Contract Winemakers in Australia

According to an Australian newspaper, winemakers are being contracted by grape growers.

The motivation is:
Wine growers who have had their fruit rejected on quality grounds by other companies often see contract wine making as their last hope. The maker cannot perform miracles, but this doesn't stop some growers using his or her name to help sell their ordinary wine

The big question is:
"How can one wine maker produce 20 or more different wines and still retain the individual stamp of the grape variety, the vineyard or the vineyard owner's concept for the wine?" and

"If you are handling 200 tonne a day, you can't afford something to go wrong," says experienced contract maker Brian Wilson of Gisborne-based company Wine Solutions. Wilson believes some makers go for safe, protective wine making that can rob a wine of its character.

Check out the article: Guns for hire
from: The Age
By Jeni Port
June 4 2002