Thirsty China

Portavin has noticed a spike in the number of clients exporting wine to China over the last 12-18 months. According to Austrade, Australian bulk wine exports to China increased by 51% last year, while bottled wine increased by 24%. As specialists in export packaging and logistics, Portavin fields regular enquiries from companies exporting to China. Our expanding network of Chinese clients has enabled us to help some of our Australian clients find an export market for excess bulk wine. These companies like the convenience of Portavin putting the whole package together for them. As well as bottling and packaging, export containers can be packed onsite at Portavin, then delivered to the wharf with required documentation.

In line with this increased volume of wine exported to China, we’ve seen a return to bottling under cork, since this market is more traditional and associates cork with prestigious wines. The amount of wine sealed under cork at Portavin is still a lesser percentage of our overall production but the segment is growing and is noticeably more active than it has been for a couple of years.

Authorizations

A high level of client communication and quality control is achieved through Portavin’s authorisation processes for packaging and wine quality.

Jan Evans, Client Services Manager coordinates the bottling schedule and packaging & labeling authorizations for clients, she explains “these authorizations are an integral part of the bottling process and act as a final check that allows the Portavin team to ensure all information received is correct– working closely with the customer during this process is imperative to ensure all requirements & instructions are understood prior to bottling, leaving no stones unturned.

Ideally the bottling order form will be completed at least three weeks prior to bottling, giving us sufficient time to ensure all required dry goods are ordered and delivered on time.
To ensure a smooth and efficient operation we really need all dry goods delivered by the Tuesday of the week before bottling, this enables us to firmly set the weeks’ schedule knowing dry goods supply will not throw a spanner in the works.

The packaging, label and barcode authorizations are sent and can be signed off well in advance of bottling, these act as a double check and we ask that those people authorizing their packaging carefully check all details before signing and returning so that your precious wine is packaged as you intended.”

For more information, contact Jan Evans

Wine authorizations are equally important, ensuring the wine quality is never compromised. Anthony Davis, Production Manager, takes charge of this area and says “Wine approvals are completed once we have taken delivery of the wine and tested for parameters such as free and total SO2, alcohol, CO2, acidity, pH, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. The results are then sent to the client, who confirms that either they are satisfied with the levels or instruct us to make changes. If changes are made, we re submit the approval. The main purpose of the form is to confirm the levels at which the wine went to bottle. This protects the client and, since we have a NATA accredited laboratory, the winemaker has the comfort of knowing these results are highly accurate.”

For more information, contact Anthony Davis

Export made easy

Portavin is pleased to offer container packing and cartage services. Our onsite container packing service offers both palletised and the cost efficient slip sheet method. The slip sheet process entails placing the slip sheet, a specially designed thin piece of strong plastic, between the stock and the pallet at the time of production. At the point of loading the container, the slip sheet forklift has an extendable arm which grabs the plastic sheet and the stock off the pallet onto its specially modified wide tynes. The forklift can then drive into the container and push the stock off the tynes as a wrapped bundle directly to the floor of the container.

This slip sheet method allows for more cost effective, space efficient and secure container packing, saving our customers both time and money. By packing onsite at Portavin, our customers also save by not having to freight to an offsite packing service.

A handy hint – the most space efficient bottle shape for export is punted or premium claret. At Portavin, we fit 1176 dozen packaged punted and premium claret bottles into a 20’ container using slip sheeting compared to 980 dozen of burgundy bottles.

Our onsite container cartage and packing services are just another example of our Integrated Services.
Contact Paul Burke 

Meet Stuart Davies

Bottling Supervisor, Portavin Perth (PVP)
Stuart Davies grew up in Palmerston North, New Zealand. After leaving school, he worked in a variety of places, which built up his excellent mechanical and managerial skills. While visiting his sister in Western Australia, who happened to work for Portavin, Stuart was offered a temporary job on the forklift. That was in 2006. Since then, Stuart worked in a variety of roles before his appointment as Portavin Perth’s Bottling Supervisor in 2008.

Stuart says “I love doing what I do. I drive 45 minutes from my home near Guildford to get here– but I really don’t mind the drive, the job is worth it. The people I work with are great and willing to do that bit extra. I still have a lot of learning to do, so that's a bonus - as long I’m learning I’m happy.”

In his spare time, Stuart likes to spend as much time as he can with his wife, four children, one grandchild and another on the way!

Winning wines

Portavin congratulates the following clients on their recent success at recent International Wine Shows

At the 2011 Decanter World Wine Awards, gold was awarded to Stella Bella Shiraz 2008 Margaret River and Thompson Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Margaret River. Trophies went to Evans & Tate Redbrook Chardonnay 2008 Margaret River, Catching Thieves Cabernet Merlot 2010 Margaret River and Amelia Park Cabernet Merlot 2009 Margaret River.

At the 2011 International Wine Challenge, touted as the world’s largest wine show, Australia achieved a remarkable medal strike rate of 83 percent, a great boost for the international quality perception of Australian wines. Portavin clients whose wines won IWC gold medals were Heydon Estate "the Willow" Chardonnay 2006, Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2009, Evans & Tate Metricup Road Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010 and Evans & Tate Redbrook Shiraz 2008.

Well done to all.