Sparkling wine flows as Australian winemaker takes out top international award
The Tasmanian-based winemaker was among a number of Australian producers to be honoured at the event in London this week
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An Australian winemaker has taken out the top prize for sparkling wine at the International Wine Challenge, the first time a local winemaker has done so. It marks just the second time in the competition’s 40-year history that the award has gone to a winemaker outside France’s Champagne region.
Tasmanian-based House of Arras’ chief winemaker, Ed Carr, was presented with the award for Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at a special ceremony in London earlier this week.
“I’m incredibly honoured to be named this year’s Sparkling Winemaker of the Year. It’s a challenge to describe the feeling, but I’m proud to be recognised amongst my peers for such a significant international award,” Mr Carr said.
The IWC is considered one of the world’s most rigorous and impartial wine competitions. This year, France topped the medal tally with 72 gold, 394 silver and 455 bronze medals – extending their haul by 84 more wins than last year.
Australian winemakers took out second place, with 54 gold, 250 silver and 154 bronze medals. Australia also won 19 trophies, 10 of which went to South Australia.
House of Arras also received the Australian Sparkling Trophy for its 2014 House of Arras Blanc de Blancs, as well as two gold and six silver medals.
Mr Carr said Tasmania’s cool climate and terroir were equal to the world’s best sparkling wine regions. The wins follow a strong showing this year at Australia’s National Wine Show and the Decanter World Wine Awards, where House of Arras also collected awards.
“2024 has been an outstanding year on the awards front, and I’m honoured to add this recent recognition from the International Wine Challenge to the mantle,” he said.
Australian shares fell on Thursday as Wall Street weakness, rising oil and persistent rate concerns weighed on most of the market. The S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.72 per cent to 8,702. The All Ordinaries lost 0.66 per cent to finish at 8,897. Mining stocks were hit particularly hard, while real estate also dragged on the index. …
Continue reading “ASX falls 0.7 per cent as miners and property stocks retreat”
Borrowers cannot control the Reserve Bank, but they can control how exposed their household budget is to its next decision. The RBA meets on 29 September with inflation concerns still elevated and major-bank economists increasingly bringing forward their rate-rise calls. Fixed mortgage rates have also been moving, reducing the value of waiting for perfect certainty. …
Continue reading “What mortgage holders should do before the next RBA decision”
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A property portfolio can look comfortable until several small pressures arrive together: a rate increase, a vacancy, higher insurance and an unexpected repair. The correct time to model that combination is before it occurs.
Start by recalculating every loan at 0.25, 0.50 and one percentage point above its current rate. Include principal-and-interest repayments even where a loan is temporarily interest-only, because the eventual step-up may be larger than the next RBA move.
Then calculate true net rent. Deduct management, council and water charges, strata, insurance, maintenance, land tax where applicable and a vacancy allowance. A property advertised with an attractive gross yield can produce a very different result after these costs.
Third, review the portfolio’s liquidity. An offset account can reduce interest while keeping cash accessible, but investors should obtain tax advice before moving funds between loans. The distinction between investment and private debt affects deductibility, and poorly structured redraws can create lasting complexity.
Fourth, examine refinancing risk rather than just today’s rate. A highly leveraged investor may be unable to refinance on the same terms because the new lender tests total debt at a higher assessment rate. Credit-card limits, owner-occupied debt and shaded rental income can all reduce capacity.
Fifth, rank properties by resilience. Consider net yield, vacancy risk, near-term capital expenditure, tenant demand, debt attached and the cost of selling. This is not an instruction to sell the weakest performer automatically; transaction costs and tax consequences matter. It is a way to identify where pressure would emerge first.
Investors should also review fixed-rate and interest-only expiry dates. A portfolio with several facilities resetting in the same quarter carries concentration risk even when each loan appears manageable individually.
The goal is not to predict the RBA perfectly. It is to ensure that one policy decision does not force a rushed refinancing, sale or reduction in essential maintenance. A portfolio that can absorb higher rates and temporary income interruptions gives its owner time to make deliberate decisions.
Read more: What mortgage holders should do before the next RBA decision
Portfolio checklist
Stress test: Current rate plus 0.25, 0.50 and one percentage point.
Model: Net rent after every recurring cost and vacancy.
Check: Fixed-rate expiries, interest-only expiries and loan maturity.
Preserve: An accessible emergency buffer.
Review: Insurance, land tax, strata works and major maintenance.
Seek advice: Licensed credit, financial and tax advice before restructuring.
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