Veteran stockbroker Terry Hogan and his business partner Eve Broadley are investing $1 million in the expansion of their contract wine business, The Vintage Wineworx.
The expansion includes the purchase of an Italian semi-automated bottling line, which means the group will become a one-stop shop for wine production.
The new bottling line can process 1,200 bottle an hour.
The addition of the bottling line and an extra storage shed will increase the size of its current production facility from 950 square meters to 1,600sq m.
Based in the Great Southern, Vintage Wineworx was formally called the Porongurup Winery.
Manager and winemaker Di Miller says the expansion was a natural development.
“The expansion shows a proactive and forward thinking approach from the winery management and its shareholders,” Dr Miller says. “This is a very exciting time for our clients as we now have complete control from vineyard to bottle.”
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Taking a leaf out of the winery tour market are Matt and Mara Allan. The couple has set up a tour business dedicated to beer in a bid to capitalise on the recent explosion of microbrewery pubs across Western Australia.
The couple has established The Brewers Dray, which is being touted as “a credible alternative to wine tours”. Mr Allan told Gusto each tour would include a tutored beer tasting, a tour of a brewery as well as an informal education session about the history of beer and how the industry has developed in WA.
The all-day tour leaves Perth and visits five breweries with beer tastings, a gourmet lunch and chocolate stout muffins and spiced stout chutney included in the $130 ticket price. Mr Allan says that the breweries selected to visit will vary depending on the group on the tour but can include an all-day adventure in the Swan Valley or take in some Swan Valley breweries as well as Little Creatures and, later in the year, Mad Monk in Fremantle.
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Truffle lovers should set aside Tuesday June 26 for Gala Restaurant’s annual Manjimup truffle dinner. This year is the fifth time chefs and owners Marianne Kempf and Hans Lang will host the event, which, based on previous menus, is sure to be a fine food affair. Details are yet to be released.
