Portavin Sydney – open for business

As Australasia’s leading independent wine services provider, Portavin proudly announces its expansion into the New South Wales market, through an agreement with McWilliam’s Wines. 

On October 4th, Portavin will assume management of McWilliam’s bottling facility in the Sydney suburb of Chullora, allowing us to service both McWilliam's and other New South Wales/ACT producers.    Our commitment to upgrading the Chullora facility will add another world class contract packaging service to our existing five sites.

Mike Davies, Portavin Executive Chairman explains “This agreement consolidates our ongoing relationship with McWilliam's whilst completing our In Market contract bottling network throughout Australia and New Zealand.”

Eddie Price will be the General Manager of this new site.  Eddie has a strong background in wine industry management including ten years at Amberley Estate in Margaret River, three years as General Manager of Portavin Victoria and more recently as acting General Manager of Portavin W.A.

Speaking on his new role, Eddie said “I am very much looking forward to the challenge of getting to know the members of the Portavin NSW team better and to learning about the intricacies of the operation.

As a lifelong ‘southern states’ person I guess it will also be my duty to learn the niceties of that funny game where you have to throw the ball backwards when you want to go forwards - but I’m sure that I will find plenty of people keen to help me get over my appetite for ‘Aussie No Rules’ as I believe it is known.  Bring it on!”

To find out more about Portavin Sydney’s services, contact Eddie Price on 0448 121 362 or eddie.price@portavin.com.au

Supporting the Royal Melbourne Wine Show

Portavin is proud to sponsor this year’s Royal Melbourne Wine Show.  This commitment to Australia’s largest wine show is our way of thanking customers around the nation and showing our support for the wine industry at large.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Jimmy Watson Memorial trophy and a range of tastings and events have been organised to mark the occasion.

As part of our affiliation with the Wine Show, Portavin Melbourne undertook the logistics of receiving over 45 000 bottles of exhibitors’ wine, all delivered to us in the space of a week. 

The Royal Melbourne Wine Show was first held in 1884 and   this year sees some exciting initiatives for the show including a Preshow Masterclass, the introduction of some new classes and of course, the celebrations around the 50th presentation of the Jimmy Watson Trophy. 

The show awards dinner will be held on Thursday October 27th.  Good luck to all entrants and hope to see you there.

BRC Audit - a perfect score!

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) annual two day audit was conducted recently here at Portavin Melbourne and we passed with zero non conformances, which is an A grading.  This was a great result from the whole Portavin team.  Next year, we’re progressing to BRC version 6, which will mean conducting a full audit and making appropriate changes in line with new standards.

Originally developed in response to the needs of its UK members, the BRC Standards have gained usage world-wide and are specified by growing numbers of retailers around the world . The Standards reassure retailers of supplier competence and reduces the need for retailers and manufacturers to carry out their own audits.

Portavin Melbourne was first BRC accredited in 2004.

Welcome to our new team members

Portavin Melbourne welcomes five new staff members.
David and Joe have joined the bottling line team, Nicholas is in the cellar, Michael is now part of the customer service team and Steve is working in the warehouse.

We are also pleased to have Kristy back in customer service after a few month’s maternity leave.  Welcome everyone!

Portavin Morning Teas help charities

Each month, charities around Australia are the beneficiaries of Portavin Melbourne’s monthly Staff Morning Tea. It’s a great social gathering and the hat is passed around to raise money for a different cause each month, as selected by staff.

To date, our chosen charities have been:

• Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea(Cancer Council)
• Butterfly Foundation
• Lifeline Stress Down Day.  This one was a bit of fun, as staff dressed up (pictured right) and had a good laugh
• AFL Biggest Pie Day (Kids for Cancer)
• The Heart Foundation.

Movember is on the agenda, we look forward to bringing you photographic updates of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Yarra Valley Wine Show Trophy winners!

Well done to the following wineries, who are clients of Portavin, on snaffling some of the big ones at the recent 2011 Yarra Valley Wine Show.

Best Chardonnay –won by Seville Estate, 2010 Chardonnay.

Best White – Other than Chardonnay –won by Yarrawood Estate, Tall Tales Botrytis Riesling

Best Blended Red or Other Variety – won by Seville Estate, 2010 The Barber Cabernet Merlot.

Best Museum Wine – won by: Oakridge Wines, 2006 Chardonnay.

Best White Wine in Show – won by Seville Estate, 2010 Chardonnay.

Portavin also congratulates Dr. Peter McMahon (pictured right), Seville Estate founder and Yarra Valley wine pioneer who was inducted into the newly created Yarra Valley Hall of Fame.  What a deserving winner!

Portavin’s CFO - Telstra Business Woman of the Year finalist

Portavin Group’s Chief Financial Officer, Gerlinde Watson, was recently voted a finalist for the 2011 West Australian Telstra Business Woman of the Year in the Hudson Private and Corporate Sector Award. 

This was a great honour for Gerlinde, who is one of the few female CFOs in any Western Australia business.

Gerlinde began with Portavin in 2001, having completed a Bachelor of Business.  After 5 years as Administration Manager, Gerlinde was promoted to General Manager for Portavin’s Western Australia division. She was recently appointed to the newly created role of Group CFO, responsible for the financial management of 150 employees and six sites in Australia and New Zealand.  

Gerlinde is part of the executive group steering the company’s diversification into new products and markets and explains “my management style is to take the focus off what’s not working and shift it to how it can work.  The award is welcome recognition of the positive direction in which Portavin is heading.”

Congratulations Gerlinde!