South Australian Wine, Evolution or Revolution? Ask the Dutch.

 

At a time when Australia is losing sales in the Netherlands, some 38% over the last three years, South Australia's Agent General, Bill Muirhead, is determined to refocus Dutch importers, sommeliers and retailers on South Australia's premium wines.

 

According to Mr Muirhead this has required getting the most influential Dutch journalists down to South Australia to experience firsthand what's new in South Australia's wine regions.

 

Jan Van Lissum was delighted to visit South Australia earlier this year and, via his magazines Proefschrift and Proefkrant, is playing an important role to re-enthuse the trade in the Netherlands.

 

Mr Muirhead said that "Mr Van Lissum runs many wine events, including the Wine Professional held in January each year, providing an excellent opportunity to get our message to the market that while the highly valued Australia dollar makes competing on price alone impossible, South Australia does still offer exciting quality wines that represent world class value for money".

 

Mr Van Lissum visited South Australia with Roderick Ros who is no stranger to South Australia having worked there for over 7 years as a Sommelier. 

 

Mr Muirhead said that "Together they visited the new, the small and one or two of the more established wineries that continue to innovate.  The program included the Barossa, Clare, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek and Coonawarra, giving Mr Van Lissum and Mr Ros the opportunity to taste over 500 wines."

 

Mr Van Lissum said "We were blown away by what we tasted.  It was genuinely exciting and we are determined to get the message out to the Dutch trade that South Australian wine is continuing to evolve under the innovative hand of some amazing wine makers, the young and established ones".

 

Mr Van Lissum recently brought together 35 leading sommeliers and chefs from all over the Netherlands with a tally of 30 Michelin Stars for a 7 course lunch at De Librije, a restaurant with three Michelin stars.  The selection of South Australian wines they had chosen from 50 wines re-tasted on their return from Australia were matched with the best that a three star chef can offer. In between courses, the other wines were tasted and discussed.

 

Mr Ros said that "The response of leading Dutch sommeliers and Chefs to South Australian wines exceeded all expectations" and exploded the Dutch myth that South Australian premium wines are no match for the very best food of some of the doubters - the buzz has started.

 

Since then two features have appeared in Proefschrift with another scheduled in December 2011. In October the wines were also shown at the Wijn Concours and at another Masterclass in Amsterdam.

 

Mr Muirhead said that "it appears Dutch importers are taking a fresh look at South Australian wines and importing wines not currently represented in the market as a result through new experiences with producers such as BK Wines, Stephen Pannell, John Duval, Dandelion wines, Adelina, Pikes, Paxton, Raidis, Longview, Chapel Hill, Cleggett, Battle of Bosworth, Samual Gorge, The Lane and Brothers in Arms".