Pleasing sales performances for Australia's regionally distinct wines are being welcomed by the 10 independent businesses that participated in Wine Australia's Regional Heroes Program in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Wine Australia reports that the success of the promotion during March, April and May has been measured by sales data that confirms not only increased volume sales, but also an increase in the value of Australian wine sold during the promotion period.
Some businesses have reported growth of more than 1000pc on certain lines and have attributed the overwhelming success to the valuable investment in staff training and education that Wine Australia delivered as part of the program.
The program's focus was to improve awareness, adoption and performance of regionally distinct Australian wines at premium price points within the independent trade community.
The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation identified the UK and Ireland as maturing export markets that would most benefit from a dedicated program and will use the success of year one activities to introduce similar programs in North America and Asia during 2008-09.
Concluding the program for this year is a visit to Australia, an incentive offered to participating businesses and an opportunity for the visitors to stand in the vineyard, survey the regions and meet the winemakers they've been hearing about.
Above all the visit will provide the opportunity to put theory into practice and see first hand what makes a McLaren Vale Grenache or a Grampians Shiraz, for example, develop such unique characteristics that can not be replicated anywhere else in the world