48 Australian brands will be showcased tomorrow at the biggest trade tasting in Japan, Wine Australia Tasting (WAT).
Nearly 500 trade and media guests are expected to attend the event, which is timed to precede the peak of Japan’s wine consumption from mid-autumn and throughout winter.
Through the WAT, exhibiting importers and wineries will have the valuable opportunity to (re)connect with Japanese buyers and local wine media.
Guests will taste close to 300 Australian wines and discover their diverse styles, stories and personalities at this large format tasting. There are 48 brands registered to participate including McWilliam’s, Vasse Felix, First Drop, Chain of Ponds, Brown Brothers and Sirromet.
Wine Australia’s regional manager for Asia, Hiro Tejima, said events like the WAT create new opportunities for brands to engage an increasingly sophisticated Japanese wine consumer as well as an emerging demographic of younger wine drinkers.
“The biggest opportunity in the Japanese market is building on the perception of Australian wine and creating an emotional connection between the brand and the wine drinker. It becomes about more than just the quality of the wine, brands need to also engage people with the story of the wine, where it comes from, the people who made it and the terroir of the region.”
The coming ratification of the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA), expected to make access to the Japanese market easier for winemakers, will also encourage a more balanced approach by brands to the greater Asian region.
“It’s encouraging to see the WAT strongly supported by the Australian wine community. It’s our biggest event in the Japanese market and we’re again fully subscribed with almost 50 individual wine brands participating,” Tejima said.
Alongside the WAT, an education workshop and guided tastings will be offered by Wine Australia’s certified A+ Australian Wine Trade Specialists. They’ll offer practical tips to local trade on promoting Australian wine in the retail and restaurant environments.