Interview
Downunder Wines Interview: die Preis Image Falle australischer Weine in Deutschland
Eckhard Supp von EnoWorldWines berichtet im Interview bei Dowunder Wines über die Preis-Imagefalle australischer Weine in Deutschland.
Kritisch und ohne Schönrederei erfahren wir seine Meinung zu Fassweinexporten australischer Winzer und deren jüngste Fokussierung auf asiatische Märkte. Danke Eckhard für diese interessanten Eindrücke.
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We had the chance to interview one of Germany’s best known wine journalists at Prowein 2011 in Düsseldorf, Eckhard Supp from Hamburg. He tells us his view on image problems of Australian wines in Europe.
Michael Brecht
Die australische Bibel für die Weinfreaks Down Under
Der 28. Juli ist in diesem Jahr für alle Freunde des Weines ein besonderer Tag: der australische Weinpabst James Halliday stellt seinen ‘Wine Companion 2011′ vor.
James Halliday Wine Companion
Hier entscheiden sich für rund 2,600 Winzer Australiens, wieviele Sterne die Winery selbst und welche Benotung die dazugehörigen Weine erhalten haben. Five Stars – das ist das Ziel und vielfach der Traum der Winzer.
Ich selbst habe letztes Jahr mit Halliday gesprochen, im Jahr davor hat er mir ein Interview für Downunder Wines gegeben. Er selbst ist ein sehr netter und eher zurückhaltender Kerl, ‘down to earth’ wie die Australier sagen und da kommen die Weine ja schließlich auch her.
Viel Spaß bei der Lektüre der einzelnen Resultate im Buch selbst, wir werden in den kommenden Wochen vom ein oder anderen Winzer und dessen Ergebnissen berichten.
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The results are in: James Halliday’s Wine Companion is out today and all the fears and hopes of the Australian wine industry for this year are now published. There is no way back, most of the ‘winners’ have already published their PR statements, Printhie Wines from Orange for example sent me their newsletter early this morning indicating, they were the first winery in the Orange region getting the red five stars sign from Halliday.
“The third consecutive 5 star rating for Printhie has elevated the rating to 5 Red Stars and places Printhie in the top 3.3% of Australia’s wine producers listed in James Halliday’s 2011 Wine Companion database of over 2600 winemakers. They are described as an “outstanding winery regularly producing wines of exemplary quality and typicity.””
Good on them, well done and keep up the good work mates.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Begeisterter Webtalk einer Nachwuchswinzerin aus Western Australia
Heute erreichte uns eine Nachricht aus Western Australia. Kim Tyrer ist dort mit Galafrey Wines einer der Shooting Stars der Szene, die junge Region am Mount Barker gelegen bringt volle Rote Weine und sehr schöne Weissweine hervor.
Pruning @ Galafrey Wines
Ich kenne Kim seit Jahren über die social media Szene Down Unders und so habe ich mich entschlossen, ihre Nachricht an uns Ihnen einmal komplett zu zeigen.
Hier sehen wir die Begeisterung über die erzielten Benotungen im Winestate Magazine gepaart mit der frischen Sprache der jungen Winzer.
Mir gefällt diese natürliche, junge Art der Ansprache, sicherlich auch Dank der facebooks, diggs und diversen blogs im www. Doch lesen Sie selbst:
Ok… so in case you didn’t know how fabulous we are….we just got news that our 2006 Reserve Shiraz and 2004 Reserve Shiraz just got 4 stars Winestate magazine…the 2004 Reserve Shiraz was top in it’s category….that means both Shiraz’s will be in the Winestate Magazine Annual and in the tasting for ‘Wine of the … Year’ in Australia and New Zealand…and just in case you haven’t been keeping tabs on us….that is now a total of 5 WINES with a 4 (or more) STAR RATING WINESTATE MAGAZINE….that’s 5 wines that are in the final tasting for WINE OF THE YEAR and the Winestate Annual…all from Galafrey…..OMG…we are seriously very busy winemakers!!!! cheers Kim
Da sagen wir herzlichen Glückwunsch und freuen uns, dass wir diese Exemplare in unserem Tasting in der kommenden Woche an Bord haben.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Foster’s räumt in seinem US Geschäft auf – signs distribution agreement
Foster’s Wine Estates (Americas) announced today it has signed long-term distribution agreements with The Charmer Sunbelt Group, becoming effective from 1st of July this year. Charmer Sunbelt will gain the exclusive rights to sell Foster’s portfolio of wines on the East Coast, in New York, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Foster's Group Headoffice in Melbourne
Foster’s Group claims that the agreements mark the first phase of a US Route-to-Market initiative launched upon the completion of the Wine Strategic Review in February last year. Downunder Wines brought a long post on this subject.
“We are aligning with distributors who share our growth vision,” said Foster’s Americas Managing Director Stephen Brauer.
“Charmer Sunbelt has the capabilities and commitment in these key markets to grow our core brands, build our luxury portfolio and partner with us in bringing new, innovative brands and ways of working to the market,” he added in a press statement yesterday.
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Die amerikanische Tochter der Foster’s Gruppe aus Melbourne hat in den USA einen langfristigen Distributionsdeal mit der US amerikanischen Charmer Sunbelt Gruppe geschlossen. Ein solcher Abschluss war im Rahmen des im letzten Jahr beschlossenen Strategiewechsels erwartet worden.
Charmer Sunbelt, die ursprünglich aus den beiden Unternehmen Charmer Industries and Sunbelt Beverage Corporation hervorgegangen ist, weist eine starke Präsenz im ‘Wine und Spirits’ Umfeld an der Ostküste auf.
Dementsprechend setzt Foster’s jetzt auf die Kooperation und hofft, dass seine australischen Marken jetzt mit Hochdruck an den amerikanischen Konsumenten gebracht werden. Wir sind gespannt.
Michael Brecht
Deutsche Jung Sommeliere empfiehlt Cabernet Sauvignon aus Coonawarra
In dieser Woche habe ich Silja Schmid kennen gelernt, sie ist Jung – Sommelière in einem wundervollen Schloß im Allgäu und als solche natürlich ein sehr erfahrener Gesprächspartner, was die Trinkgewohnheiten ihrer Gäste angeht.
Silja ist gerade einmal 24 Jahre alt, hat ihre Hotelfach- und Sommelierausbildung in Deutschland und Frankreich absolviert und schwärmt von australischen Rotweinen.
Ein 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon aus dem South Australian Connawarra hat es ihr besonders angetan. Der John Riddoch von Wynns Connawarra Estate ist ein sensationeller Wein, er ist nur acht Jahre jünger als meine Gesprächspartnerin und wird von den Top 1% der Cabernet Sauvignon Trauben bei Wynns produziert.
Der tief dunkelrote Wein zeigt sofort seine kräftigen Aromen von Wildbeeren, Schokolade und Minze, um den Vergleich nach Frankreich zu führen, so hatte ich den Eindruck einen Cassis zu riechen. Der vollmundige Wein mit einem starken, langen sehr weichen Abgang war mit seinen 16 Jahren in einem erstklassigen Zustand.
Doch sehen Sie selbst, was unsere junge Sommlière dazu zu sagen hat:
Ich selbst hatte einen John Riddoch aus dem Jahr 1996 bereits in Australien probiert, hier der Bericht dazu.
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I had the pleasure of interviewing Silja Schmid, young sommeliere in South Bavaria, last week.
She raved about the 1994 John Riddoch Cab Sav from Wynns Connawarra Estate. They claim, that the John Riddoch is the definitive Cabernet Sauvignon of Wynns Coonawarra Estate – produced from the top 1% of available Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and then only in the years when grapes of extraordinarily high quality are available. A great wine, even after 16 years – we decantered the bottle and filtered it, as the cork completely broke when openening the bottle.
A very dark colour with a rich, ripe and complex bouquet present a voluptuous infusion of red berry, chocolate, mint, and cassis-like Cabernet aromas merging with lifted, spicy new oak. The wine came along as full-bodied with persistent and mouth-filling ripe berry flavour and excellent structure. I have to admit, that this Cab Sav was a real highlight for this evening.
Michael Brecht
Prowein – die weltweit führende Weinmesse für den Fachhandel
Nun, da ich für downunderwines in Deutschland aktiv bin, ist es an der Zeit die hiesigen Events anzugehen.
Prowein Messe in Deutschland
Ende März findet in Düsseldorf die Prowein Messe statt, geöffnet nur für Fachbesucher und Medienvertreter. Mehr als 1.000 Journalisten berichten von der Prowein in diesem Jahr, ich bin gespannt, wieviele davon blogger und Vertreter der Neuen Medien sein werden.
Seit vielen Jahren bin ich in Australien von Winzern auf diese Messe angesprochen worden. Die Winzer Down Under werden in diesem Jahr wiederum auf einem grossen australischen Stand vertreten sein. Andere wiederum nutzen die Stände der lokalen Importeure für ihren Auftritt. Alle kämpfen um die Anerkennung ihrer Weine in diesem schwierigen deutschen Markt, bei all diesen Weinen in den Supermärkten ist es schwierig, die wahren australischen Tropfen zu präsentieren. Das Fachpublikum auf der Prowein ist ein erster Schritt hierzu.
Viel Beachtung in diesem Jahr findet die Vereinigung von fünf ‘Neue Welt’ Ländern, der sogenannten Down2Earth Initiative. Vorweg: Australien ist hier nicht dabei.
Argentinien, Kalifornien, Chile, Neuseeland und Südafrika habe diese Allianz gebildet, die diesen Ländern helfen soll, als Neue Welt Initiative den Weintrinkern der ‘Alten Welt’ näher zu kommen. Diese Initiative wird zum ersten Mal in Düsseldorf vorgestellt, wir werden auf diesem Blog ein Interview hierzu bringen.
Mehr zu Interviews und Hintergrundberichten auf der Prowein in wenigen Tagen hier bei downunderwines.
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Prowein is the world’s most important wine fair and allows our Australian wineries to present its products to Europe’s finest distribution channels.
While Australian wineries go their own way, five nations have joined forces to have their wines presented in a so called ‘Down to Earth joint marketing venture. Argentina, California, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa are jointly presenting Down To Earth at Prowein in 2010. This collaboration of New World countries is a world first and represents an innovative approach to marketing at one of the world’s most important international trade fairs.
We’ll bring an interview on the effectiveness of such joint marketing approach, Australian wineries will go their own way and we’ll ask them how this works out for them too.
Michael Brecht
Take a shot of wines and winemakers – wine photography as a profession
Michael met Nardia Guillaumier from NEG Photography at the Kiama Wine Show a few days ago. They started talking about photography and how to deal with the wine business. Both decided to have an interview to understand a photographer’s view of the wine trade. Read here what Nardia thinks about taking shots of wine bottles. Enjoy responsibly.
Photography at a Wine Show
downunderwines: Nardia, thanks for your time, let us start with a question about when you started with photography?
Nardia: I have been taking photos since my husband bought a Canon 300D camera in 2002 for his birthday, just for fun. He has never had a chance to use the camera though. But I have taken some great shots for friends weddings, family portraits, landscapes and businesses. In 2009 I have completed my Diploma in Photography and decided to start NEG photography as a semi hobby and profession. I never realised it would take off so quickly. But I am loving every assignment and really enjoy meeting new and interesting people.
downunderwines: How did you come to making photos at wine shows?
Nardia: JAi Events, located in Kiama, gave me the opportunity to capture some images for the Kiama Regional Wine Show this year. It allowed me to start snapping photos straight away, in fact I think I took around 350 photos on the day.
downunderwines: Isn’t it boring to take photos of wine bottles?
Nardia: Photography is only what you make it, as is everything. Any subject can be made interesting, imagination is only limited by your mind not by the cost of film.
downunderwines: What is the most difficult when taking photos of wines?
Nardia: In photographing the Kiama Regional Wine show, the reflections were a little difficult to master and also keeping the shots modern and innovative.
Hunter Valley's Keith Tulloch
downunderwines: How do you cope with wine experts and their habits?
Nardia: I think their habits are to our advantage. As without their amazing palates and vivid descriptions of flavour, then as tasting novices we would have no idea what characteristics to look for. Everyone has their talent, which could be seen as habits for some.
downunderwines: So tell us, what is your favourite wine?
Nardia: At the moment Sauvignon Blanc.
downunderwines: If wine – red or white?
Nardia: Depending on what mood I am in. Party time – it’s white, relax and vege, its a red – normally Merlot.
downunderwines: What regions have you visited in Australia that produced wine?
Nardia: Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, Barossa, Hunter Valley, Riverina, Coonawarra and Margaret River… is that too many?
downunderwines: Can you tell us of any anecdotes on wine people or wine drinkers?
Nardia: Well my husband, Brian and I love wine. Me more than him, I should say to be fair. On one of our adventures on the road (actually seeing the Solar Eclipse at Lyndhurst, SA, 2002) we visited the Coonawarra. After having drunk one too many with my sisters Marika and Sarsha, we all fell asleep, except for Brian who was the designated driver. Whilst driving Brian saw a wedged-tail eagle sitting right by the side of the road. Being my favourite bird, Brian did try to wake me (so he tells me). But due to the amount of tastings I had had, I didn’t wake up. When I did wake after 2.5 hours asleep, Brian told me about the magnificent eagle. My first response was…’Why didn’t you wake me?’ The look of dispare on his face was hilarious. Still to this day he tells this story. What can I say, just love wine …
downunderwines: So, how can people get in touch with you for their next shot?
Nardia: Either by emailing me on negphotography@bigpond.com or by visiting my website. I also have a facebook group, NEG photography, join up if you wish.
Nardia, thank you very much for your time and good luck with the next wine show.
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Nardia traf Michael auf der Kiama Wine Show und sprach mit ihm über die Schwierigkeiten Flaschen zu fotografieren, die Weinszene richtig ins Licht zu setzen und mit den diversen Eitelkeiten umzugehen. Gewinnen Sie einen originalen Einblick hinter die Kulissen der Weinszene hier in Australien.
Baby you can drive the car tonight – limousine services in the Yarra Valley
In all of the Australian wine regions entrepreneurs have started offering services around the main topic: wine – organised wine tours, cellar door and vineyard walks, candlelight dinners, concerts in the vineyard or meet the winemaker events to just name a few.
We thought we have a look at one of the services, mainly provided in the bigger wine regions: so called limousine services. The idea came to us while tweeting with ‘babyyoucandrive‘ – or Sandy the other day. We loved the name of her twitter ID so much, that we initiated this interview. Sandy owns Driven Indulgence, a limousine service operating in the Victorian Yarra Valley though her real home is a few hours away in one of our preferred wine regions, in Beechworth.
downunderwines: Hi Sandy, thanks for your time today. My first question is about your location: you are based in Beechworth but work in the Yarra Valley, tell us how this works?
Sandy: Beechworth is where my home is, but I am currently staying with family in the Yarra Valley while I build my new tour business. I am working and living between the two gorgeous regions and will be offering tours in both areas. Sort of a cross pollination between the two. The wine industry created a strong link if you like between the two areas for me, working in and around the industry for 20 years or so in one capacity or another.
Girls night out
downunderwines: You have started a Limousine services business – let us start with my question of how you came up with the name for it?
Sandy: Driven Indulgence was arrived at after a session with pen and paper isolating what it is that the business does. I also love the idea of not having the word tour or Yarra Valley or wine, because it can be about so much more, which is my intention to make it a fun flexible alternative to taxis, bus tours and the like. A little bit of class, my guests love having ‘their own driver’.
Indulgence – indeed! The business has become a handy alternative to waiting for a taxi for locals when they have important functions or appointments at hospitals, functions, parties, a night out with the girls and the like.
downunderwines: Please forgive me for asking this question: driving as a chauffeur and being a woman: how do your clients react when they see you turn up in their driveway?
Sandy: That is so funny, I must say, it is never a problem in my mind and I feel that my guests pick up on that. I have always had favourable comments re. my girl driving. It’s the fiance’s, wives and girlfriends that comment first; ‘you are lucky, I am not allowed to drive this’ then a little voice pipes up from the back seat usually, with some comment along the lines of ‘but she doesn’t … like you’.
I must admit, I used to be a natural blonde, so the hair had to go so as not to cop the good humour of my guests all day about being ‘a blonde women driver!’
No I think the focus is so much on showing my guests a good time and the very best the valley has to offer, that the female driver doesn’t seem to come into it much. Of course I love the humour and innuendo, it’s Aussie tradition! No offense taken.
downunderwines: OK, now give us a good story with some of your guests please:
Sandy: Last week we had a gorgeous young couple staying with Gracedale Accommodation, Amy and Alex, they wanted to see the background, the things going on behind the scenes, not just cellar doors however great they are. I took them to see Sticks Winery in Yarra Glen. They were blown away, Tom the winemaker showed them around and they enjoyed some of the intricate explanations of the wine making process while being shown the equipment and barrel room and of course tastings at cellar door. Yileena Park Winery opened up especially for them at around 6pm, Bob showed us all about his wines and a few pointers on opening up a red, sharing his genuine country hospitality and intimate wine knowledge. When we returned to Gracedale, Jenny was like a mother hen, ‘where have you been are you ok?’ We just got lost in our awesome day in the valley, relaxed, took some photos, shared stories and had a ball. Alex a confirmed spirits drinker was now a wine connoisseur, he amazed Amy and myself with his intense questions to the wine staff and I think we will be hearing from him soon with his spirit drinking friends on a conversion tour!
I had hired a Chrysler for the day to do a photo shoot in the morning to get a couple of shots for my marketing, so we did it in style, all that was missing was the cigars! They had the back seat – holding hands thing going on, it was great. Amy got a new man, Alex got a mature adult wine tasting side to his life and I got to see it all happen!
your dedicated driver
downunderwines: Sounds like fun, so did you drive any celebrities lately?
Sandy: All my guests are celebrities! None to report so far. Although I drove the local limo company Affinity Limo owners Andy and Tanya to a party last weekend in their extreme black Chrysler. That would be local identities yeh? We wore our sunglasses in the dark (no we didn’t)… and Tanya exited the party with her shoes on the end of her finger in the air, climbed into the warm cabin all happy ready for home, we hooked back to Yarra Glen gliding through the streets of Lilydale at 1 in the morning with the chatter full of anticipation for both of our businesses growing, arrrrr, nice, like a dream.
downunderwines: And while not behind the steering wheel, what is your favourite drop?
Sandy: I love wine, I love the random surprises you get, I love labels and packaging, but mostly a wine with good length and body, clean fruit driven and a little barrel age not so you are chewing through the tannins and oak though. Two of my favourite whites at the moment in the Yarra Valley are the Yileena Park 2006 Chardonnay and the 08 Sauvignon Blanc from Punt Road wines which is no longer available through cellar door, but I know Barrique Wine Store in Healesville has snaffled a few cases. Also the Pinot Gris from the Innocent Bystander, another easy drinking fav. of mine. I also discovered a Pinot at Wedgetail Winery in Cottles Bridge that is amazing. I love finding a wine that somehow I have had a part in developing at some stage, whether it was planting the vines back in the late 90′s early 2000′s or cellar hand or working on the pruning, harvest or other related facets of maintenance in the vineyard. One of my girlfriends and I have fizz nights in Eldorado near Wangaratta, that usually consists of an undisclosable number of bottles, hours of conversation and laughter followed by a gruelling “….I’m ok.” recovery day.
Well here we have a female chauffeur with a great depth of knowledge on the local wines in the Yarra Valley. Best of luck for your new business and we hope that you’ll keep us in the loop with some nice stories of what happens in the valley. Thanks Sandy.
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In vielen der hiesigen Weintaeler werden sog. Limousine Services angeboten, haeufig in stretched Limos, mit dunklen Scheiben und kraeftigen Fahrern, die Sonnenbrille tragen. Unser Interview haben wir mit Sandy gefuehrt, einer jungen Dame aus Beechworth, die diesen Limousinenservice vor wenigen Wochen begann. Sie wird uns hoffentlich in den naechsten Monaten mit weiteren Geschichten aus ihrer Limousine versorgen.
Michael Brecht
