(Wine-Searcher) - Australian wines make a comeback on the export market and two more icewine regions step into the limelight.

Australian exports on the rise

The value of Australian wine exports rose for the first time in seven years, boosted by demand for premium wines in North America, Europe and Asia, officials said this week. Total wine export values increased by 1.9 percent to A$1.82 billion ($1.49 billion) in 2014, the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) said. Total export volumes also grew by 1.9 percent to 700 million litres, it added, supported by a decline in the value of the Australian dollar, which recently hit a five-and-a-half year low. AGWA said the ultra-premium sector – for wines above A$50 – experienced the strongest growth, jumping 55 percent last year to reach a record A$107 million. More than 90 percent of ultra-premium wines were exported to Asia.

Spain joins the ice age

It has been a good year so far for icewine and Spain has become the latest country to harvest its frozen grapes. While the country is better known for its hot, dry climate and rich red wines, the small Altolandon winery in the mountains of Cuenca province picked the organic Petit Manseng grapes overnight on January 20-21, after temperatures dropped to -8.5°C (16.7°F). The vineyard, at an altitude of 1100 meters (3600 feet) is one of the highest in Spain. Altolandon is one of just a handful of producers in Spain to make an icewine.

Quebec gets ice protection

Meanwhile, the Canadian Department of Agriculture has announced the creation of a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) notice for Quebec icewine. The PGI is effective from the 2014 harvest and stresses that all producers wanting to use the term "icewine" must abide by the appellation conditions. Icewine was first made in Canada in 1973 by a German immigrant to British Columbia and spread into Ontario and then Quebec. The department has also created a PGI for Quebec ice cider.

Pope receives wine honor

Pope Francis has added an honorary sommelier diploma to his list of achievements, following the appearance of an angel in the Vatican – Angelo Gaja, that is. Gaja was part of a delegation from the Italian wine industry that visited the pope this week and presented the pontiff with the diploma, two bottles of wine and a tastevin tasting vessel. The pope's association with wine goes back to his grandfather, who was a winemaker in Piedmont early in the last century, and he even managed to make a reference to wine during his address to the faithful during the audience.

Beaune-ing up on whisky

You might not fancy trying a wine made in Scotland, but what about a whisky from Burgundy? A new range of Scotch-style whiskies was launched last week, as a joint venture between Beaune négociant Champy and the Diva Group. The Pickwick brand pays homage to both British author Charles Dickens and Pickwick's Pub in the Burgundian center Beaune, which has a large whisky collection.