Winemaker reacts

Press, 2 September 1981, Page 1

Winemaker reacts

PA Auckland Penfolds Wines (N.Z.). Ltd. has agreed to thousands of litres of its wine being sold "temporarily” as flavoured wine in the" wake of Health Department seizings yesterday. Thousands of litres of wine were seized by the Health Department from hotels, restaurants. liquor outlets, and a Penfolds winery, throughout New Zealand.

The seizings were the culminations of tests done by the D.S.I.R. in Wellington on table wine suspected to contain less than the required 80 per cent grape juice content.

The managing director of Penfolds, Mr Frank Yukich. said his company “categorically assured" the public that no flavouring had been added to the wine at Penfolds’ winery.

The department had acted without giving the company the chance to carry out its own investigations" of the wine, concerned. The bulk wines') -involved comprised blended, wines including those made and bought in from other winemakers, a Penfolds statement said.

Meanwhile, the statement said. Penfolds had agreed to the wine being sold "temporarily" as flavoured wine in order to ensure "continuity of supply to the public.” Up to 100 health inspectors throughout New Zealand are engaged in the move. They are going to wine outlets, and handing the person in charge a Health Department form which says the wine is believed to contravene standards under the Food and Drugs Act and may not be sold.

Individual bottles and cases are then being sealed either by sealing wax or tape, or in bulk lots, inside a room. The w-ine cannot be sold once it is sealed or the outlet faces prosecution.

The assistant director of the Health Department’s

Food Division. Mr James Fraser, said from Wellington that the department believed the bulk wine concerned had had flavouring added to it. ‘We believe it does not comply with the Food and Drug Act." he said. “We are looking at the whole range available in New Zealand but we are moving only against one company "at the moment." Those who have had wines seized have three days in which to appeal to the "court against the action. Mr Fraser said if there was no appeal the wine would become the property of the-Crown.

The flavouring could be used, but only if the wine was sold as flavoured wine. Mr Yukich said Penfolds would make an immediate application to the District Court at Auckland to have its wines released.

Last year, Penfolds management made a policy decision not to make and sell flavoured wines. It believed then, and still did, that the introduction of flavoured wines would be detrimental to the New Zealand wine industry, Mr Yukich said. Between 20 and 25 wine outlets in Christchurch were involved in the seizing of wine, said the principal Inspector of Health, Mr L. V. Weldon, yesterday. The public placement by Penfolds Wines, would continue, said a spokesman for the underwriters, Jarden and Company last evening. Penfolds issued a prospectus for an issue of shares on Friday evening. The company seeks $2.4 million.

Labour’s Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs, Mrs Ann Hereus, said yesterday that all information should be released on the "winewatering scandal."

“I demand the Minister of Health (Mr Gair) release all information, at least to clear innocent parties,” she said.