Australian wine regions lay out the welcome mat for 26 international guests
The next two months will see the Australian wine sector welcome 26 international trade and media guests as part of four Wine Australia regional visits that will showcase the quality, diversity, provenance and personality of our wines.
Part of the Wine Australia User Pays Activities (UPA) Market Program, the trips will see groups from the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Asia land on Australian soil from this week to embark on tailored itineraries that will have guests meeting some of our passionate winemakers and tasting a range of our wines right at the cellar door.
Wine Australia’s Aaron Brasher says bringing influential international wine professionals to our regions is the best way to tell the Australian wine story.
'We know that driving advocacy is most effective when you can give someone a true brand experience and what better way to do that than get our guests in the heart of Australia’s amazing wine regions, meeting the winemakers behind the wines and hearing the stories behind these brands first hand.
'It’s our hope that not only can we influence global perceptions of Australian wine in key export markets but that when they return home they’ll have a love and appreciation for Aussie wine that will encourage them to share that experience within their own networks whether it’s with family and friends, their customers or their readers.'
The itineraries for the visits have been developed in partnership with those regional associations and wineries that have registered through the UPA program.
The four visits are:
- UK, Ireland and Europe Trade and Media Visit (9-19 October) – guests include the 2013 ‘Young Wine Writer of the Year’ Hugh Jones, and Decanter’s UK News and Markets Editor, Chris Mercer
- North America and Asia Trade and Media Visit (26 October-4 November) – guests include the Wine Australia WSET Scholarship Winner, Tony Ketrenos, and CEO of Tokyo’s The Opener Co’, Ltd. and Chandelle Wine Bar, Madoka Ogiya
- Norway Media Visit (9-16 November) – a solo visit for Ingvild Tennfjord, author and wine writer for Aftenposten, Norway’s largest newspaper
- Asian Trade and Media Visit (16-23 November).