Welcome to the second issue of The Standard, the quarterly newsletter of Australian membrane technology company ProCork. It has been another big year for ProCork with further inroads into the Australian market and a very successful launch in Europe, starting with Italian wineries exporting to the UK and Germany in ProCork. On behalf of the ProCork team we hope you have a Merry Christmas, a safe new year and a prosperous 2007.

Dr Gregor Christie
Chief Executive Officer
ProCork

2007 UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS

Thurs 11th January
The Coonawarra Vignerons Cup 2007 will be at the picturesque Penola Racecourse

Sunday 21st January
The Tasmanian Fruit Wine Show and Festival will be held at Bellerive Boardwalk Hobart

Saturday 31st March
The South Burnett Wine Show will be held in Nanango, Queensland

From 8th April
The Bendigo Winemakers Festival will be held at Castlemaine Botanic Gardens Walker St, Castlemaine, Victoria

28th July - 2nd August
The Thirteenth Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference will be held in Adelaide

WELL DONE MR RIGGS
McLaren Vale winemaker Ben Riggs is on a winner with his 2004 Shiraz, scoring an outstanding 96 points in James Halliday’s recent Top 100 list of Australian wines. The wine, which is sealed under ProCork, was one of only three shiraz’ in the list to score 96 points and came in only one point below the iconic 2001 Penfolds Grange.
CLICK FOR MORE

SOMETHING GOING RIGHT AT THORN CLARKE
Thorn Clarke’s Shotfire Ridge Quartage 2005 won its first trophy at the Tasmanian wine show. This follows their 2004 vintage winning trophies all over the place (Adelaide wine show 2005 and Royal Sydney Wine show 2006 to name a few).  Thorn Clarke use ProCork to export Shotfire to the USA and screwcap for the Australian domestic market.
CLICK FOR MORE

CONGRATS TO DUTSCHKE WINE
The first Great Australian Red competition was held this year... The quality of wines on show was indicated by the number of trophies and medals handed out with the 166 entries sharing 8 trophies, 8 gold medals, 27 silver medals and 48 bronze medals. Godolphin by Ben Glaetzer 2004 took out the major award ‘The Great Australian Red’ while the ProCork-sealed Dutschke St Jakobi Shiraz 2004 picked up a Trophy and a Gold Medal. For entry information on the 2007 competition visit:
www.thegreataustralianred.com

TECHNICAL

OLD WAYS CONFIRMED
Recent studies have confirmed that oxygen ingress into wine is integral to the way wines age. Too much oxygen too quickly can oxidise a wine whilst too little oxygen can cause the wine to reduce and produce dimethyl-disulphide. A report released by some Australian winemakers and the ProCork technical team demonstrates the potential of membrane technology for closures and its affect on the quality of wine.
CLICK FOR MORE

NEW FACE AT GRAPEGROWER & WINEMKAER
English lass (don’t mention the cricket) Penny Boothman has taken the reins as editor at the Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker magazine. Penny was previously the assistant editor for the fastest growing and most respected wine trade magazine in the UK, The Drink's Business. Following a recent meeting with Penny we’re sure she will offer a refreshing view on the Aussie wine industry.
CLICK FOR MORE

PROCORK ADDS 1+1 in EUROPE
ProCork has expanded its product range in Europe to include 1+1 corks. Initial market feedback has strongly favoured ProCork’s membrane technology being added to 1+1 corks.  ProCork’s European team has responded rapidly with ProCork Bronze now being available in Italy.

A NEW BOUNCING BABY
Congratulations to Gary Mitchell on the recent birth of his daughter. Gary is the General Manager of Sales at Vinpac International, ProCork’s exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand.

INTERESTING...

OUR DAILY RED
The debate rages, are health claims valid for red wine? Is French wine really healthier than Australian? Recent UK research published in Nature identifies that some French and Italian traditionally made wines contain more than double the concentration of some health giving compounds identified in red wine.
CLICK FOR MORE