Media Release - 2 November 2011

Australia’s wine making heritage, diversity and innovation will be on display at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair which runs from 3 to 5 November at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Australian Pavilion will comprise representatives from more than 50 wineries. Wine buyers will find multi-award winning wines from well-known regions like the Barossa and Clare Valleys in South Australia, the Hunter Valley and Orange regions in New South Wales, as well as the cool climates of Tasmania, and the Margaret River district in Western Australia.

Many of these wines are already being sold to premium restaurants and hotels in Australia and internationally, but are still new to the Hong Kong and greater China markets. These wines are proven complements to a wide variety of foods, including Chinese and other Asian cuisines.

Australian Consul-General Paul Tighe said, “Local consumers continue to demonstrate a taste for quality and have made Hong Kong a premium market for Australian wine. This Wine Fair is providing a platform to further develop the market’s awareness about the breadth and depth of Australia’s fine wine-making regions.”

Currently, Australia produces more than 100 different grape varieties, across more than 60 designated wine regions. This regional and varietal diversity provides consumers with a large range of wines to choose from: flagship wines that are famous worldwide; rare, small batch regionally distinct wines; and wines that can be enjoyed every day of the week with friends and family.

Australia is also famous for combining tradition with new ideas and technology; Shiraz produced Down Under is renowned throughout the world. However, there is more to Australian wines than this popular red variety. Some of the most loved grape varieties include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc for white wines, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir for red wines. Winemakers also skilfully blend different grape varieties to produce complex and unique wine styles.

The popularity of Australian wines is reflected in trade figures released recently by Wine Australia. Hong Kong and China represent Australia’s third largest export market by value. This equates with a total of 70 million bottles of Australian wine sent to these markets in the past 12 months.

Wine Australia will also conduct a master class during the fair to introduce a range of iconic and award winning wines such as Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills, Riesling from the Great Southern Region, Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, and Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra. The master class is already fully booked.

Supported by the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) and Wine Australia, the Australian Pavilion is located at Hall 3F. It opens to trade buyers on 3-4 November and to the public on 5 November. Media and trade visitors are welcome to register for a VIP tour at the Austrade Booth (3D-A07 in Hall 3).