Fine Australian wine took centre stage in Taiwan at the Australian Wine Showcase co-hosted by Wine Australia and Austrade in late November.
Almost 200 guests – including trade, consumers and media – attended the two-day event, relishing in tastings and discussions with winemakers and winery representatives.
Food and wine journalist Denis Lin hosted a comprehensive Shiraz master class, which was followed by an afternoon of trade tastings where Australian wineries and potential importers were able to mingle and discuss potential future collaborations, and in the evening Taiwan-based importers of Australian brands joined a tasting with the wineries, and more than 350 consumers.
Following the showcase, several wineries explored the retail market in Taipei to help better understand the important nuances of the Taiwanese wine market.
David Lucas, Regional General Manager North Asia, said, ‘Taiwan is a relatively small but highly important market. It is very influential on the region as a whole. I was delighted to see so many wineries join this showcase event and I hope we can develop this activity into a larger event in the future as our stakeholders start to understand the potential for Australian wine in Taiwan.’
Eliza Chui, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Taipei and Deputy Representative, said ‘the success of the Australian Wine Showcase in Taiwan demonstrates the invaluable partnership between Wine Australia and Austrade, leveraging their respective Australian expertise and clientele as well as local connections, to position Australian wine strategically in a growing market, with sophisticated taste and appetite for new varieties.’
Following the two-day event, several wineries have confirmed that they have secured new import and distribution partners and many others are in-discussion with new partners.
The event was supported by the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package.