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Cool climate wines could grow Aussie volumes

Cooler-climate wines could be the answer to Australia's problems of shrinking off-trade volumes and under-representation on restaurant lists.

The category saw take-home volume sales drop 2.7% in the year to September 2011, while value sales remained static at £1.1 billion, according to a recent Wilson Drinks Report commissioned by Wine Australia. In the on-trade, the country only has a 9% share of red listings and 7% share of white on wine lists.

But the future is bright if it gets its cool-climate offering right. "The big opportunities for Australia are to continue to develop and promote cooler-climate wines," said Adrian Brice, consultant and former group wine buyer at D&D London.

Andrew Connor, manager at Lutyens restaurant, agreed. He said it is having "pleasing success" with Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir.

Mornington Chardonnay and Pinot can "more than hold its own" against wines from Burgundy, said Robin Davis, owner of online merchant Swig.

Sarah Ahmed, wine writer and educator, pointed towards "the recent advent of sparkling wine of Pinot Noir, and also the turnaround of Chardonnay" as to why new wine drinkers are engaging with Australia.

Wine Australia is celebrating '10 years of triumph' at its annual trade tasting, taking place today at London's Saatchi Gallery.

Want to know more? Check out Harpers' Australia supplement, available with this issue.

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