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Australian Wine in the UK

Australian Wine in the UK

Leading trade members give their view of the market and the opportunities ahead.
Australian Wine in the UK

The Australian Wine market in the UK is in a state of growth and change. Leading trade members give their view of the market and the opportunities ahead.

Australian wine has changed beyond all recognition in the past few years.  Styles have evolved and become more elegant and food-friendly as cool climate wines become ever more widely available.  The range of varieties on offer has exploded and the traditional classics, such as Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, have been joined by a throng of new, or at least newly appreciated, ones including Fiano, Sangiovese and Tempranillo.  Add into this melange consumers' desire for authenticity, typicity and individuality from their Australian wines - a welcome trend that's seen the price of Australian wine rise in the UK - and you have a market that's buoyant, increasingly diverse and exciting. To see how these trends are affecting the UK market for premium Australian wine, we spoke to a number of leading wine professionals to share their thoughts on the current scene and to give us their insights on what might be the next big thing...

The wine writer's view: Jamie Goode

Leading wine writer and Wine Australia guest blogger, Jamie Goode, sees change in all areas but highlights the need for yet more education - particularly when it comes to Australia's diverse wine regions. What's the most exciting thing about Australian wine in the UK at the moment? The emergence of small, artisanal producers, and the way that the Australian wine offering has gone from monochrome to colour. Are you seeing any trends in terms of varieties - are you seeing more 'new' varieties coming through or is it still the traditional wines that are dominating the market? We're not seeing them yet over here, but there's a lot of excitement about Nero d'Avola and Fiano in particular.  The most exciting thing is wines of place, not the grape varieties necessarily. We talk a lot about the rise of premium Australian wines - do you get the sense that UK consumers are willing to pay more for Australian wine these days?

Top Australian wines with some bottle age, I am a big fan of aged Riesling, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz and we see more and more importers who are proposing library stocks. Are you seeing any trends in terms of varieties - are you seeing more 'new' varieties coming through or is it still the traditional wines that are dominating the market?

This content is restricted to wine exporters and levy-payers. Some reports are available for purchase to non-levy payers/exporters.

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This content is restricted to wine exporters and levy-payers. Some reports are available for purchase to non-levy payers/exporters.