REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT:
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: AUSTRALASIA & SOUTH AFRICA Wine Please, and Hop To It! Australian wines bounding ahead on international market Australian wine burst onto the global wine scene in the 1980s, offering the world vibrant wines of exceptional value. In the 1990s intense, concentrated examples of Shiraz, Grenache, and red blends dominated the Australian wine story. We asked regional manager Hiro Tejima how Oz wines are trending today. There’s been a clear evolution with a focus on freshness, purity, authenticity and regional distinction in Australian wines. This evolution has been led by increasingly innovative winemaking techniques in the vineyard, experimentation with non-traditional varieties and the rising profile of our cool climate regions whose wines defy the stereotypical perceptions that some people may still have of Australia. What varieties are trending at the moment? The new wave of modern Australian Grenache is starting to capture the hearts and minds of the wine trade and consumers around the world. These wines have a flavour profile that is akin to Pinot Noir. Its savoury nature makes it perfect for pairing with a wide range of foods. The other key trend has been the rise of “alternative” Mediterranean varieties in Australia. The diversity of grapes grown in Australia has been enhanced in recent times by increased plantings of varieties like Montepulciano, Vermentino and Prosecco. UK wine writer Walter Speller recently said, “these varieties have found a new home and, more than that, are expressing their origin in a completely unique, transparent way.” We couldn’t agree more! What can visitors expect at your booth? Visitors will walk away with a deeper understanding of Australian wine culture and the varied climates of our 65 wine regions. But it’s not just the quality of our wines that visitors will be impressed with when they visit our stand either; one of the greatest attributes of the Australian wine community is the camaraderie and personality of the people behind the wines. Once again we’ll have a strong contingent of Australians travelling to Hong Kong for Vinexpo and I know they can’t wait to show their wines to everyone. As has become our tradition, at the end of each day, we’ll be hosting “Hoppy Hour”, giving visitors a chance to mingle with winemakers and other exhibitors over some cold Aussie beer – anyone is welcome! There’s a series of workshop sessions educating and informing buyers about different aspects of Australian wine at Vinexpo. How important is the show in terms of “getting the message out”? We consider Vinexpo to be Asia’s most influential wine show and Hong Kong is a key export market for Australia. In the 12 months to 31 March 2016, we exported Australian wine to the value of HK5.8 million to Hong Kong, up 17% on the previous year and cementing Hong Kong as our fifth most valuable export market. Vinexpo’s audience goes beyond the local markets of Hong Kong and mainland China too, so it’s one of our most important trade engagement activities for the entire Asia Pacific region. It gives us the opportunity on a large-scale to open the eyes and minds of Asia’s most influential wine professionals to the modern face of Australian wine. It’s an ideal platform to challenge preconceptions about our wines and make sure we’re getting our messages and stories heard by the influencers who matter. What’s your key message to trade visitors at the show? The wine world is fast discovering that Australian wine has evolved far beyond the typical stereotype of singular wines of boldness and power. The fact is that with a landmass almost equal in size to Europe, Australian wine as a result is just as diverse. For this reason alone, the old perceptions and a one-size-fits-all understanding of Australian wine simply doesn’t do it justice. So I encourage you to visit our stand with an open mind and an expectation that you may be surprised to taste Australian wines that demonstrate balance, finesse, restraint and purity of fruit along with styles that are ideally suited to Asian cuisine and flavours • Level 1, Stand BC-74 Hiro Tejima Regional Manager, Wine Australia WE CONSIDER VINEXPO TO BE ASIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WINE SHOW AND HONG KONG IS A KEY EXPORT MARKET FOR AUSTRALIA. Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia © iStock - Halans vinexpodaily.com VINEXPO DAILY / DAY 2 / WEDNESDAY 25 TH MAY 2016 13
