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Australia's Grape and Wine Authority looks to secure industry's future for "next generation"

Published:  28 January, 2015

Australia is already starting to see the fruits of creating a single Australian Grape and Wine Authority although its principle strategy is focused on securing long term, sustainable benefits for the industry.

Wine Australia's Brian WalshWine Australia's Brian WalshSource: thewinerules.wordpress.com

Australia is already starting to see the fruits of creating a single Australian Grape and Wine Authority although its principle strategy is focused on securing long term, sustainable benefits for the industry.

That was the view of Brian Walsh, chairman of Wine Australia which came together with the Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation in November 2013, to form a united body that could spearhead development projects across Australia.

Walsh, who was speaking to Harpers.co.uk at this week's annual Australia tasting in London, said the trade was already seeing how collaborative winemaking principles were helping to "finesse" the country's wines, but it remains fixed on driving long term benefits and developing a sustainable wine industry well in to the future.

"We are doing this for the next generation, and sadly won't be around to see it all the way through," he explained.

"The challenge for wine in Australia is not over the next one to five years, but the next 25 to 30 years," said Walsh. The objective of the new combined Australian Grape and Wine Authority was to have an industry capable of creating wines that can "stand shoulder to shoulder" to any wines in the world.

This, he stressed, was already in the case with many of its wines, but long term research projects focused on how it can best develop and understand its terroir and wine regions would help create a "halo effect" for all Australian wine.

"We need to make sure our researchers are identifying the areas that will help make our wines even better. The more work we can do to uncover the riches of our terroir will help with the overall story of Australian that is based on good science and fact."

He added: "This will help the overall perception of Australian wine and increase our competitiveness in the market."

Australia's Grape and Wine Authority Australia's Grape and Wine Authority

He and his board are on an ongoing process of talking to all the main stakeholders in the Australian wine industry to ensure everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet.

"We can't be all things to all people and we need to try and get people to agree that we have to have to focus on our best wines and take this long term view.

thewinerules.wordpress.com

"We are doing this for the next generation, and sadly won't be around to see it all the way through."

In the short term Walsh said it was important Australia found a way to get its winemakers, particularly those at the cutting edge of its development, "out in the market" so that they can use their "personality" to tell the story of Australian wine like so many of their predecessors have done.

He conceded discussions were at a very early stage in whether the annual UK Australia tasting should be moved to a time of the year when more winemakers could attend.

There were also, he added, clear signs that Australian wine was once again back on the front foot in its key international market.

He was particularly excited about the link up Wine Australia now has with Tourism Australia and the impact this could potentially have on the profile of its wines thanks to the increased budgets its tourism body has.

Promoting Australia's wine, food and lifestyle offer would be an increasingly important part of its wine and tourism message, confirmed Walsh.

A strategy that will no doubt be high on the agenda when Laura Jewell, currently with Tesco, comes on board as head of Wine Australia in the UK on February 23.

Tasting delights

This week's London Australia Day Tasting featured more than 1,000 covering 213 Australian across 65 different regions. The tasting attracted 53 exhibitors across 82 tables and also included a food and wine feature, 'Restaurant Australia' in partnership with Tourism Australia. Here Michelin-starred chef, Roger Jones, of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn created dishes matched with wine across four varietally-themed pop-up stalls covering Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz.

For Stuart Barclay, Wine Australia's general manager, it was first experience of a London Australia Day tasting. He said: "Yesterday's tasting is exactly what Wine Australia is all about, bringing together a great collection of wine producers and giving them a viable trading platform while embracing the Australian spirit. One in five bottles of wine bought in the UK off-trade is grown from Australia's vineyards and the British passion for our wines is not showing any signs of shifting position as one of the nation's favourites."

Wine Australia now moves its tasting to Ireland where 25 producers will be at its Dublin tasting on Thursday.

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