1940 Vintage Crush 6,934 tons

During 1940 there were only twelve ships available to carry wine to Great Britain, and of the twelve only one ship was allotted anything comparable with pre-war space allotments. Only one ship has taken wine since June 1940, namely in October last, since when not a single ship has offered, and the powers that be have indicated that no shipping can be hoped for this year. The outlook is grave indeed. Due to the capitulation of France and the entry of Italy to the war, Eastern and Indian markets have opened up, but the volume when totaled is negligible when compared with Great Britain's consumption.

Despite this gloomy outlook we shall take all contractors true wine varieties at Vintage 1941, and beyond this it is not humanly possible to foresee or forecast.

The Berri Co-Operative Winery and Distillery Ltd., 1940. The Middle Winery before the Mez floor was installed.

Another view of the Berri Co-Operative Winery and Distillery Ltd., 1940. The Middle Winery before the Mez floor was installed.

1941 Vintage Crush was 5,522 tons

This was the lowest intake in the Company's history to date. (See 1945 Vintage).

Stocks have been kept in a well balanced condition, having had regard to the constantly changing markets, each of which requires widely different types of Wines, Brandies and/or Spirits, and it wholly due to the Management having followed this most carefully planned and considered policy of not making too much of one and too little of the other over the past two years of war, that the Company finds itself in the fortunate position that it is in today.

The outlook is graver than ever. However, let us hope that the results of the coming year may prove as satisfactory as those of the past two. More, no man can say, for it is impossible to foresee and consequently forecast even a week ahead.

There had been an ongoing disagreement about the assessable rates for the winery premises and this was eventually settled in November at £4,500.

1942 Vintage Crush 8,434 tons

Our wine and spirit stocks are better balanced. Those, that under war conditions have become slow moving, have not been increased, in fact have been considerably reduced (as the Balance Sheet proves), this position having been brought about by our controlled intake of representative grapes. Those stocks that are moving quite freely have been maintained at a satisfactory figure. Otherwise our future outlook is almost completely controlled by the war outlook, this, as we have already said, is today better than ever, consequently we look forward to the future with ever growing confidence.

1943 Vintage Crush 10,684 tons

No detailed history was available for this year.