Wine News with Anne Dawson

Former Palandri chief winemaker Tony Carapetis has joined Voyager Estate as an assistant to current Voyager senior winemaker, Cliff Royale.

Mr Carapetis will take over the role of outgoing assistant winemaker Mike Edwards, who is leaving Voyager to concentrate on his role at family winery Edwards Vineyard.

Mr Edwards says that, after four-and-a-half years at Voyager, it is time to focus on the family vineyard.

“It’s a bit daunting, I’ll be taking the reins at Edwards, but I am looking forward to the challenge,” he says.

“I’ll be both senior winemaker and general manager and the focus will be on building the profile of Edwards Vineyard.”

Mr Edwards says Mr Carapetis’s new role at Voyager will involve more hands-on work, rather than building the brand.

“I think for Tony this is more of a step sideways, but it will be more hands-on and will also be the change of pace he was looking for,” he says.

“Cliff’s job is more of a marketing and promotional one, whereas Tony will be working hands on, with the focus on making premium, quality wines.”

Figures in from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the Western Australian wine industry going from strength to strength.

The 2004 vintage produced a record crush at 96,000 tonnes, a 30 per cent increase on numbers in 2003. This is the largest crush on record for the State to date.

The Xanadu Normans Wine Group has officially left its post in WA, with the final stage of relocation recently completed.

The winemaker’s corporate headquarters can now be found in Kent Town, South Australia.

Palandri Wines’ Palandri Estate 2003 Riesling has been awarded the best 2002 or 2003 vintage riesling at the fifth Hyatt National Riesling Challenge.

This wine is available predominantly in the UK and Europe, and Palandri chief operating officer Gordon Grant says it has been received well in these international markets.

“Riesling from the Frankland River is emerging as a key contributor to the continuing success of Western Australian wine export,” he says.