Top Australian wineries in tourism boost

Leading wineries are joining forces with Tourism Australia in an effort to raise the profile of the country as one of the world’s leading wine tourism destinations.

The Ultimate Winery Experiences of Australia consortium will offer visitors a choice of barrel, private and structured tastings, food and wine matching, wine education and gastronomy.

Early participants include Jacob’s Creek and Seppeltsfield in the Barossa Valley; Leeuwin Estate and Xanadu in Margaret River; De Bortoli, TarraWarra (pictured)and Yering Station in the Yarra Valley; Wyndham Estate in the Hunter Valley; Montalto on the Mornington Peninsula; and Moorilla Estate and Josef Chromy in Tasmania.

The initiative will be extended to other vineyards in later phases, and follows the signing of a three-year marketing agreement between Tourism Australia and Wine Australia in December last year.

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said the project aimed to tap into the potential of wine and tourism, with the two industries worth a combined AUD$140bn a year to the Australian economy.

‘These wineries are not simply venues to taste and purchase wine,’ he added.

‘Most of them offer a complete tourism experience – restaurants, accommodation, tours, as well as exciting behind-the-scenes winery experiences.

‘They allow visitors to interact with the product, the winemaker and enjoy first-hand the rich diversity that our many wine regions have to offer.’

Brooke Copping, marketing manager of Moorilla Estate, said the initiative offered the winery the chance to reach an international audience, something which it could not otherwise afford to do.

Written by Richard Woodard