Beringer Blass Wines Estates, the world's leading premium wine group and a major division of Foster's Brewing Group, today announced a record total Australian intake of 89,153 tonnes for vintage 2001, up 46 per cent from the total Australian intake of 60,930* tonnes for vintage 2000.
At 64,729 tonnes, red varieties accounted for approximately 73 per cent of the total 2001 intake, compared with 65 per cent in 2000. White varieties totalled 24,424 tonnes in 2001.
"Our record 2001 intake places our Australian inventory in an excellent position to enhance our international premium wine sales growth," said Mr Terry Davis, Managing Director of Beringer Blass Wines Estates (Beringer Blass).
The increased yield in 2001 is attributed to established vineyards producing above-average yields, as well as vineyards planted during the last four to five years delivering their first crops. Improved yield management also contributed.
"We experienced exceptionally good growing and maturation conditions in our premium South Australian wine regions," said Vic Patrick, General Manager Viticulture for Beringer Blass in Australia.
"We also benefited from good weather conditions in our Victorian and New South Wales vineyards, and our recent investment in a frost control system in Mt Benson, South Australia."
"With the favourable ripening conditions, fruit was picked at optimum maturity, enhancing overall quality, particularly in the later ripening red varieties," said Chris Hatcher, Chief Winemaker for Beringer Blass in Australia.
"The new Wolf Blass winery performed extremely well, processing 25,000 tonnes in its first vintage, compared with the 20,000 tonnes originally planned. The many technical innovations we now have to process small, separate parcels carefully and efficiently have enabled us to maximise the quality of fruit from all of our South Australian vineyards."
Combined with the Californian intake of 141,368# tonnes (155,832 US tons) in September-October 2000, the record Australian 2001 intake brings the total tonnage for Beringer Blass in fiscal 2001 to 230,521 tonnes (which equates to approximately 17 million 9-litre cases of wine).
Notes:
Further Information
Media:
Rell Hannah
Director Corporate Affairs
Beringer Blass
Tel: +613 8626 3307
Mob: 0419 369 075
Email: rell.hannah@beringerblass.com.au
Analysts:
Michael Roberts
Manager Capital Markets
Foster's Group
Tel: +613 9633 2273
Email: michael.roberts@fostersgroup.com
