container we sought, a real work of art was born. TARANSAUD vats, both round and oval, are recognized for their qualities of micro-oxygenation, thermoregulation and  their interaction with wine to enhance its body, balance and elegance. In addition, this egg-shaped vat will enable natural mixing of the lees to enhance complexity, purity and precision in the wine. TARANSAUD is therefore delighted to present ‘OVUM’, a unique technical achievement for a 20HL container. The model is now ready and we are highly confident that OVUM will become a very valuable tool for maturing fine wines and it may even yet reveal some even more wonderful surprises over time and use. For more information please contact Greg at greglecrevisse@taransaud.com.au  or UbiFrance Australia at sydney@ubifrance.fr *National master craftsmen award

The 2010 vintage in the Rhône is causing a stir among producers up and down the valley, with many saying it could yet surpass 2009 and that its quality more than makes up for its small size. Tasting at the Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône fair last week, the drinks business took the pulse of numerous producers regarding the still-maturing vintage. Nick Thompson, owner of L’Ameillaud in Cairanne, said that a poor flowering had affected the Grenache in particular but meant that colour and concentration courtesy of Syrah and Mourvèdre would be higher. Overall he described the wines as “well balanced with an acidity higher than 09.” Daniel Coulon the owner of Domaine de Beaurenard in Châteauneuf du Pape said that it was “very difficult to choose between 2009 and 2010.” Words like “pure” and “mineral” were used by many producers and Simon Field MW, buying director for Berry Bros & Rudd, told db that 2010 did indeed appear to have “more finesse”. Pricing at this stage is pure speculation, but as they tend to stay stable among the Rhône’s estates from year to year, Field thought that even a good year like 2010 coming in on the back of another successful vintage such as 2009 would see very little change in price between the two. However, as the 2010 vintage will be so much smaller in volume there is always a chance that there “may be slight upward pressure but only lower single figure increases, which is very sensible but also a reflection that the Rhône hasn’t yet quite arrived.” On the other hand, it certainly has its admirers and Field said that the 2009s from the north have sold very quickly.

The Bag-in-box® (Bib) wines were one of the stand outs at the International Fair of Agriculture (SIA) that was held in France end of February.  In addition to its success in restoration, which goes hand in hand with the sale of wine to the glass, Bib® saw its sales in the large supermarkets multiply by 8 since 1998. In 2009, the weekly turnover in supermarkets represented 636 liters on average per store with sales of either 5 liter bags or 3 liter bags. The 3 liter bags are growing in market share as higher class wines look into this alternative to bottles.

The 18th edition of Millesime Bio held in Montpellier finished on a high with an increase of close to 20% in visitor numbers since last year. This unique profession and international trade fair is dedicated to wines made exclusively from organically grown grapes.   Almost a third of the visitors came from outside of France, with a strong influence from the Europeans. However this year also marked a big increase in buyers from North America and Asia, with a few Australians.   At the same time, buyers from 37 countries participated in  the International Forum of Affairs where they met with more than 500 producers and tasted over 2,000 different wines from  Languedoc-Roussillon, the world’s largest wine-making region.   The interest in organic wines both in Australia and in France is growing at an alarming pace. Next year the organisers hope to have a greater representation from the New World Wine countries such as Argentina and Australia, who are seen as strong competitors in the field.