Australia Decanted to woo US Market with 6-week Campaign

Remember the global meltdown when the US had the sudden perception of Australian wines being cheap as they kept on slashing the prices down and bring more and more cheaper wines to compete with a difficult global market? And remember the unified marketing approach taken by the country to enter the upcoming Chinese market with help from the government in general and Wine Australia in particular which later even went to the extent of starting a A$50 million Export fund to support campaigns of producers to increase sales of Australian wines?

Then you have also been reading about the slowing Chinese wine market during the last one year and on another front a Clarion Call for the industry to rise to the occasion in unison and try to change the image of cheap Australian wines and focus on the premium end as Australia makes excellent wines from the family-owned wineries, many of whom have over 100-year old history of winemaking.

Well, Australia has been on the centre stage in the wine world of the US during the six-week campaign that has dazzled the American trade, consumers and media alike, according to reports. A record sum of $8 million has been spent on the promotional campaign; this was supported by the $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package through Wine Australia.  This is the single largest chunk of investment made by Australian wine industry. One hundred Australian wine producers showcase their wines in New York, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Lake Tahoe at a series of consumer events, seminars and B2B meetings and tastings.

The campaign culminated at Lake Tahoe where 100 American sommeliers, journalists, wine buyers and merchants attend 3 days of seminars, tastings and dinners with 16 Australian winemakers representing the regions, traditions and new directions that Australian wine has taken.

Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark said, ‘we have been thrilled by the reception we have received. The campaign has seen us take the thrilling Australian wine scene to the heart of the USA with unprecedented scale and impact and allowed American consumers and trade to meet our wine producers, taste their wines and get a real sense of the warmth, energy and undeniable talent that exists in our wine community’.

Australian Consul-General to Houston, Texas, Hon Peter McGauran said, ‘Australian wines had never received such prominence or profile in Texas before Wine Australia’s spectacular event in Dallas.

‘Leading sommeliers, distributors and retailers came away knowing that Australian wine was world class and a fit for the Texan market.

‘The direct conversation between buyers and winery representatives who spoke passionately and expertly of their wine was a highlight for me. The event was held with customary Texan and Australian informality and mateship’, he said.

Renowned US sommelier turned India-born American winemaker Rajat Parr, who attended Australia Decanted, said, ‘events like this are invaluable. To meet the growers, meet the winemakers, to hear their stories and taste the wines all in one context, in one place, is really going to change the perceptions of all the people here.’

‘Their wines truly reflect their character and for me, as a wine producer in the USA, that’s what I want to do. I want to make wine that represents a place, represents me,’ he said.

Exhibiting winemaker Vanya Cullen of Cullen Wines said, ‘the only way to feel wine is to taste it and talk through the experience with people. The best experience is in the winery but to be in a place like Lake Tahoe with a room full of Australian winegrowers and top USA trade and media, is absolutely priceless. We want them to get a sense of Australian wine as an uplifting experience that represents our people, places and culture in a glass’.

 ‘There’s a real transformation going on in terms of perceptions in the industry and a real willingness and excitement about embracing what the category can be. I think there’s never been a better time to introduce the Australian wine category to the US market. And it’s such a phenomenal platform for introducing people to the entirety of Australia, certainly in a wine-centric way but it does a wonderful job of showcasing the history, the culture and the sense of place in Australia’, he said.

For more information about Australia’s largest-ever promotion of Australian wine in the USA, visit https://www.wineaustralia.com

Subhash Arora

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