Aus: Petaluma appeals to court over controversial Coonawarra boundary

The official decision defining the premium Coonawarra wine region -delivered last month, seven years after the issue was first raised - is now destined for the courts.When the deadline for appeals, to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, against the decision closed last week, 46 had been lodged. They included one from publicly-listed Petaluma Limited whose Sharefarmers' vineyard lies outside the declared boundary of the famed cigar-shaped, "terra rossa" strip.The Geographical Indications Committee of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation last month ruled on the boundary, which has led to the appeals.Mildara Blass has appealed, as have interests connected with St Marys Vineyard winery and Rymill Wines. Many other appellants are grapegrowers, consigned by the GIC decisions to the neighbouring regions of Penola or Wrattonbully.Chris Snow