May-2014-issue

D r i n kindustry and a change in direction away from Europe and towardsChina and Southeast Asia.”Limited varietals; versatile winemakersWhile it’s almost impossible to compete with the Italians, who havea winemaking history founded on the availability of some 3,000wine varietals, Australia’s fifth place as an exporter owes greatly tothe versatility of its winemakers who, in general, have essentially onlyeight varietals to work with – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shirazand Pinot Noir for the reds and Chardonnay, Semillon, SauvignonBlanc and Riesling for the whites (though minor varietals such asGrenache and Malbec do persist).Certain states have stood out for producing wines of real eleganceand finesse, such as the previously overlooked Tasmania, now hometo excellent Pinot Noir producers such as Stefano Lubiana andMoore’s Hill.“People are now tending to choose more elegantly structuredwines over fruit-forward wines,” said Walter Koo, marketing andsales executive at 80’s & Co. Wine Merchant, the Hong Kongimporter of both estates. “Tasmania caught our attention becauseof its moderate maritime climate, with mild summers and longautumn days, resulting in maximum varietal flavour developmentfor elegant, cool climate wines.“We visited Stefano Lubiana and Moore’s Hill in 2012 and wereattracted by the way they produce wine – both are family-ownedboutiques that manage both vineyard and winery, and the ownersthemselves are grape growers as well as winemakers. Steve Lubiana,in particular, is himself a fifth-generation Italian winemaker livingin Tasmania, and he makes wines in the traditional European stylePicture: Moore’s Hillwww.asianhotelandcateringtimes.comVirginia Willcock, chief winemaker at VasseFelix – for consistency in Australian Cabernet,look to Coonawarra or Margaret RiverAHCT May 2014 33