Wine Australia ‘Far From Ordinary’ NY launch
More than one thousand New York wine lovers gathered at the Union West in Chelsea from September 17-19 for the launch of the Wine Australia ‘Far From Ordinary’ campaign – a six-week promotion aimed at reinvigorating Australian wine sales in the US market.
The New York event kick-started the largest-ever promotion of Australian wine in the US.
Supported by the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package, the $8 million campaign features more than 100 Australian wine exhibitors, consumer events, retail and wholesaler activations, and a six-city roadshow of trade tastings and seminars visiting New York (17–19 September), Chicago (23 September), Miami (25 September), Dallas (27 September), Los Angeles (1 October) and San Francisco (3 October).
Pictured above are Australia’s First Families of Wine at the Miami event:
Chester Osborn d’Arenberg , Richard Burch Howard Park Wines , Jess Hill-Smith Yalumba , Justine Henschke Henschke , Bruce Tyrrell Tyrrell’s Wines , Kath Tidemann d’Arenberg and Mitchell Taylor Taylors Wines.
Australian Consul General to New York Alastair Walton said: “The Far From Ordinary campaign created by Wine Australia to showcase a large and diverse range of winemakers is one of the best commercial engagements I have ever seen in New York or elsewhere. It is truly of a global standard in its conception and execution.
“At the trade segment of this three-day event, I witnessed first-hand hundreds of potential commercial wine buyers engage with our Australian winemakers. This is a very welcome initiative from the wine sector.
“The sheer scale and impact of this campaign could never be achieved by even our most internationally prominent winemakers and this collective approach is exactly what is needed in this highly competitive but huge marketplace.”
The three nights of consumer events treated guests to 34 Australian wines in a setting brought to life with Australian scenery, birdsong, scents and music, capturing the natural environments that influence Australian winemaking.
Speaking about the trade tasting in New York, Australian exhibitor Victoria Angove, Joint Managing Director at Angove Family Winemakers said: “We saw an outstanding turnout of New York wine specialists who have loved the opportunity to taste the extraordinary depth and breadth of Australian wine.”
Alexandra Burt, Proprietor of Voyager Estate said: “I think that the quality of trade that came to the New York tasting demonstrates a genuine interest in the true wine stories from Australia. We’re all feeling a new momentum here in the market.”
Exhibiting winemaker Mac Forbes of Mac Forbes Winery said: “It’s amazing to see such energy in the room for Australian wine. The different levels of engagement, the different conversations and the higher levels of understanding were evident across all events and will definitely contribute to the increasing presence of and excitement for Australian wine in New York.’
De Bortoli General Manager, North America, Craig Orchard said: “The Wine Australia team has done an amazing job to bring an event space alive with the sounds and feel of Australia in the heart of New York City.
“Walking around and hearing the appreciation of Australian wines and the experience of the consumers was really uplifting and offers the wine sector great opportunities going forward.”
