This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
News
Yalumba pulls its wines from NRA Wine Club
Leading Barossa Valley winery Yalumba has pulled its wines from the National Rifle Association Wine Club in response to an article reported by the drinks business yesterday.
Yalumba Y Series Viognier – one of the wines on sale via the NRA Wine Club
According to Australian newspaper the Herald Sun, Yalumba has quickly distanced itself from the controversial US National Rifle Association after it emerged that it was one of 20 Australian producers sold via the group’s wine club.
The privately owned company is currently investigating how four of its wines made it onto the NRA’s profit-making club – a donation from every bottle of wine purchased through the club goes to the NRA to support its battle to preserve the Second Amendment.
Owner Robert Hill Smith told the Herald Sun he didn’t want Yalumba or its wines associated with the powerful pro-gun lobby.
“Philosophically, I’m not disposed towards the NRA, which runs counter to my family’s, and I would think all my employees’, positions on gun laws,” he said.
“We will act to withdraw our stock or at least not service the account any longer,” he added.
Among the other Australian producers selling their wines via the NRA Wine Club are St Hallett, Jim Barry Wines, d’Arenberg, Tahbilk, and Primo Estate.
The association has been in the spotlight recently as newly re-elected President Barack Obama has vowed to take action on US gun laws during his second term.
Producers contacted by the Australian press yesterday were unaware that their wines were being sold to profit the NRA.
“It’s five steps removed from when I sell the wine. I’ve never thought about where the profit goes,” Jim Barry Wines head Peter Barry told the HS.
“No matter religion, colour or creed, I’m just happy people are drinking and enjoying Australian wine,” Barry added.
Wine Australia chief executive Andrew Cheesman urged producers to closely examine their sales channel strategies to ensure they are fully aware of where their wines are being sold.
One way to lose business.
I hope every American out there stops buying their wine. They just lost me as a customer!
congratulation for seeing the light. I hope the NRA will lose ALL accounts. If for nothing else, I hope that the 98.5% of non-NRA members in the USA will boycott the wineries that are selling through this nut-job organization.
I’ll never drink a bottle of Yalumba again. Who does this idiot think he is speaking for his employees. I’m sure the Aussie Aboriginals would have loved to have firearms back in the day to protect themselves from arrogant palefaces like Smith. Things would be quite different for them I imagine.
Why condemn or boycott Yalumba or Hill-Smith for taking a stand against the NRA, unless you’re a gung ho supporter of the NRA? Producers of wine have virtually no control of their wine’s once sold to/through distributors/wholeslaers/retailers etc. But if their wine ultimately ends up with organisations that are on the nose, all you can do is distance yourself from such, in due course, as Yalumba have done so in this case.