Drinks Trade #81 - Summer 2021/22

your news, your views Summer 2021/22 issue 81

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINE REVIEW A COVID FOCUS Australian Wine List of the Year Awards Winners

AUSTRALIAN DRINKS AWARDS 2021 Favourite Brands and Brands on the Rise

VIEWPOINT Simon Owens, Bacardi Limited

NO SUGAR LESS THAN 83 CALORIES

PLEASE DRINK BELVEDERE RESPONSIBLY

TO FIND OUT MORE, CONTACT YOUR MOËT HENNESSY AUSTRALIA REPRESENTATIVE

VARIETY PACK

REFRESH WITH FRIENDS All Registered Trade Marks, used under licence by Mark Anthony Brands International Unlimited Company.

Editor’s Note

CREDITS

PUBLISHER The Drinks Association

www.drinksassociation.com.au All enquiries to: The Drinks Association Locked Bag 4100, Chatswood NSW 2067 ABN 26 001 376 423 The views expressed in Drinks Trade are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily those of the magazine or The Drinks Association. Copyright is held by The Drinks Association and reproduction in whole or in part, without prior consent, is not permitted.

EDITORIAL PUBLISHING EDITOR Ashley Pini.....................ashley@hipmedia.com.au EDITOR Melissa Parker.....................................melissa@hipmedia.com.au DIGITAL EDITOR Ioni Doherty.....................................ionid@drinks.asn.au CONTRIBUTORS Cody Profaca, Amanda Blakeman

DESIGN SENIOR DESIGNER Jihee Park ����������������������������jihee@hipmedia.com.au

ADVERTISING NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Jenny Park �������� jenny@hipmedia.com.au

Produced and contract published by:

ACCOUNTS: accounts@hipmedia.com.au

Summertime and the living is easy, except in a pandemic.

As we enter our third year of bouncing around Covid restrictions, we thought it pertinent to look at a couple of Covid-related industry angles. Our New York-based contributor, Amanda Blakeman, has penned a piece on a New York cidery that went from potential bust to pandemic-thriving. It’s a case study we believe will be of interest to Australian operators on making the most out of a dire situation (p.53). The pandemic also influences consumer preference for socialising outdoors and how hospitality operators do business. With this in mind and help from our sponsor, Fever Tree, we compiled a list of excellent Australian venues with fantastic outdoor areas worth a look (p.14).

Postponed from featuring in the traditional spring edition because of lockdown restrictions, our expert panel finally got to taste the massive number of Champagne and sparkling wine submissions for this year’s Tasting Review. The fourteen best wines from 150-plus samples wowed the panel judges with that extra special something. The results are a mixed bag of Australian and French, expensive and value for money. Check out the best fizz for the festive season on page 46.

Other interesting reads include an investigative piece by new member of the HIP editorial team, Cody Profaca. Cody looks into wine appealing to young people and what is influencing their purchasing decisions. Winemakers keen to appeal to this demographic should take a look at page 58.

The summer edition is also one of winners and grinners. See page 42 for the Australian Wine List of the Year 2021 Awards winners and The Drinks Association Australian Drinks Awards 2021 winners of the Fan Favourite and Gaining in Popularity brand awards on page 28. Consumers connect with winning brands from Australia and overseas, tried and true old favourites, and new and exciting innovations. This year also introduced a category we will see more of, the non-alcoholic category.

Congratulations to all those who took out a gong.

Happy reading; enjoy the summertime and take it easy.

For new product or current releases in Drinks Trade magazine send a sample to: HIP Media 30 Turramurra Avenue, Turramurra NSW 2074 www.hipmedia.com.au | facebook.com/drinksmedia ABN: 42 126 291 914

6 drinks trade

Melissa melissa@hipmedia.com.au

12

14

26

38

52

NEWS

SPIRITS

LAST CALL

08

Top Ten in Ten - trending industry news stories for the quarter

by Ioni Doherty

38

66

12

Viewpoint - Simon Owen, Bacardi Limited

COVID FOCUS 14

Best Australian Outdoor Venues

52

A Covid Case Study - Nine Pin Cidery, New York.

by Amanda Blakeman

Vodka. A Sippable Spirit?

by Melissa Parker

Life and Times of the Martini

WINE 42

Wine List of the Year Award Winners

AUSTRALIAN DRINKS AWARDS 2021

46

Sparking and Champagne - Tasting

28

and Review RETAIL 58

The Winners • Fan Favourite • Gaining in Popularity

Wine of the Times – Retail for the next generation. by Cody Profaca drinks trade 7

News

T P TEN IN TEN

HERE’S A QUICK TEN-MINUTE READ OF THE TOP TEN TRENDING ONLINE LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS STORIES FOR THE PAST QUARTER ON DRINKSTRADE.COM.AU VISIT DRINKSTRADE.COM.AU FOR DAILY NEWS UPDATES. Words Ioni Doherty, Editor Drinks Trade Digital Edition

1. DIAGEO’S DAVID SMITH TO STEP INTO LEADERSHIP AT LION Posted October 8, 2021 Lion has announced executive changes with James Brindley calling ‘last shout’, preparing to leave Lion at the end of 2021 after 27 years with Lion and 12 as Managing Director of Lion Australia. David Smith will step into the role, joining from Diageo, where he is currently Managing Director, Southern Europe. Lion CEO Stuart Irvine said: “David is a highly respected industry leader and already a familiar face to many of our Australian partners. He is committed to growing businesses through patient investment, enduring partnerships and motivating his teams to deliver outstanding customer outcomes. We look forward to welcoming him back home to Australia and Lion in January.”

1

2

2. WINE DEPOT ACQUIRES KADDY FOR $34.25 MILLION October 15, 2021 WineDepot has acquired 100 per cent ownership of Kaddy for $34.25m effectively forming Australia’s largest alcohol-focused cloud-based logistics and marketplace platform.

Together, the combined operation will immediately account for over 1,900 buyers across the on and off-premise segments, along with over 1,000 suppliers of alcoholic beverages accounting for more than 10,000 products.

3. LION ACQUIRES FERMENTUM GROUP IN ONE OF NATION’S BIGGEST BEER BUYOUTS EVER Posted September 9, 2021 Lion has acquired the entire Fermentum family of businesses, including Stone & Wood, Two Birds, Fixation, Little Dragon and Sunly Seltzer.

The Sydney Morning Herald suggests it is “one of the largest-ever craft beer acquisitions in the country”, and the Australian Financial Review suggested the deal, subject to regulatory approvals, is worth more than $500 million.

8 drinks trade

Lion Australia’s Managing Director James Brindley said, “We have huge respect for what Jamie Cook, Brad Rogers, Ross Jurisich and the team have created; great beer, wonderful brands, spiritual homes in their breweries and taprooms, an inclusive culture and a commitment to the community.

“We want to grow what they’ve started, giving their people and beers even more reach across the country.”

4. CALABRIA FAMILY WINES DOUBLES IN SIZE & RE-LAUNCHES Posted September 9, 2021 Calabria Wines has doubled in size this past year, evolving to such an extent that today it has announced a new business model named Calabria Family Wines Group. Calabria Family Wine Group will house the family’s collection of brands and aims to ensure each brand continues to carry its distinct identities, portfolios, and distribution strategies. This past year, the Calabria Family has acquired McWilliam’s 4

Wines brand and Hanwood Winery, Deakin Estate, and La La Land Wines, with the business portfolio growing from 140 SKUs to 283 SKUs in the past ten months. “It’s been an exciting year for us at Calabria Family Wines. We have rapidly expanded from a single producer-owned and operated wine company to a wine group housing some of Australia’s best-loved wine brands and a selection of diverse international wine distribution partnerships. The creation of the Group is a direct response to this growth and our mission to showcase each of these brands in the best way possible,” third-generation Sales & Marketing Director Andrew Calabria said.

5. SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS SHOW NO SIGN OF ABATING Posted November 4, 2021 As freight and shipping disruptions persist, industry bodies Australian Grape & Wine and Wine Industry Suppliers Australia Ltd (WISA) are urging businesses to plan early and work collaboratively to counteract the challenges being faced. “Costs are increasing dramatically across the board, and it’s proving very difficult to access spots in containers. This will have an impact on our exports in the short to medium-term,” said Tony Battaglene, Chief Executive of Australian Grape & Wine. Grape and wine businesses face significant delays on many of the inputs they need ahead of Vintage 2022.

6. WA’S FERAL BREWING CO UP FOR SALE Posted October 29, 2021 Western Australia’s Feral Brewing Co is up for sale with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia (CCEP) announcing that it will be exiting from its production, sale and distribution of beer and apple cider products in Australia. Vice President & General Manager, Australia, Pacific & Indonesia, Peter West, said the decision to exit CCEP Australia’s arrangements relating to beer and apple cider would better position the organisation to execute growth plans for its Spirits, Alcohol Ready-To-Drink (RTD) and Non- Alcohol Ready-To-Drink (NARTD) business. The decision means that CCEP’s Western Australian based craft brewing business Feral Brewing Co will be sold with Kidder Williams Ltd appointed to advise on the sale. Mr West said, “On the

back of the double-digit growth our Feral brand has achieved over the last four years and the strong business and brand loyalty the Feral team in WA has built, we are excited about what the future holds for Feral Brewing Company. It’s time for this craft brand, a WA jewel, to stretch its potential under new ownership.”

7. TREASURY WINE ESTATES’ BIG SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FROM THE GROUND UP Posted October 28, 2021 Last month Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) released its Sustainability Report for 2021.

It is big and ambitious, in step and scale, with the business plan to be the “world’s most admired premium wine company”.

The report was released a fortnight after TWE attended the first Sustainable Wine Roundtable meeting in London, one of only two Australian founding members along with the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). Cultivating a brighter future confirms TWE’s commitments to reduce the impact of climate change with the target of being powered 100 per cent by renewable electricity by 2024 and achieving net-zero emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 2030.

The business has achieved carbon neutrality for Lindeman’s in Europe, a 96.7 per cent recycling rate, assessed 855 TWE suppliers for their ethical, social and environmental performance and recycled 600 tonnes of glass that was broken/unable to be used through partnership with Orora’s closedloop program.

8. LARK DISTILLING’S $40M ACQUISITION ACCELERATES GLOBAL EXPORT PLAN Posted October 18, 2021 Lark Distilling is set to acquire Pontville Distillery and Estate, owned by Kernke Family Shene Estate, for $40 million, split between $38.5m in cash and $1.5m in Lark shares to be issued to vendors. The acquisition will accelerate Lark’s export strategy by twelve months. To fund the acquisition, Lark is undertaking an equity raise of $53 million, including a $13 million development of a new 1 million litre greenfield distillery on the Pontville site.

Construction is expected to commence in early 2022. Geoff Bainbridge, Managing Director Lark Distilling, said, “This builds

on our vision to become the world’s most innovative distiller.”

Bill Lark, Founder and Global Ambassador at Lark Distilling Co, said, “Lark at Pontville points to the exciting future of Australian whisky. I could never have imagined 30 years ago from my kitchen bench, where that very first bottle of Lark was made, that in 2022 we’d be producing some of the world’s best whiskies across three exceptional distilleries right here in Tasmania and all from Australia’s first certified carbon-neutral distiller.”

9

9. PETER GAGO, THE NEWEST MEMBER OF DECANTER’S ‘HALL OF FAME’.

Posted October 6, 2021 Recognised as one of the New World’s foremost winemakers, Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago is the newest member of Decanter’s ‘Hall of Fame. Mr Gago has worked with Penfolds for 19 years and is the fourth Australian to receive the award after Max Schubert in 1988, Len Evans in 1997 and Brian Croser in 2004.

The Decanter Hall of Fame recognises and awards excellence in the wine world and is one of the world’s most significant and prestigious industry awards. Mr Gago said, “Whilst personally thrilled and delighted to join this pantheon of illustrious recipients, I’m also humbled and somewhat overwhelmed. To daily engage with this thing called wine is something that has always given me enormous pleasure. How lucky am I?! I’m immensely grateful to all those who have helped me gain the attention of Decanter Magazine. Many thanks.”

drinks trade 9

News

Brown Family Wine Group launches Premium Collection.

This month, the Brown Family Wine Group launched their new sales and marketing arm, the "Premium Collection." The collection is a curated range of current, limited release, and back vintage wines, specifically for wine lists and progressive retail, available nationally.

The portfolio includes Tasmanian Pinot Noir producer Tamar Ridge, award winning sparkling house, Pirie, select cool climate Yarra Valley wines from Innocent Bystander, Highly acclaimed, Resolution & Hazard ranges from Devils Corner and Brown Brothers Iconic range of Patricia wines.

Brown Family Wine Group CEO, Dean Carroll said "as consumers and customers seek greater authenticity and premiumisation our range of prestige and innovative wines that have been crafted with over 130 years of experience and displaying our sense of curiosity and adventure are perfectly matched to that need, hence our decision to create a new conversation through the Premium Collection."

The Premium Collection will have its standalone key account team, Shane Bulluss, General Manager of Sales for Brown Family Wine Group says: "This is such an exciting time for our business as we expand our team to be able to service the unprecedented demand from our customers and consumers. The distribution of premium wine to our valued customers requires a very specific approach that is highly knowledgeable with a genuine hands-on approach to support customers individual business needs."

Premium Collection is expected to drive +60% growth in its first year (FY22 Vs. FY21) and +50% growth in the year following says Scott Nagy, National Business Manager OnPremise for Brown Family Wine Group. "We believe there is tremendous scope to accelerate growth, drive brand credibility and lift brand awareness of our premium wines with this new venture."

The Premium Collection by Brown Family Wine Group launched with dedicated team members in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, including the return of Katherine Brown from the winemaking team, adding to the highly experienced and knowledgeable industry professionals who understand the needs of on-premise customers.

10 drinks trade

Coravin Launches Sparkling Wine Preservation System in Australia Since its introduction to the Australian hospitality scene in 2017, Coravin has grown rapidly, under the guidance of Negotiants Australia, and now as a stand alone business based in Sydney.

Market Director for Coravin Australia and New Zealand, Gary Olasz, is excited about the market growth saying: “The growth we’ve experienced in just a few short years in the Australia and New Zealand market has been incredible, to improve delivery time and elevate our customer service experience, we knew a dedicated warehouse and on-ground team were essential to this success,” continued Olasz.

With its new Australian headquarters, Coravin aims to more than double its active users in the hospitality and consumer market by 2026, and a key component of that is the release of the Coravin Sparkling™ System in a strategic partnership with Moët Hennessy.

Coravin is best known for its wine preservation system that extends the life of a bottle after a single glass service through the injection of inert gas.

Until recently, it was only available for still wines but, after extensive testing in collaboration with the Moët Hennessy Group – Coravin Sparkling™ was created.

“Coravin’s aim is to make fine wines and Champagne more accessible by facilitating by-theglass options. As a relatively young company, to have the recognized world leader in Champagne and luxury sparkling wines not only support but adopt our technology is extraordinary,” said Christopher Ladd, Coravin CEO. “With such high anticipation from our Australian customers and trade partners, we know there is a strong desire for this premium device. We can’t wait for sparkling enthusiasts and venue owners across the nation to experience Coravin’s latest innovation,” said Gary Olasz, Market Director for Coravin Australia and New Zealand.

After the recent Champagne and Sparkling tasting panel, Drinks Trade put a number of samples under the Coravin system and the results were impressive. It was easy to use and most importantly the sparkling wines were resampled and found to be fresh and vibrant across tests at two, five and seven days. However, famed Cellar Master of Veuve Cliquot, Didier Mariotti, said, “The Coravin Sparkling System is able to wonderfully preserve the flavours and mouthfeel of our Champagne for several weeks. It is the first product of its kind to perform at this level.”

We’re putting a sample in the fridge now and will report back next edition. If we remain patient enough.

A Drinks Trade Promotion

BELVEDERE MOVES INTO ORGANIC RTDS

By Ioni Doherty

Belvedere celebrates the release of its Organic Vodka Sodas. The Organic Infusions are super premium ready-todrink organic vodka sodas with unique and multi-layered botanical infusions flavour combinations.

Designed to meet an increasing consumer demand for natural and organic, lower calorie and sugar free alcohol options, the range is expertly crafted with certified organic Belvedere Polish rye vodka, a curated blend of organic fruit and botanical infusions, and sparkling water.

The range contains no sugar, artificial flavours or preservatives, is low carb and has less than 83 calories per can.

The perfect summer refreshment for those who are wanting to make more mindful drinking choices but don’t want to compromise on quality & flavour, the new Belvedere Organic Vodka Soda range is launching in three unique & elevated flavour combinations: • Lemon & Basil with a touch of Elderflower – 83 calories per can • Blackberry & Lemongrass with a hint of sage – 80 calories a can • Pear & Ginger with a drop of Linden Honey – 83 calories per can European Union & United States Department of Agriculture Organic Certification ensures that the Belvedere

Organic Vodka Sodas are made only with ingredients that are farmed with no artificial pesticides, additives, or chemicals, allowing the natural taste of each ingredient to shine through.

Launching exclusively on Australian shores just in time for summer, the Belvedere Organic Infusions are the perfect choice for effortless yet luxurious home entertaining, outdoor picnics, summer BBQs or relaxing with friends.

Available in a ready to serve 250ml can & convenient 4 pack format, simply enjoy chilled or pour over ice.

The range is on sale in selected bottle shops at an RRP of $28 per 4 pack.

drinks trade 11

Viewpoint

SIMON OWEN BACARDI-MARTINI AUSTRALIA TALKS TRENDS, COCKTAILS AND COMING OUT OF COVID

SIMON OWEN IS THE FRESH NEW FACE AT THE HELM OF BACARDI-MARTINI AUSTRALIA IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. RECENTLY APPOINTED AS THE REGION’S MANAGING DIRECTOR, HE BRINGS MORE THAN A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE IN THE DRINKS INDUSTRY AND FIVE YEARS’ EXPERIENCE AS BACARDI’S DIRECTOR OF GROCERY, UK. WITH OVER 150 YEARS OF HISTORY, BACARDI LIMITED IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LIQUOR DISTRIBUTORS AND PRODUCERS GLOBALLY, HANDLING OVER 200 LABELS, INCLUDING BOMBAY SAPPHIRE GIN, GREY GOOSE VODKA AND PATRON TEQUILA. SIMON OWEN STARTED IN HIS NEW ROLE IN APRIL 2021 AND SPOKE TO DRINKS TRADE ABOUT THE FIRST SIX MONTHS. Tell us about the culture at Bacardi.

Bacardi is a family run business. There is a warmth that comes through it; it has great creativity, entrepreneurship and agility. What is great about the Bacardi way is there is no bureaucracy; we can do things quicker, which kept the momentum throughout lockdown. It is a creative and flexible working environment, and Bacardi makes it an easy transition. That creativity and different thinking meant it was effortless to come into this business and say, 'right, you've got the momentum; I need to maintain it and give the room for our people to be natural and creative.'

Covid has impacted heavily on the hospitality industry. What is the most important step for Bacardi after easing Covid restrictions?

Bacardi is known for its strong, on-premise focus, with all levels of the corporate ladder involved in forging relationships and interactions with venues. We have a saying at Bacardi that our brand was built-in bars, and it's about getting back out into the on-trade, going out and talking to the trade,

12 drinks trade

seeing what they want from us, what would be useful for them and see what the changes are. I think the really big thing is [we] are out there helping them, and the one thing Covid has done is that you don't need to go to every bar because of our virtual masterclasses with tasting packs. The more expertise you get behind the bar, the better the industry.

Tell us about the App Bacardi has also developed to assist and educate bartenders.

It’s called Freepour. It easily teaches the basics for all bartenders and informs them in sections. It has modules, videos, quizzes, and a library of thousands of different drinks. The more we help them, the more they are selling great drinks. It also maximises the opportunity to meet the needs of trends.

Despite having an ever-evolving portfolio, Bacardi-Martini Australia hasn’t followed the latest market trend by adding seltzer to their line-up. Why is that?

The Sunset Negroni meets that need as does our existing Grey Goose Lime and Soda, and the sales that we see in that category are fantastic. The Bombay Sunset Negroni aperitif is a cocktail based on the recently released Bombay Sapphire Sunset gin. The Grey Goose Lime and Soda is an organic option with reduced sugar. Also on offer is a canned Bacardi Mojito that is produced and developed in Australia. The next cocktail Bacardi-Martini Australia will focus on is the Patron Paloma, launched during Patron Paloma week at the start of December.

Patron Paloma sounds delicious.

So, what we've been saying to our on-trade partners is that the Patron Paloma is a long refreshing drink that is on the rise and represents real growth in tequila. It also says that there are different things that you can do with tequila rather than just Margaritas.

In 2015, Bacardi acquired the premium bourbon brand Angel’s Envy. How has that product been received in the Australian market?

We sell all the volume we have, so it will

That’s why drinks like the Patron Paloma and the Spicy Margarita are brilliant: they're easy to make, slightly different from what people were making at home, and are equally excellent quality.

What are your thoughts on canned cocktails?

The canned cocktail category is proving to be an exciting new market segment. Another trend is convenience, and people have said, 'we are coming together to go and sit on the beach, and I want something of great quality I can have and is easy to drink’.

That's what's perfect about the Bacardi Mojito because it's on-trend, it's fabulous quality, it meets convenience, and it helps people drink together. Sales, since we launched six weeks ago, are huge.

absolutely sell when we get a bit more volume. Bars and selected stores want more, so I think it's another sector that is an opportunity because people want something more expensive to treat themselves.

What is a Bacardi product you are getting behind?

St Germain liqueur is a drink that hits current market trends. You can have it as a spritz; you can have it as a soda, it fits into long drinks, it hits premiumisation, and it also has a lower ABV, so people feel better about their drinking. It's a brilliant product, and it meets the needs of a lot of trends now. Put it with Grey Goose, and it's stunning. These drinks are just a small slice of the Bacardi repertoire.

With the cocktail industry booming, Bacardi is in an excellent place to accommodate the industry both on and off-premise moving forward.

What are your thoughts on cocktail trends?

The cocktail boom is happening. During lockdown, there was an awful lot of people that had more time to themselves and were looking for things to entertain themselves.

The whole 'can I make cocktails', 'can I go on masterclasses' was happening. I was in a bar in Bondi, and I was speaking to the beverage manager, and she said if you can get us people and a simple, good quality solution that tastes amazing, that'd be great.

With Australia moving on from Covid-related restrictions, what are your trend predictions?

An increased premiumisation of the cocktail industry. There was always a premiumisation happening, but I think what Covid has done is accelerate the process. We saw it happen in Europe where people come out of lockdown, have their trusted brands, and then I think they'll decide to try different things.

Since the turn of the century, Australia's hospitality industry has steadily become more competitive globally. The industry is continuing to experience premiumisation, and it will be essential to monitor this space over the coming months as Covid restrictions continue to ease.

People will head back into the onpremise.

People were starting to have cocktails at home and beginning to experiment, lockdown finished, they liked what they did at home, they have money in their pocket and now they want the expert.

What’s the next big spirit?

With premiumisation, I think the next product will be rums and creating superpremium rums. One of the jobs we need to do is help support the trade to teach people how to drink premium rum. Premiumisation of spirits is happening and is going to continue, and we will see it with dark rum too.

drinks trade 13

Outdoor - Sponsored by Fever Tree

DRINKS TRADE’S BEST OUTDOOR VENUES WITH THE PANDEMIC CHANGING THE FACE OF HOSPITALITY AND SUMMER FAST APPROACHING, OUTDOOR SPACE IS THE NEW BLACK. A SEAT OUTDOORS IN THE COVID AEROSOL-TRANSMISSION- PROTECTING FRESH AIR IS JUST WHAT THE LOCKDOWNWEARY, PANDEMIC-FEARING PUNTER MUST HAVE, OR AS AN OPTION AT THE VERY LEAST, PARTICULARLY ON A DAY WHEN CASES ARE HEATING UP. AGAIN. OUR EDITING TEAM HAS DELIGHTED IN COLLATING OUR PLEIN-AIR FAVOURITES. DISCOVER GREAT AUSTRALIAN BEER GARDENS, ROOFTOP BARS, AND OUTDOOR DINING VENUES. WE TIP WILL BE MAKING A ROARING TRADE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. MARK OUR WORDS, THESE JOINTS WILL BE SCANNING QR CODES AND VETTING VACCINATION TESTS BEFORE YOU CAN SAY CAPACITY LIMIT. BOOK QUICK!

SYDNEY

2

SYDNEY CROWN –TERRACE BAR AT CIRQ BAR AND LOUNGE Editor Pick Talking about views, this one is incomparable. It takes in the beauty of Sydney and its magical harbour from 26 stories high. On a windy day, not so great, but when it’s good, it’s perfect. The outdoor terrace also vibes with cool DJs and live music at the Sunday Sessions.

1

OPERA BAR What an institution! Where else in the world can you sit back with a cocktail in the open air with the harbour mist on your face and gaze at that view from the iconic steps of Sydney’s most significant landmark after the bridge. Some nights even have outdoor live music.

14 drinks trade

MELBOURNE

2

FITZROY BEER GARDENS Fever-Tree Sponsor Pick Melbourne's north is awash with great beer gardens, but this one is not only a leafy oasis, but it specialises in unique cocktails that focus on native bush ingredients. Jugs of concoctions and big communal tables make this place worth the visit.

1

SIGLO BAR Upstairs on the terrace from Melbourne hospo institution The European and Supper Club, Siglo channels nights in Paris overlooking the spire and stained glass of the stunning St Patrick’s Cathedral, the floodlit columns of Parliament House and the domes of the Princess Theatre. Here is where you can grab a memorable cocktail and even choose a Cuban cigar. It’s an outdoor space from another era.

3

3

WATSON’S BAY BOUTIQUE HOTEL Fever-Tree Sponsor Pick Settle in the shade of the nautical-themed umbrellas and linger all afternoon, sip a coldie or Spritz and admire the sunset, the yachts, the water.

(Winner of Best Outdoor Experience at the AHA (NSW) Awards)

THE COMMONS Editor Pick One of Melbourne’s newest ‘it’ places, The Commons, is the brainchild of talented caterer’s The Big Group and is the old Belgian Beer Café space on St Kilda Road reimagined. It celebrates the outdoors with four areas, The Conservatory, The Kitchen Garden, The Beer Garden and The Garden Café, all under the banner of The Ormond Collective.

The ultimate outdoor venue is exploding with colour, good vibes, and excellent hospitality in signature Big Group style.

drinks trade 15

Outdoor - Sponsored by Fever Tree

BRISBANE

1

SANDSTONE POINT HOTEL Editor Pick This beautiful award-winning hotel with 300 metres of water frontage overlooking Bribie Island and Pumicestone Passage has been named Australian Best Hotel and Queensland's Best Outdoor Entertainment venue, and we can see why. This year it was the winner of the Best Outdoor Experience AHA (QLD).

2 16 drinks trade

HOWARD SMITH WHARVES Fever-Tree Sponsor Pick Situated on the Brisbane river, this site is the ultimate outdoor experience. It’s an entertainment and lifestyle precinct with 80% allocated to a community playground where visitors can eat and drink in the warm Brisbane sunshine.

There are multiple eating and drinking establishments here. It’s a smorgasbord of choice. Take your pick.

WHATEVER YOUR GIN WE’VE GOT JUST THE Tonic.

IF

O F YO U R D R I N K I S T H E M I X E R ,

M I X W I T H T H E B E ST

Increase your AWOP and basket value this summer by amplifying this amazing [yellow tail] consumer offer. Talk to your Casella Family Brands Rep for supporting POS elements

[this pans out great!]

Simply buy 6 bottles of [yellow tail] and scan the QR code to enter*

HOW TO REDEEM:

1. Purchase any 6 bottles of [yellow tail] 2. Scan the QR code 3. Enter your details and we will send you your unique code to redeem your $100 Scanpan voucher!

ADD A SPLASH OF YELLOW *Aus. res. 18+ only. Ends 31/1/22 11:59pm AEDT. Keep receipt/s. Limit 1 claim/household. Max 1 claim/transaction.

The Promoter supports the responsible service of alcohol.

T&Cs apply, see www.yellowtailscanpan.com.au

ADELAIDE

2 1

MOSELEY BEACH CLUB Fever-Tree Sponsor Pick Taking its inspiration from the fashionable beach clubs on the Mediterranean in Europe, the Moseley Beach Club is a seasonal venue that takes advantage of the warmer months. Set up on the Glenelg foreshore from November 26 to March 27, 2022, it is a popular Adelaide summer hang, so bags the best booth, day bed or luxe lounge and grab a sundowner or two.

WHATEVER YOUR GIN WE’VE GOT JUST THE Tonic.

IF

O F YO U R D R I N K I S T H E M I X E R ,

M I X W I T H T H E B E ST

2KW Editor Pick Views, Mediterranean-style cabanas, an impressive beer list and fabulous cocktails, what’s not to love at 2KW. Located on the eighth-floor on the corner of North Terrace and King William Street, 2KW has a stunning view of the CBD and Adelaide Oval; if this is how Adelaide do rooftop bars, we are there.

Outdoor - Sponsored by Fever Tree

PERTH

2

1

STABLES BAR A charming urban oasis housed in Perth’s original horse stables off bustling Hay Street, the Stables Bar's iron gates and cobblestone path immediately transport from stressful city vibe to relaxing conviviality.

MARKET GROUNDS Fever-Tree Sponsor Pick Market Grounds is an award-winning inner-city pub, paying homage to its historical roots as a marketplace.

There is a great outdoor space where you can sip cocktails in an urban environment and listen to Perth’s best DJs.

DARWIN

20 drinks trade

HOBART GAP VIEW HOTEL This Darwin institution goes beyond the basic beer garden and elevates it to a pool garden. Kids and families can order lunch, sit outside and take a dip. That’s just what you need on a hot summer’s day in the Top End. (Winner of the Best Outdoor Experience AHA (NT) Awards

CASCADE BREWERY BAR Editor Pick The Cascade Brewery is the oldest operating brewery in Australia, so technically, the glorious grounds are Australia’s oldest beer garden. Seven days a week, punters can gaze upon the beauty of the historic brewery and relax in its beautifully manicured garden, sipping one of Australia’s iconic brews fresh from the tap.

% Available in NSW through ALM, ILG Paramount and Gateway

FROM ALCOHOL

FROM GLUTEN

FROM ADDED SUGAR

FROM ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURING

For info contact our office - 02 45670704 or email orders@bilpincider.com | www.bilpincider.com

A Drinks Trade Promotion

WHEN PACKAGING IS AN ITALIAN MATTER Vetroelite Glass Culture, a Tricorbraun company is an Italian specialist producer of high-end glass bottles for spirits, perfumes, food and wine and brings creative flair and quality we can expect from a country that highly values the aesthetics of design and beauty.

Like a tailor that crafts a suit to perfectly fit, Vetroelite meet the unique needs of their spirit and wine customers by providing distinctive glass packaging to reflect the customer’s brand philosophy while positively enhancing product image and shelf presence. Think of them as a material interpreter of brand identity.

Along with quality products, Vetroelite prides itself first and foremost on its superior brand of customer service. It offers personalized consulting in order to deliver the best possible glassware to meet the customer’s requirements. This is not just a glassware supplier but a partner in your business. The company delivers manageable MOQs, speed of delivery and 360° preand post-sales service from concept to production.

Specialists in spirits and wine glassware, their innovation and design concepts are leading the world. If it is unique and distinctive packaging you are after for your new spirit or wine, Vetroelite has the experience and reputation to deliver a first-class result. It creates by intercepting trends and interpreting them in its own way to produce a wide, deep and varied offering of quality, refined, innovative and designer products. Vetroelite offers the complete service with a collection of closures, designed for different markets and the decoration service with different techniques and facets; elements that complete the product, that enrich it and make it unique: a

22 drinks trade

full emanation of creative thinking.

“Vetroelite is today the result of intuition, but even more so, it is a story made of small and great achievements. It is a company since 1994 that has been looking for innovative approaches in the world of glass packaging, tracing new creative and productive paths.

“A path in balance between different elements such as tradition and innovation, reality and creativity, conformity and differentiation. A path that leads us to an extraordinary result: a product that always differs, expressing its uniqueness. Its authenticity. We always try to go beyond traditional aesthetic canons to write new ones. Because it is only by crossing the boundaries of the known that we can take back our true essence - Daniele Feletto, Chairman and Commercial Director.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH VETROELITE TODAY FOR A DEDICATED DIGITAL APPOINTMENT

https://www.vetroelite.com/en/contact-us.html https://www.facebook.com/vetroelite/ https://www.instagram.com/vetroelite/

New Products & Releases

MARS KOMAGATAKE SINGLE MALT AND VOYAGER ESTATE COLLABORATE Yukino Ochiai, Director of Déjà vu Sake Co, has this month brought the Mars Komagatake Single Malt “Wine Cask Finish” Whisky to the Australian market.

A limited edition of just 950 bottles were produced and 266 made available to the Australian markets. The remainder were kept for the Japanese market exclusively.

The whisky is a collaboration between the Mars Shinshu Distillery in the Nagano Prefecture and Voyager Estate in Western Australia. It’s a single malt that is matured in bourbon barrels for over three years and then aged for 11 months in French Troncais oak – previously used to age Voyager Estates’s flagship red wine, the ‘MJW’ Cabernet Sauvignon.

Other limited-edition whiskies from this distillery are selling for between $240 and $350.

24 drinks trade

HOTEL STARLINO RANGE Three products in the Hotel Starlino range are starting to make inroads in the Australian market – with products well positioned to benefit from the continued interest in the ‘Spritz’ and the consumers’ willingness to seek out new products with authenticity and trade up. Hotel Starlino is a rage of Italian Aperitifs crafted in Turin, the birthplace of modern Vermouth. The distillery has been producing vermouths for over 100 years.

There are three sessionable aperitif products: a Rosé Aperitivo, Orange Aperitivo and Rosso Vermouth. Karel "Papi" Reyes, Hotel Starlino Australian Ambassador told Drinks Trade: “ we are seeing a renewed interest in vermouths and aperitifs globally, and Hotel Starlino has crafted the ‘next generation’ which are bright, modern and fresh and evoke the relaxed Italian elegance of aperitivo hour.”

WOODSTOCK’S 2019 MONTEPULCIANO HINTS AT DEVELOPMENTS BEHIND THE SCENES. Named in honour of the nature of the intriguing Italian varietal Montepulciano, Woodstock’s ‘Naughty Monte’ 2019 vintage release also gives a glimpse of changes behind the scenes of one of McLaren Vale’s iconic family wineries.

Established in 1905 and known for fullbodied, structured and complex executions of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, Woodstock’s next generation is exploring alternative varietals and hinting at more exciting projects on the horizon.

What began as an experimental single 8-row vineyard of Montepulciano – noted for its spicy, savoury notes and vibrant colour – planted in 2010, has become the most exciting new wine in the Woodstock portfolio, according to third-generation winemaker Peter Collett.

“We were trialling a variety that thrives in the heat and requires less water to produce high quality fruit, and it’s amazing to see this vineyard still improving as it matures – this late ripening, high yielding variety seems well matched to our warming climate,” explained Peter.

“Our 2019 Montepulciano was picked with high acidity, low alcohol and ripe tannins in mind. We shifted from maturing Montepulciano in oak to stainless steel tank finding a stronger and more distinctive Montepulciano varietal character was retained in tank.” Peter said.

At only 13.5% alcohol this medium bodied, smooth and spicy wine may seem a departure from the winemaking of Woodstock’s historical portfolio, but brothers Peter and Max (Commercial Manager) are quick to reinforce the solid foundation and value of classic techniques handed down through the family owned and operated business.

In their respect for terroir, vine and fruit, both brothers follow the family footsteps, proud to be joining and learning from lauded winemaker and father, Scott Collett.

HAND CRAFTED & REFRESHINGLY AUSTRALIAN, PERFECT FOR ANY OCCASION

ORDER ONLINE WWW.TOP25.

COM.AU

The Top 25 Bartenders Adam Dow – The Ivy Precinct (NSW)

Darren Leaney – Aru (VIC)

Kayla Reid – Nick & Nora’s (VIC)

Alex Boon – Pearl Diver (VIC)

Dean Buchanan – Clarences (WA)

Kayla Saito – Capitano (QLD)

Alex Gilmour – Cantina OK! (NSW)

Emma Cookson – Whisky & Alement (VIC)

Millie Tang – The Gresham (QLD)

Anneliese Grazioli – Hanky Panky Lounge (NT)

Emma Crisp – El Grotto (WA)

Nick Tesar – Bar Liberty (VIC)

Evan Stroeve – RE (NSW)

Olivia Kelly – Bar Rochford (ACT)

Antonello Arzedi – Wills (NSW)

Sarah Mycock – Old Mates place (NSW)

Cara Devine – Bomba (VIC)

Grace Rawlins – Memphis Slims House of Blues (SA)

Chau Tran – Burrow Bar (NSW)

Hayden Lambert – Above Board (VIC)

Zach Mynott – La Costa (QLD)

Alex Johnston – Smoke & Oak (NT)

26 drinks trade

Natalie Ng – Door Knock (NSW)

Shirley Yeung – Foxtrot Unicorn (WA)

AUSTRALIA’S TOP 25 BARTENDERS COLLABORATE ON THE ULTIMATE “COCKTAILS FOR THE HOME BARTENDER” COCKTAIL BOOK Winners of this year’s Top25 Bartender Competition have been rewarded with a publishing contract and the opportunity to benefit from the sales of the ultimate home bartending and cocktail book.

Top 25 got busy and dreamt their own wonderful creations and shared their creative talents with the world. Home cocktail making was on the rise, and the consumer needed some tips on how to make cocktails well.

Generous support from leading suppliers to the Australian on-trade meant all profits from sales of the book can be returned to the bartenders themselves

Australia’s top bartending talent were nominated by a panel of industry experts in April, before a shortlisted 115 bartenders voted on their personal top three: creating a list of the bartenders own Top 25. History repeated itself and shortly after most venues were thrown back into lockdown – so the

The result is a book of over 300 mouth-watering cocktails in a book you can help support the industry by retailing, and in turn increase your customers knowledge and appetite to spend more in your store.

Your ranging of this book will increase basket size for you, build loyalty with your customer and support some of the parts of our industry that has felt the full force of being shut down for so much of the last 18 months.

To learn more about how you can get involved email info@top25.com.au.

Supporting brands

drinks trade 27

The Australian Drinks Association

Australian Drinks Awards 2021 BRAND AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Now in its ninth year, the Australian Drinks Awards recognises, encourages and celebrates excellence in the Australian drinks industry.

These awards are divided into two categories, Fan Favourite and Gaining in Popularity, and are determined by research undertaken by Thrive Insight via a survey of over 4,000 target consumers.

Thirty-five brand awards are distributed across Beer, Cider, Wine, Spirits and RTDs categories. This

year, for the first time, there is a Fan Favourite Non-Alcoholic Award in each beverage category.

Thrive Insights’ Director, Chris Papadimitriou said, “The Fan Favourite award is a prestigious award as it encompasses both brand and loyalty metrics to crown the most beloved brands across Beer, Cider, Wine, Spirits and RTDs.” Mr Papadimitriou observed that this year brand affinity has increased making the Fan Favourite awards more

closely contested than ever.

The 2021 Contribution to Industry winners will be announced at the Drinks Association’s International Women’s Day event in March next year while the Supplier Awards were announced virtually in August.

The last Australian Drinks’ Brand Awards were announced in 2019. There were none awarded last year due to the pandemic.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

BEER CLASSIC XXXX Gold CONTEMPORARY Great Northern Original PREMIUM Heineken CRAFT James Squire One Fifty Lashes NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER Heineken 0.0

28 drinks trade drinks trade

CIDER CLASSIC Somersby NON-ALCOHOLIC Bilpin

FAN FAVOURITE CATEGORY WINNERS

Bilpin Cider Co is delighted to have been recognised as the ADA Fan Favourite in the N/A Cider segment. The award validates our recognition of this evolving category and the work that we have done with the brand. Our range has expanded to five varieties and our offering is underpinned by using only freshly crushed fruit. We have developed a marketing campaign called “Find Your Free” that promotes the brands features and benefits of free from alcohol, gluten, added sugar and artificial flavours” said Sean Prendergast, the owner of Bilpin Cider Co. Sean Prendergast – Owner, Bilpin

RTD DARK Jack Daniel’s Double Jack & Cola WHITE Vodka Cruiser Original We’re immensely proud Vodka Cruiser has won the Light RTD fan favourite award for the third year in a row – it just shows the continued love consumers have for the brand, and its cultural relevance with young Australians has never been stronger. Our thanks to the Cruiser community! Michael Ritoli.

- General Manager - CUB Premium Beverages.

NON-ALCOHOLIC Seedlip Spice 94 & Grapefruit Tonic

drinks trade 29

The Australian Drinks Association

SPIRIT DARK Jack Daniel’s White Smirnoff This is so exciting – thank you! Smirnoff really is a beloved powerhouse, and this recognition is important as we continue to focus our efforts in delivering not only a great product but one that supports its community and fans. Our upcoming ‘Ads for Artists’ campaign will shine a light on this; more to come soon. – Maddy Stockwell, Diageo Australia Marketing Manager Light Spirits.

APERITIFS/LIQUEURS Baileys The Baileys fan club has spoken - and what fantastic news! Baileys is the world’s most loved spirits brand, with a huge and loyal fan base, and this recognition really underlines its popularity here in Australia. We love the brand; it’s a truly versatile and indulgent liquid, lending itself to some fantastic recent innovations. Thank you for your ongoing support.

– Maddy Stockwell, Diageo Australia Marketing Manager Light Spirits.

NON-ALCOHOLIC Seedlip Spice 94 As the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, this is fantastic news for Seedlip. We are proud to be working with the founder Ben Branson to continue to build the Seedlip brand. I would like to recognise and thank the team at Think Spirits for the fantastic job they did building the brand in Australia up until July this year.

- Jonathan Morgan, Diageo Head of Reserve Brands Australia.

30 drinks trade

WINE RED Penfolds WHITE Oyster Bay ROSÉ Jacob’s Creek SPARKLING Brown Brothers CHAMPAGNE Moët & Chandon Non-Alcoholic McGuigan Zero Rosé From our FAN FAVOURITE Sponsor The Fan Favourite Awards are sponsored by Manildra Group. Head of Ethanol, Debbie Forster said, “The Fan Favourite award is an immense honour, celebrating a brand that consumers ‘most like to be seen with’.

It recognises a brand that undoubtedly has excelled in innovation and resonated with fans across Australia.”

drinks trade 31

AUTHENTIC, PREMIUM, PRESTIGE Premium Collection by Brown Family Wine Group is a curated range of current, limited release and back vintage wines, accessible to some of the best wine lists and progressive retail across the country. This wine portfolio includes Tasmanian Pinot Noir producer Tamar Ridge, award winning sparkling house, Pirie, select cool climate Yarra Valley wines from Innocent Bystander, highly acclaimed, Resolution & Hazard ranges from Devils Corner and Brown Brothers Iconic range of Patricia wines.

Our commitment to quality is unwavering, and our passion is to share the very best award-winning premium wines we produce. Over the years we have invested in increased capability and innovation to enhance our wines throughout our viticultural regions of Tasmania, the Yarra Valley, Heathcote and the King Valley.

Don’t just take our word for this – here’s what the critics have been saying about our wines •

Pirie NV Chardonnay Pinot Noir - Gold, Tasmanian Wine Show 2021 (class 3)

•

Brown Brothers - Five Stars 2022 Halliday Wine Companion

•

Tamar Ridge Reserve Pinot Noir 2019 – Gold, Decanter World Wine Awards 2021

•

2020 Winemaker of the Year, Cate Looney, Brown Family Wine Group – Australian Women in Wine Awards

•

Pinot Noir Producer of the Year Tasmania Wine Show 2021 – Brown Family Wine Group

For more information please contact your Premium Collection – Key Account Manager

•

Devils Corner Mt Amos Pinot Noir 2019, Gold, Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2021 (class 37)

•

Brown Brothers Premium Prosecco, Trophy, Best Australian Sparkling, Rutherglen Wine Show 2021

BRISBANE Janenne Page 0479 195 980

SYDNEY Ben Hallett 0466 920 629

GAINING IN POPULARITY CATEGORY WINNERS

BEER CLASSIC Victoria Bitter CONTEMPORARY Byron Bay Premium Lager PREMIUM Asahi Super Dry CRAFT Brick Lane Pale Ale

CIDER CLASSIC Young Henry’s

drinks trade 33

C.C. Soda. Lime.

RTD DARK Brookvale Union Spice Rum & Ginger Beer WHITE White Claw Hard Seltzer

SPIRITS DARK Dead Man’s Fingers WHITE Giniversity APERITIFS/LIQUEURS Hellfire

drinks trade 35

The Australian Drinks Association

WINE RED Elephant in the Room WHITE 19 Crimes ROSÉ Bird in Hand SPARKLING Squealing Pig CHAMPAGNE Veuve Clicquot From our GAINING IN POPULARITY Sponsor IRI returned as the sponsor of the Gaining in Popularity category again this year and Marketing Director, Chelsey Peace said, “We are delighted to sponsor the Australian Drinks Awards ‘Gaining in Popularity’ category. At IRI, an organisation dedicated to helping brands to drive growth through enhanced understanding of consumer behaviour and the broader market, this category is about recognising and celebrating the brands that do this the best.”

“The past year has been a year like no other and at IRI we are pleased to see so many wonderful brands in contention this year, from well-known household brands through to new market entrants. This year’s awards show us that innovation, insights, agility and action are alive and well and have helped so many drinks businesses to not only survive over the last year, but to thrive. Well done.”

36 drinks trade

Distillery Feature

LAWRENNY ESTATE DISTILLERY PASSION, PURITY AND PROVENANCE.

Nestled deep in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, Lawrenny Estate is 400 acres of family-owned farmland renowned for producing some of the finest spirits, including award-winning gins, vodka, whisky and liqueurs.

But behind the estate lies history as rich as its fertile soil. Lawrenny is unique. A place to be discovered. And so is its story.

THE STORY STARTS IN THE SOIL

For over 200 years, generations of families have labored this land, passing down stories of colorful characters, colonial cattle, and bountiful wheat fields, barley and hops.

Once one of the largest private landholdings of the state comprising over 80,000 acres, the fertile fields and abundant water supplies produced some of the best stocks in Australia.

Lawrenny Estate house built in 1883

RETURNING TO ITS FORMER GLORY

The Mace Family took over the once majestic estate in 1991, returning the property to its former glory of luscious gardens, fertile pastures, and cattle among the finest in the world.

But with the prospect of retirement from farming for owner Ross, a family dinner led to discussions of what was next for the much-adored family property. With the fertile soils, the perfect climate, and the River Derwent’s pure waters, the family agreed that the farm could provide all the natural ingredients required to make beautiful premium spirits.

Distillery founders Cameron Mace, Ross Mace and Jensen Farley

A NEW CHAPTER IN THE LAWRENNY ESTATE STORY

In 2016, the decision to diversify was made.

The land was turned and graded, converting paddocks into fields, and the old Dutch Barn was converted into a modern distillery and cellar door.

Fast forward to 2021, and the Mace family is committed to delivering products that

truly reflect the premium surroundings of Lawrenny. The majority of barley used in the production of their single malt whisky is grown on the property then mashed on site, several botanicals used in their gins can be found across the estate and the water used in every bottle is sourced from the river that flows meters past the distillery doors.

The result is award-winning spirits that embody the passion, purity and provenance that only Lawrenny Estate can offer.

D I S COV E R T H E T R U E TA S T E O F TA S M A N I A

Vodka

VODKA A SIPPABLE SPIRIT?

THE ORIGINS OF VODKA CAN BE TRACED BACK TO RUSSIA OR POLAND AROUND THE 12TH-CENTURY. THE HULU SERIES, THE GREAT FICTIONALISING THE BALLSY LIFE OF RUSSIAN EMPRESS CATHERINE THE GREAT, FEATURES THE ARISTOCRACY OF THE RUSSIAN COURT THROWING BACK VODKA SHOTS WHENEVER REQUIRED, A KIND OF 18TH-CENTURY PROZAC IF YOU LIKE. ITS NASTY ETHANOL FLAVOUR ENCOURAGED THE ‘KNOCK IT BACK’ CONSUMPTION METHOD. THERE IS NOTHING HERE TO SIP AND SAVOUR. RIGHT? MAYBE THEN, BUT IS 21ST-CENTURY VODKA THE NEW SIPPABLE SPIRIT? For a long time, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms defined vodka as, "neutral spirit so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or colour."

As recently as April 2020, this changed to ‘vodka is a neutral spirit which may be treated with up to 2 grams per litre of sugar and up to 1 gram per litre of citric acid with min strength of 40 % alc vol.’

It would indicate that perceptions around whether vodka has distinctive character, aroma, taste and colour are irrevocably changing, and it is giving distillers the freedom to be creative and innovative in their approach to vodka. Huzzah!

Vodka remains the biggest selling white spirit despite the world’s love affair with gin and hard seltzer. Globally, revenue in the Vodka segment amounts to AU$409m in 2021 and the market is expected to grow annually by 6.83% (CAGR 20212025). In the Vodka segment, volume is

38 drinks trade

expected to amount to 6.8ML by 2025.

The market for Vodka segment is expected to show a volume growth of 3.2% in 2022.

(Source:Statista.com).

According to Drizly, an alcohol e-commerce platform, the biggest selling spirit in the US during the pandemic is the

independently owned Texan vodka brand, Tito’s. A US online liquor retailer told Forbes magazine it was selling a bottle every five minutes over 24 hours.

Latest IWSR research shows that vodka volume in Australia grew by about +21% last year (and value increased +27%), on top of a

volume CAGR of +6% 2015-2020 (and +8% value CAGR 2015-2020).

IWSR forecasts that vodka in Australia will grow by +2% CAGR 2020-2025 (volume) and about +3% CAGR 2020-2025 (value).

Whilst still holding the lead, the popularity of hard seltzer puts vodka's previous modus operandi at risk, and well, gin is the current golden child of flavour possibility booming with brands of distinction from every corner of the world.

So how is the vodka category responding?

According to Ewen Pettit, owner and creator of Australian vodka brand, Idle Hour it’s about ramping up vodkas flavour credentials and repositioning vodka as a sippable spirit to be appreciated for its raw ingredient credentials, in his brand’s case, rye. Distillers are pushing to impart flavour from the raw ingredient through the distillation method, the filtration process and the quality and mineral content of the water used, all of which impart flavour.

Idle Hour launched in the heart of the pandemic in 2020 but has already achieved a degree of success despite the challenges indicating there is a market for vodka that is more than a cocktail ingredient. After spending time in the US marketing White Claw, Pettit says vodka has a cultural opportunity. It’s one of the biggest selling spirits in the US, and he says the huge success of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, is down to what he says is a Bourbon brand with vodka in the bottle.

“I want Idle Hour vodka to be the vodka that everybody asks for to enhance the drink they want,” says Pettit.

“From a brand perspective, we know that brands like Absolut and Smirnoff are not firing on the same neuron-level as, say Four Pillars is at the moment. There is an idea that vodka is vodka at a product level, but I wanted to shift what that expectation is fundamentally. We can create a tastier vodka.

It is going back to that belief we are trying to challenge that vodka is flavourful – Genevieve Ireland, Belvedere Vodka.

Ewen Pettit

Pettit says they have a contemporary Australian brand with a liquid that is more influenced by Bourbon and whisky. Rather than get it as neutral as possible, he says he wants to make an Australian vodka that stands out for being Australian which is why

drinks trade 39

Vodka they use local ingredients.

“Now we have started to innovate on a liquid level; we are releasing limited editions using native ingredients such as Kakadu Plum and Ginger. We have another exciting one launching in February 2022 using local flavours where provenance matters. We have launched two SKUs a filtered and an unfiltered to sip over ice, how you might drink a 12-Year-Old whisky.”

“We want to balance the rye back into the drink because we think that the rye is the most compelling part of the liquid, so we are constantly trying to feature the rye – even in our RTDs.” Other Australian craft vodkas are following the same path. Grainshaker, for example, has produced three vodkas made from different raw ingredients, rye – powerful, rich and spicy; corn – caramel and vanilla and wheat – citrus and crisp.

They say their philosophy is to distil to achieve the character of the ingredient for flavour and smoothness.

78 Degrees Distillery in Adelaide Hills

distils native Boab tree tubers to achieve a vodka that moves away from the philosophy of vodka as neutral to produce vodka with the emphasis on flavour. In contrast, Seven Seasons Spirits founded by indigenous food entrepreneur Daniel Motlop in the Northern Territory produces the Native Yam Vodka distilled with two types of native

Single Estate brands Belvedere’s Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartezek vodkas in 2018.

It is the first vodka brand to launch styles of vodka-based on place.

Brand Ambassador for Belvedere Vodka, Genevieve Ireland, says, “In the past, the vodka category has historically been known as somewhat tasteless and associated

Distilleries vodka brands are reconsidering what vodka is - Orlando Marzo yams harvested during the rainy season and give the vodka a warm, creamy flavour with a hint of nuttiness. Seven Seasons promote the vodka in a martini to focus on appreciating the flavour and character nuances.

Polish vodka brand Belvedere is one to go even further than the raw ingredient and focus on the flavour of rye from different terroirs, much like wine, and launched the

with neutrality, so we champion the core ingredient of Belvedere which is our Polska rye or Polish rye.”

The reason behind the launch of Belvedere’s Single Estate range was to position vodka as a spirit with flavour.

Ireland says the best way to describe it is that rye bread has more taste and character than white bread.

“The two products represent forest

and sea. They are both named after the village or the state where they come from in Poland. They are 100% single grain from one location, so pioneering terroir in vodka and the impact of place on taste and character.

“You can taste the difference between the two in a lineup in terms of their flavour profile. Smogóry Forest is bolder and savoury with notes of baked bread, sea salt and caramel, while Lake Bartezek is surrounded by lakes and is much colder so that vodka is fresh and delicate with notes of menthol, fresh hay and biscuit.”

The Belvedere range has had a positive reception from mixologists and bartenders.

Ireland says the two vodkas are ideally promoted through the trend for mini martini flights, and the bartender can educate the consumer on flavours in vodka.

As a brand, Belvedere challenges the belief that vodka is a neutral spirit which is a philosophy that continues through its Heritage 176 label. Technically it is not a vodka because of its lower abv; however, it

is produced with an ancient Polish malting technique of heating the rye in a kiln to 176 degrees imparting a richer complex character full-bodied depth to the spirit.

Belvedere promotes it as a sippable spirit and recommends serving it over ice with a lemon twist.

“It is going back to that belief we are trying to challenge that vodka is flavourful,” says Ireland.

Do consumers care? Based on the explosion of gin as a category, we think yes, which brings us to vodka and botanicals.

Vodka is moving away from the sickly, sweet flavoured vodkas of a decade ago toward creating flavour profiles with subtlety and distinction, following a path of gin without the juniper. Adding flavour to vodka has become more considered.

Infusing vodka with herbs and spices was once to mask vodkas' aggressive odours and flavours in times past. Today they act as enhancers to add extra flavour to be savoured.

Drinks consultant and mixologist

Orlando Marzo says consumers are now paying as much attention to drinks as they are food.

“We get the excellent sourdough we want to know where the cheese comes from, and we are getting the same way about drinks – better vodka, better sodas, better tonics.

“In the last decade, gin has sky-rocketed because we want flavour, and we have a more educated palate. Vodka producers are either promoting the clean, pure character of the spirit or adding flavours such as botanicals or honey or barrel ageing.

Marzo says there is an opportunity to produce vodka with flavour that rides on the popularity of gin.

“Flavour is the key. Used in a genuine and transparent way, it is the key. Some people don’t like the piney, forest flavour of juniper but love other flavours.

“Distilleries and vodka brands are reconsidering what vodka is,” says Marzo.

It’s an exciting time full of flavour and promise for one of the world’s most popular white spirits.

drinks trade 41

Awards

AUSTRALIA’S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2021 Record entries prove pandemic has not dampened spirits.

AUSTRALIA’S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS REPRESENTS THE BEST RESTAURANTS, PUBS, CLUBS, HOTELS, BARS AND CAFES IN METRO AND REGIONAL AREAS. THE AWARDS ASSIST VENUES BY HIGHLIGHTING ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGH THE WIDEST POSSIBLE RECOGNITION AND EXPOSURE FOR VENUES ACROSS AUSTRALIA. IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING TWO YEARS, BUT IN TODAY'S PANDEMIC CLIMATE, THE SPIRIT, CAMARADERIE, AND DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE MEAN THE AWARDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

42 drinks trade

Despite this last year being so harsh for the industry, founder Rob Hirst said the feedback received, on top of the highest number of entries ever, has been one of thanks. The awards recognise achievement, acknowledge the hard work and resilience of venues and teams, and help with the long road to recovery.

To recognise the impact of the pandemic on Australian hospitality and tourism industries, Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards’ is excited to announce two new awards for 2021.

Australia’s Best Wine List – 200 Wines: This award sits alongside the existing ‘Best Wine List – 50 Wines’ and ‘Best Wine List – 100 Wines’ awards. As the average of most wine lists entered in the Awards is

over 200 wines, this award caters for the change that has taken place in businesses due to COVID-19 and the trimmed-down nature of wine lists and cellars of the future.

The Awards will now recognise those venues listing less than 50, 100 and 200 wines. In 2021 there was extraordinary support for these three categories, with 224 venues receiving Glass awards.

Australia's Wine List of the Year – Australia's Choice Award: This award introduced an opportunity for Australia's consumers to express their recognition and gratitude for their favourite sommeliers and venues. Many venues were overwhelmed by the support they continued to receive from their customers, and thousands of votes were received supporting their favourites.

Rob Hirst said of this year’s awards: "Interestingly, given the experience of 2020, the average size of wine lists entered this year only declined slightly – down just 5% across the country. Not surprisingly, the new award category Best Wine List of under 200 Wines was a heavily contested award. The judges noted how difficult it can be to craft an outstanding small list.

“Together with the Drinks Association and our new media partner – Qantas Magazine / Travel Insider – we want to focus on acknowledging and celebrating the best wine lists Australia has to offer. We can all help our industry recover and blossom in 2022 and the future.”

ABOUT THE AWARDS The awards were dreamt up by Rob and Judy Hirst in 1994 while running Sydney's first wine and spirit merchant, Tucker Seabrook. They saw a need for an awards program that recognised and rewarded sommeliers' hard work and talent and the enormous investment by business owners into developing quality wine lists and cellars.

Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards

are not only the most prestigious national awards in their field but have also played a significant role in lifting the standard of Australia's wine lists over the past three decades.

The awards' judging panel consists of more than 30 wine industry professionals, wine communicators, sommeliers, winemakers, Master Sommeliers and

Masters of Wine. They assess the lists on quality, balance, price, presentation and suitability.

Sadly, Judy Hirst lost her long battle with cancer in 2007. The Judy Hirst Award, given each year to the sommelier of the Wine List of the Year, is her legacy. Her husband Rob continues to run the awards each year.

drinks trade 43

Awards

SEE ALL THE WINNERS OF THE 2021 AWARDS WATCH IT LIVE The 2021 Year Awards Ceremony Online live-streamed via Facebook at 4.00 pm AEDT Monday 29 November 2021. Hosted by The Wine Guy from the Market Wine Store, Peter Marchant. Register your interest via https://fb.me/e/1p5s8CeC0 or tune in to watch and congratulate the announced winners.

Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River, WA Sommelier - Karen Gough Fico, Hobart, Tasmania Sommelier - Ben Devereux NATIONAL CLASS OF TRADE OR CATEGORY Best City Restaurant Cirrus, Sydney Sommeliers - Nick Hildebrandt and Polly Mackarel

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS 2021 Wine List of the Year – Ten Minutes by Tractor, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Judy Hirst Award Xavier Vigier – Sommelier, Ten Minutes

by Tractor

STATE/TERRITORY WINNERS The Boat House, Canberra, ACT Sommelier - Kate Hibberson Cirrus, Sydney, NSW Sommeliers - Nick Hildebrandt and Polly Mackarel Otto, Brisbane, Queensland Sommelier - Alan Hunter Hardy’s Verandah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia Sommeliers - Liinaa Berry, Riccardo Borri, Eliott Boucard Ten Minutes by Tractor, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Sommelier - Xavier Vigier

44 drinks trade

Best Club Restaurant Newcastle Club, Newcastle, NSW Sommelier - Matt Underwood Best Country Restaurant Ten Minutes by Tractor, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Sommelier - Xavier Vigier Best Hotel Restaurant Wine List Black Bar and Grill, Pyrmont, Sydney Sommelier - Addy Lam Best Pub Restaurant Wine List Watervale Hotel, South Australia Sommelier - Warrick Duthy Best Wine Bar List Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley, Queensland Sommelier – Chris Walker The Tony Hitchin Award Best New List a’Mare, Crown Sydney Sommeliers - Francesca Pellegrino and Gianluca Urbani Best Wine List under 50 Wines Ishizuka, Melbourne Sommelier – David Lawler

Best Wine List under 100 Wines Spice Temple, Sydney Sommelier – Justin Crawford Best Wine List under 200 Wines (NEW) Fix, St James, Sydney Sommelier – Stuart Knox Best List of Wines by the Glass Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley, Queensland Sommelier – Chris Walker Best Food & Wine Matching List Pilu at Freshwater Sommelier - Wainer Pordetti Best Champagne List Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley, Queensland Sommelier – Chris Walker Best Sparkling Wine List Aria, Sydney Alex Kirkwood Best Non-Alcoholic List Ishizuka, Melbourne Sommelier - David Lawler Best Aperitif List One Penny Red, Summer Hill, NSW Sommelier - David Murphy Ishizuka, Melbourne

Aria

Best Listing of Victorian Wines Pt Leo Estate, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Sommelier - Andrew Murch Best Listing of Western Australian Wines Wildflower, Perth Sommeliers - Emma Farrelly and Andrew Symes

Best Digestif List Bistecca, Sydney Sommeliers - Alice Massaria and Greg Burley Best Sake Tokyo, Sydney Sommelier - Alfio Cannavo Best Beer List Charred Kitchen & Bar Sommelier - David Collins

Best Wine List - Sommeliers' Choice Award Quay Restaurant, Sydney Sommelier - Shanteh Wale Best Wine List - Australia's Choice Award (NEW) Il Lido, Perth Sommeliers - James Tuxworth and Michael Mori

One Penny Red

Best Listing of a Region's Wines Settler's Tavern, Margaret River, Queensland Sommelier – Karen Gough Best Listing of Australian Wines Bennelong, Sydney Sommelier - Amanda Yallop Best Listing of ACT Wines The Boat House, Canberra Sommelier - Kate Hibberson Best Listing of NSW Wines Charred Kitchen and Bar, Orange, NSW Sommelier - David Collins Best Listing of Queensland Wines Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley, Queensland Sommelier – Chris Walker Best Listing of South Australian Wines Hardy's Verandah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia Sommeliers - Liinaa Berry, Riccardo Borri and Eliott Boucard Best Listing of Tasmanian Wines Terrace Kitchen, Launceston, Tasmania Sommeliers - Robyn McInerney and Greg Hazelwood

National Award Winners - Hall of Fame 2021 Attica (2020) Jonah's (2017) Bentley Restaurant + Bar (2015) Rockpool Bar & Grill, Perth (2014) Wickens at Royal Mail (2012) [as Royal Mail] Pilu at Freshwater (2011) Rockpool Bar & Grill, Melbourne (2010) Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney (2009) Aria (2003)

Individual Award Winners - Hall of Fame David Lawler (2018) Franck Moreau MS (2014)

Geographic Award Winners - Hall of Fame Apoteca (Best SA) 2004, 2011, 2012 [as Apothecary 1878] Attica (Best Victoria) 2013, 2015, 2020 Appellation (Best SA) 2008, 2009, 2010 Blackbird (Best Queensland) 2017, 2018, 2020 Char (Best NT) 2012, 2013, 2014 Cru Bar + Cellar (Best Queensland) 2004, 2009, 2015 Rockpool Bar & Grill, Perth (Best WA) 2011, 2012, 2014 Stillwater (Best Tasmanian) 2016, 2017, 2018 Terrace, Launceston, (Best Tasmanian) 2008, 2009, 2019

Type of Trade Award Winners - Hall of Fame Bert's (Best Hotel) 2018, 2019, 2020 The Botanical (Best Pub) 2012, 2013, 2014 Glass Brasserie (Best International Hotel) 2008, 2009, 2010 Jonah's (Best Hotel) 2015, 2016, 2017 Lake House (Best Country Restaurant) 2008, 2010, 2013 Love, Tilly Devine (Best Wine Bar) 2013, 2016, 2017 Members Dining Room (Best Club) 2013, 2014, 2015 [as RACV City Club] Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (Best Club) 2003, 2004, 2008 Settlers Tavern (Best Pub) 2009, 2010, 2011 Wickens at Royal Mail (Best Country Restaurant) 2009, 2011, 2012 [as Royal Mail]

Category Award Winners - Attica (Best Non-Alcoholic) 2018, 2019, 2020 Avoca Hotel (Best Beer) 2018, 2019, 2020 Chiswick, Woollahra (Best Small List: 100) 2015, 2017, 2018 Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney (Best Aperitif) 2011, 2012, 2017 Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney (Best Digestif) 2012, 2015, 2020 Settlers Tavern (Best Listing of Western Australian Wines) 2017, 2018, 2019 Aria (Readers Award) 2011, 2012, 2013

drinks trade 45

Tasting Bench

&

CHAMPAGNE SPARKLING

OUR EXPERT PANEL OF TASTERS

BRIDGET RAFFAL

MICHAEL MCINTOSH

DAVID MESSUM

JACK GLOVER

Beverage Director Where’s Nick

Fine Wine Brand Ambassador Accolade Wines

Consultant/Winemaker Just the Drop

Marketing Director Accolade Wines

46 drinks trade

DRINKS TRADE, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL PANEL TEAM OF NINE WINE EXPERTS, RETAILERS, SOMMELIERS AND WINE CONSULTANTS GATHERED AT WHERE’S NICK WINE BAR & SHOP IN MARRICKVILLE, SYDNEY, TO TASTE THEIR WAY THROUGH AN OUTSTANDING LINE UP OF OVER 150 CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINES. WITH LOCKDOWN LIFTED WE ALL REJOICED AT TASTING ‘IN REAL LIFE’ WITH THE BENEFIT OF DISCUSSING THOUGHTS, OPINIONS AND COMPARING NOTES. INDIVIDUAL SCORES WERE COLLATED AND THE RESULTS OF THE TOP FOURTEEN WINES ARE SHOWCASED HERE WITH SIX WINES DELIVERING IMPRESSIVE SCORES OF 96 AND ABOVE. THE TOP FIVE WINES INCLUDED THREE CHAMPAGNES, A NON-VINTAGE BORDEAUX SPARKLING AND A TASMANIAN BRUT VINTAGE SPARKLING WINE.

JARRETT BUFFINGTON

MEGAN BARBER

COURTNEY TATE

SOPHIE GITTERLE

Dan’s Wine Merchant Double Bay

Brand Ambassador Oceania, Champagne Frerejean Frères

General Manager Wine Envy

Senior Sommelier Quay, Sydney

drinks trade 47

STAND-OUT SELECTION

Wine of the Tasting

Runner up

Equal Third

AYALA, BLANC DE BLANC NV CHAMPAGNE RRP: $90 | SCORE: 98 Comment: • Classic brioche, buttery, fine nose.

Good persistent and fine bead, well integrated, great balance through to finish. Like it a lot. DM • • Tighter, some primary fruit - lemon and apple mixed with brioche nose.

Lively, mouth-watering acidity, complex autolytic characters like brioche and marzipan lingering on finish, balanced nicely with chalky texture. Fruit in balance with secondary characters. A harmonious linear wine. BR • Soft gold, slight green hints. Just a vibrant inviting vintage. It certainly feels youthful. Beautiful clean, almost linear, bright chardonnay, good structure. Good clean acidity. MB • Showcases restraint in all the right ways. Citrus, minerality, fresh oyster shell. Integrated and seamless. Pure and precise. It’s like a warm embrace after a long time apart. MM

TSARINE CUVÉE PREMIUM BRUT NV CHAMPAGNE RRP: $60 | SCORE: 97 Comment: • Citrus, calcium UT. Touch of reserve complex. Linear, complex length. JG • Earth, mushroom, honeyed wheat, wet stones, yellow apples. SG • Reduction, vanilla and spice green pear, chalk, drying, great acidity, squeaky, low dosage. I like this.

Needs food. CT • Lemon zest, baked red fruit, balanced, round. JB

HEIDSIECK & CO MONOPOLE GOLD TOP 2010 CHAMPAGNE RRP: $50 | SCORE: 96 Comment: • Honeyed yellow hints, richness, autolytic, brioche and hot butter toast. Apricot, rounded palate, touch too much dosage. Mid-length finish.

DM • Lemon curd and biscuit, flinty, rich but restrained on nose. Good tension between richness of autolysis and chalky texture. A powerful wine with drive and balance. Richness with restraint. BR • Big full. Very obvious flint of aged Chardonnay. Pinot is apparent upon secondary smell. Completely robust.

Full and generous. Flint, green apple and long finish. MB • Rich and voluminous. Desiccated fruit and toasty notes. Little aged and sherried. Mineral and flintiness.

Aging gracefully. MM

48 drinks trade

C ÔTES DE PROVENC E C OTEAUX D’AIX-EN-PROVENC E C OTEAUX VAROIS EN PROVENC E VINSDEPROVENC E.C OM

Tasting Bench

BREAM CREEK BRUT VINTAGE 2015 AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING (TASMANIA) RRP: $45 \ Score: 96 Comment: • Savoury, citrus, complexity. Pithy phenolics, little hard. JG • Brioche, baked apples. Love the flavour profile of this wine - more baked apples, warmed brioche, spice - keep going back. SG

MAISON FONDÉE HENRI ABELÉ ROSÉ NV FRENCH SPARKLING (BORDEAUX) RRP: $55 \ Score: 96 Comment: • Alert, reds, florals edge, bright, juicy and front-loaded. Fine tension. JG • Cream, weight, red apple skin, texture, minerality, sherbet, wet stones. SG • Tart fruit pomegranate, cranberry, lengthy finish. JB

6. COLMAR ESTATE ROSE NV AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING (ORANGE, NSW) RRP: $30 \ Score: 95 Comment: • Pale onion skin, pretty. Fine acid line, chalky minerality. Good length. DM • Nice richness on mid palate, mouthwatering acidity, good complexity, chalky finish counteracts fruit weight.

BR • Soft peach and salmon colour, slight yeast, touch of zest on the nose. Good for food, a Brut but lacks bit of depth and character. MB

7. VRANKEN ‘DIAMANT BLANC’ BLANC DE BLANCS 2007 CHAMPAGNE RRP: $50 \ Score: 95 Comment: • Classic red berry. Richness, roundness from older blending material. Well integrated. Length touch short but overall good. DM • Tertiary fruit - dried lemon, hazelnut nose. Bead a bit faded. Rich from start to finish, good length, marzipan, carries dosage well though. BR • Bright rich gold in colour. All yeast, big and generous, soft floral perfume after smelling it too much. Falling over a little but is big round, full, lovely yeasty vintage Champagne MB • Robust style. Completely driven by winemaker influence. Toast, brioche, yoghurt. Gorgeous! MM

8. DE BORTOLI ESTE BRUT 2008 AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING (YARRA VALLEY, VICTORIA) RRP: $40 | Score: 95 Comment: • Citrus and mealy tones, forward, phenolic hard finish, good length. JG • Green raw tomato on the nose. Toast, brioche, earth, mushroom, richness, drive. SG

50 drinks trade

9. JACQUART MOSAIQUE EXTRA BRUT NV CHAMPAGNE RRP: $100 | Score: 95 Comment: • Red berry, white peach, textural, good MF. JG • Honeyed, peaches, yoghurt, toast, mango. SG • Lazy flowery red apple. pie crust. phenolics, fuzzy white nectarine. red apple crystal. CT

11. RADENTI - R3 BRUT NV AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING (TASMANIA) RRP: $55 | Score: 93 points Comment: • Nice nose, candied peel and florals.

Good mouthfeel, foamy, fine bead, citrus, apple fruit notes, touch autolytic. Long. Very good. DM • Rich, cheesy, lemon and apple nose.

Good acid and drive, nice length, autolytic characters linger on the palate, tight finish offsets richer notes.

BR

13. POMMERY BRUT ROYAL, NV CHAMPAGNE RRP: $72 | Score: 93 Comment: • Scented, layered, classic profile. Moderate concentration, energy fades. JG • Quite grippy, honey wheat, apple skin, wet stones. SG • Reduction-tension, phenolic-like yellow crisp peach skin. Gives way into crunchy green pear flesh. Some green plum/greengage on the nose.

Jasmine and orchid. Great lift, more power on the palate than expected. Vinous. long length, slight ginger spiced green and red apple flesh.

Lemon pith, lemongrass. CT • Fuji apple, lemon rind, sourdough, highly interesting. JB

10. POMMERY ‘LOUIS POMMERY’ ENGLAND BRUT NV English Sparkling RRP: $99| Score: 94 Comment: • Fresh nose, some lees and fresh baked bread on nose. Carries sugar well, very tight acidic finish, touch disjointed in structure but good. BR • Fine and light style, fresh but still some developing autolytic characters. Tightly wound acid, balance fine bead. Nice aperitif style. DM

12.JACQUART MOSAIQUE, ROSÉ NV BRUT CHAMPAGNE RRP: $110 | Score: 93 Comment: • Red berries, toast, balanced comp.

Linear, juicy reds with focused finish.

BP presence. JG • Honeyed toasted bran, wet stones, loving the acid drive, brioche. SG • Tasty on the palate but simplistic, strawberry. blood orange. redcurrant.

CT • Toasty cherry wood spice, dry JB

14.AZAHARA NV BRUT AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING (MURRAY DARLING) RRP: $30 | Score: 91 Comment: • Fresh yet honeyed style, foamy bead, but nice texture. Lighter florals, good acid line and length. DM • Nice fine bead, some complexity in citrus fruit, and oyster shell minerality, mouth-watering acidity drives the wine.

BR

drinks trade 51

A New York Covid Case Study

LOOKING INSIDE NINE PIN CIDER WORKS THERE’S NO DENYING THAT COVID-19 DERAILED 2020, FORCING THE CLOSURE OF MANY BELOVED BUSINESSES AMIDST MONTHS-LONG LOCKDOWNS. THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WAS AMONG THE HARDEST HIT WITHOUT CUSTOMERS TO SERVE IN PERSON. GLOBALLY, MUCH IS THE SAME, IF NOT WORSE, WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION: WITH THE END OF THE PANDEMIC SEEMINGLY NEAR, HOW DOES A BUSINESS RECOVER AND COME BACK BETTER THAN EVER? HERE, WE LOOK TO AMERICA AT NINE PIN CIDER WORKS AS A CASE STUDY. ESTABLISHED IN 2014 AS NEW YORK’S FIRST FARM CIDERY, NINE PIN CIDER IS A PROMINENT NEW YORK BRAND THAT EXEMPLIFIES A STURDY AMERICAN SPIRIT THAT DID MORE THAN SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC: IT THRIVED DURING IT. Amanda Blakeman reports from Albany, New York state.

Nine Pin Cider Works prides itself on being authentically and uniquely New York.

Located in the state capital of Albany, north of New York City, Nine Pin boasts an impressive and ever-popular array of ciders.

Available at their tasting room and across the state is small batches, seasonal releases, light ciders, and a Signature Nine Pin Cider.

Josh Whelan, Marketing Manager at Nine Pin Cider and a member of the family that runs the brand, says their Nine Pin Signature Cider is a staple in the Capital Region around Albany.

“I notice that if you go and try to get a beer, you order the specific style of a brewery; you want the IPA, you want the Porter, you want the Pilsner. When people go out and order Nine Pin, they say, ‘oh, I’d like a Nine Pin’. They don’t even specify Nine Pin Signature because they don’t even have to distinguish it because that’s what people think of. It’s our most popular

52 drinks trade

and, I think, our favourite. Of course, we have other ciders that we’ve come out with people like, but at the end of the day, our Nine Pin Signature is what people remember”.

Nine Pin Cider has undoubtedly made a name for itself in New York by embracing its New York roots to the fullest, potentially tapping into exactly what makes any brand beloved and – more importantly – longlasting.

Even its name represents New York, as Whelan claims, “we get our name from the story of Rip Van Winkle, which is a

Hudson Valley legend written by the famous New York author Washington Irving. In the story, Rip Van Winkle is this old guy living in the Hudson Valley who goes for a hike, there’s thunder in the distance, and he follows it with his dog until he stumbles upon a group of Harry Hudson’s sailors [after whom the famous Hudson River is named].

They are drinking what they call a ‘strange liquor’ and playing a game of Nine Pins, which is the Dutch form of bowling.

“Rip Van Winkle and the sailors were probably drinking a particularly strong hard cider

from the abundance of apples available in New York state.

“We support New York agriculture by producing amazing hard cider sourced from apples and fruit from New York state apples and farms. We like to be as New York as possible, so to have our name tied to a New York legend, and with a New York author, is perfect”.

Nine Pin’s unique status as New York’s first Farm Cidery is due to a 2014 law from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo benefitting cider makers. Known as the Farm Cidery Law, it allowed Nine Pin to open a cider tasting room and sell directly to consumers who are fans of their brand.

95% of Nine Pin’s apples come from the same area of New York in which they are located, and Whelan cites the concept of terroir as the key to their great-tasting New York cider.

As it did globally, COVID-19, of course, threw a wrench into the plans of this favoured, but still young, brand, facing them with the loyal customer base that they had worked hard to build for many years prior.

“When the pandemic hit, we had to shut down our tasting room, and all the restaurants and bars closed down, which was bad for them, but worse because it meant that we couldn’t sell the kegs or anything. I think that people clung to us tightly and tried to support us as much as possible. It brought tears to our eyes at some points because it was like, my God, our fans are getting us through this; it’s amazing.

Those effects are carrying over now as was sort of move out of the worst of it”.

They also had the extra benefit of their location in New York state; despite being known for their restrictive COVID

“We created the Secret Stash series, where we release one Secret Stash cider a month. It was so successful and got us through some really tough times”

lockdown rules, as per the state’s status as a former COVID hotspot, New York passed legislation to help struggling businesses.

“Former Governor Cuomo’s executive orders allowed us to ship direct to consumers and start doing delivery. I think it broadened our customer base because we were starting to be able to sell online, which was an avenue we weren’t able to do before COVID. That allowed us to reach more customers in the capital region and reach customers across the state.”

Whelan is very hopeful at the long-term benefits these new rules could have for cider makers, having opened up their online world.

However, Nine Pin’s approach to surviving and thriving during COVID was

drinks trade 53

A New York Covid Case Study

more than simply relying on hopes and prayers for customers and government intervention. They adapted their tasting room and how they serve customers to accommodate social distancing rules.

One happy accident came from the shutdown of bars and restaurants.

“In the beginning, what we were doing was canning the small, small, small-batch ciders that we had on tap at the tasting room. Every time we would release one of those, our online store would get flooded, and it created this frenzy that we’re hoping to continue. We created the Secret Stash series, where we release one Secret Stash cider a month. It was so successful and got us through some really tough times.”

Other choices were more intentional.

Nine Pins set up private campfires over

wintertime on our outdoor patio where people could come in for two hours with 6-8 people and socially distance. “We provided a space for people to do that safely and stay warm.”

To endure a New York winter and a pandemic like the 2020s was no small feat, but Nine Pin embraced change and continue to do so. It might forever alter the hospitality industry, but that does not have to be negative.

“The third thing that we did is open the Nine Pin mobile bar. We figured that many people will be hosting a lot of belated events, because they haven’t seen their friends in forever. We took an old horse trailer, bought it towards the end of the winter, and refurbished it. Lot of ups and downs there, but we’ve come out on the other side. It’s now this beautiful trailer that people can book and have a private Nine Pin mobile bar at their private event”.

It appears that Nine Pin is more than prepared to handle the transition into the post-COVID world, with a multitude of creative ideas to keep thirsty customers coming back again and again. While it has not been entirely smooth sailing for the brand, it could be worth the while to adapt as they have.

A Vins de Provence Promotion

GROWING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR PROVENCE WINES PROVENCE CREATES WORLD-CLASS ROSÉS, WHITES AND REDS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO THROUGH ITS ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE IN THE VINEYARD AND THE WINERY. The Provençal wine producer believes the notion of terroir covers man’s ability to adapt to his vineyard to facilitate symbiosis between the vine, Soil, Climate, and the fruit that produces the wine. That is why producers in Provence work with nature as much as possible to produce clean and characterful grapes that are the expression of pure terroir. A harmonious and balanced vineyard delivers wines of distinction, quality and finesse.

Provence is blessed with naturally favourable conditions such as 2800 hours of sun per year and the strong wind of the Mistral that blows after the rain and dries the vines, preventing mildew and rot and keeping pests away. Still, it is the work done in the vineyards by the viticulturists that make all the difference.

Sustainable viticulture is essential to the premium quality and the pure expression of the wines of Provence and extremely important to the winemakers of the region.

The 550 producers (490 private wineries + 60 cooperative wineries) that make up the membership of the Provence Wine Council (CIVP) will be sustainably certified by 2030.

Today 215 are AB certified and 86 HVE certified.

Provençal wine growers work with sustainable practices for maximum impact,

such as harnessing bio-diversity to keep the vineyard naturally balanced and reduce the need for pest control. Planting complementary crops, and cover crops between rows to add nitrogen back into the soil also increase natural fauna and reduce compaction of the soil, naturally aerating the soil and allowing it to breathe.

Other Organic and Bio Dynamic practices are seen across the vineyards all aimed at returning the soil and environment to a balanced equilibrium, boosting long term vineyard health whilst also ensuring superior fruit quality.

The most popular style of Provençal wine, Rosé is probably the most challenging wine to make. It is a delicate wine, famous for its freshness of flavour and natural acid.

Preserving these critical attributes of rosé is imperative. Vignerons choose harvest day carefully; ensuring the perfect balance between acidity, sugar, polyphenols and fruit character.

Freshness is central to the signature style of Provençal wine therefore avoiding oxidation is paramount. Grapes are harvested in the cool of the night and vinified in a controlled environment to protect primary aromas and flavours including the use of thermo-regulated transportation from vineyard to cellar,

thermoregulated equipment, less triturationmanipulation and oxygen-free inert medium equipment.

Climate change is also of great concern to the growers of Provence. They are adapting by developing new varieties and adopting foreign, heat-hardy grape varietals that will flourish in the future. In the winery semi-underground cellars, the use of gravity as opposed to electric pumps and green rooves all help winemakers significantly reduce energy consumption during the winemaking process.

The 2020 vintage was outstanding, producing wines of clean fruit expression and aromas balanced with generosity and freshness. The yet to be released 2021 vintage which has recently finished fermenting and will soon be ready to bottle, is looking just as promising and will start to land in Australia from March 2022.

Rosé accounts for more than 98% of Provençal wines consumed in Australia, and with the regions producers sharing similar lifestyle values and drinking occasions with Australian consumers, the popularity of Provence Rosé looks assured.

The future is bright for Vins de Provence in the Australian market.

drinks trade 55

A Duxton Vineyards Promotion

DUXTON VINEYARDS SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CARE AT THE CORE

DUXTON VINEYARDS IS A LEADER IN THE SUSTAINABILITY SPACE AND WORK TO FORM HARMONIOUS AND SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LAND THEY OPERATE ON THROUGH SEEKING ENVIRONMENTALLY-FOCUSED PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRADITIONAL OWNERS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. Drinks Trade spoke to Environment Manager for Duxton Vineyards, Dylan Klingbiel, to gain insights into the extraordinary lengths the business is taking to realise its end goal of a zero-carbon footprint and how they champion the way for the industry as a whole.

Can you speak more on your certified membership of Sustainable Wine Australia covering the vineyards and winery, and your ISO 14001 Environmental Certification?

The ISO 14001 Environmental Certification was a mark of confidence that the winery had back in its previous ownership structure with Accolade Wines and was something we wanted to reinstate.

It involves some excellent systems that not only protect the environment but also drive the continuous improvement of Duxton Vineyard operations. The systems and the ways of working are very much what we

56 drinks trade

wanted as part of the Duxton Vineyard business -such as making sure we have people trained in certain areas to manage risk , have a crisis action process in place and drive positive environmental outcomes.

Our certified membership with Sustainable Wine Australia covers both the nuts and bolts of operating and overarching managing system but we have found value in certain operational target areas. It looks at the winery and vineyards setting, such as managing your chemicals effectively and where you store them, making sure they don’t get released into the environment uncontrolled. It also looks at how to improve your soil health and encourage organic techniques such as composting and reducing synthetic fertilisers such as the high carbon emissions-intense fertilisers.

Can you explain your water saving initiatives?

So that’s another part of our certified

membership with Sustainable Wine Australia. It pushes you to continuously monitor your water use and drive you into initiatives to save water. Over the last 12 months, our focus has been investing in automation, such as seeing maximum utilisation of our wastewater stream within two of our vineyard setting. All of our filters clean themselves. It’s some pretty intelligent automation technology, automatically pumping that back into the system so it doesn’t go to waste and doesn’t evaporate.

It’s pretty significant for us, and we have forecasted that it will potentially save us 150 million litres of water per year.

Tell us about the 100% recyclable materials in your vineyard setting and development trellising.

Essentially, we have drawn a line in the sand in terms of traditional trellising and setting up vineyards, so any work moving forward will be done using recyclable materials,

whether that be steel or another alternative.

We are currently looking at some different options In that space. There is a few on the market; it’s just a matter of continuing to look. It’s an evolving space, and the industry continues to recognise the standard CCA posts are not a favourable option due to the harmful chemicals that they contain.

Tell us about the long-term use of onsite renewable energy that has thus far avoided over 750 tonnes of CO2e emissions and made a positive impact equivalent to 70,000 trees.

We are always looking for new opportunities in the renewable energy space. We have some excellent sized solar systems already, and we are always looking at solar options.

We will be moving towards another solar project within the next 12 months, but we are also looking outside of that box, hoping to form partnerships with companies and look at the bigger picture. That’s what we’ve done with LAVO ( a green energy technology company powered by Hydrogen) through looking at hydrogen storage as an option to allow us to take that next step in terms of really driving towards offsetting all of our electricity and subsequent emissions.

We are currently operating 24/7, so solar cannot offset that night-time use. We need to look at storage. Hydrogen is a very exciting space at the moment. The LAVO technology, the Green Hydrogen Battery Energy Storage System, seems to be a very innovative solution that could work for us.

We’re now moving towards a feasibility and engineering study. We are looking to do a small-scale pilot rollout of that technology to get a feel for how it works and what it is capable of. We will then look to that industrial-scale solution and focus on our winery site because that’s a significant energy user and an energy-intensive process.

Are you early adopters of hydrogen technology?

Relatively, yes. LAVO has a few partners they have advertised publicly. Hydrogen technology is something that we are keen on

getting into, as there are countless benefits it could offer us if we’re able to implement a hydrogen-storing system. It may be 4 or 5 years away from being a feasible commercial solution. Still, the work needs to start now because of technical aspects, regulations and other safety considerations that need to happen in the background.

And the prospect of allowing us to go netzero through this technology is well-worth exploring early.

Are you industry leaders in this sustainable space?

That is what I would like us to be. It takes years’ worth of effort, time and understanding. Managing to achieve the certified membership of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia in such a short time over such a large scale shows that we are willing to throw whatever it takes to be a truly sustainable business. Being confirmed as the largest certified company has been a real reward for the Duxton Vineyards team’s effort.

Tell us about the Saving our Species program.

It’s been an ongoing program at our Euston Vineyard for four years now. Some of our first native plantings occurred in 2018.

We have a mix

Dylan Klingbiel

lof over 20 different native species we have planted, both nursery-grown and direct seed. We have revegetated and protected approximately 70 hectares of land. We are also doing things such as upgrading fences to keep pests at bay and protect all that hard work. We have also had to do a lot of weed control. Just planting the trees and forgetting about them isn’t what we have done. We have gone to the extent of irrigating them and giving them every best chance of success. We have planted flowering species to encourage insects because this is beneficial in increasing the overall biodiversity of the vineyard.

We are also working with the NSW Government on fish screens for irrigation pumps. It’s a significant area of focus within the government and the fishing industry groups because fish and fish eggs get sucked up into the irrigation pipes from the river systems in Australia. We have been working closely with the New South Wales Local Land Services, and they have been offering some funding. We are looking to have two fish screens installed at one of our Wentworth properties which will hopefully be up and running in the first quarter of next year. It will be a really exciting initiative for us, and the benefits are it keeps the juvenile fish in the river systems.

Another advantage of the screens is that they can save us a lot of water because they will take the pressure off the filtering process and deliver better quality water further on in the system. You really need to look at every part of the operation and think about what the impact is.

Is the wine industry lagging in this area?

No, I think as an industry, we are probably leading. I am pretty thrilled to be a part of the wine industry at the moment. Other sectors are keen to catch up, so it is a really exciting time to be in the wine industry from a sustainability perspective.

Learn more about Duxton Vineyards and the great work they are doing in the sustainability space by contacting the team on +61 3 5022 1322 and at enquiries@duxtonvineyards.com.au

drinks trade 57

Next Generation Retail

WINE WITH THE TIMES: Making Wine More Accessible to Australia’s Youth Words Cody Profaca

The Natural-Wine movement has proved a major success in the youth market

Wine is a complex drink with arguably more culture and history than any other alcoholic beverage. As a result, it is one of the most widely available forms of alcohol on the market, and yet remains relatively inaccessible to newer consumers. This is due to the perception that one requires a certain level of product knowledge before they can properly buy wine with confidence, something that has traditionally alienated younger buyers.

Despite this, a privately conducted survey studying the purchasing habits of youth across Sydney found that 30% usually drink wine over other forms of alcohol, and 52% consume wine at least one in five times they drink. Similarly, a Business Insider report found that 42% of the wine drunk in the USA was by young people. These statistics

58 drinks trade

are at odds with a survey of Sydney bottleshops, however, which found that young people are buying wine less than 15% of the time.

These statistics suggest that young people are generally drinking wine at home with their families instead of socially with friends.

Even though they are already drinking and enjoying wine they are typically not purchasing the bottles themselves.

Matthew Oosthuizen, a 22 year old bottle-shop worker who has been in the industry since 2018, gives his opinion as to why this might be.

“Probably the main barrier is the wine labels. They’re not very appealing and there’s not a lot of information on the drop on the back of the label which I think stems from them believing that it’s their reputation

Matthew Oosthuizen, 22, has worked in the industry since 2018

selling wine. This might be true for wine drinkers but it’s a bit of a deterrent if you’re new to the whole thing.”

The following graph reflects youth buyer sentiment when purchasing different forms of alcohol at liquor stores.

Consumer Confidence in Purchasing Decision (<25 y.o.)

2% 28%

30%

56%

11% 2% beer/cider/mixed drinks Very Unclear

31%

49%

40%

18%

26%

5% Spirits Not very clear

The above graph confirms that youth are often unsure about what they are purchasing when it comes to wine. The fact that they readily drink wine when it is available and yet struggle to purchase it in a liquor store suggests that a change in sales techniques and marketing could result in significantly more wine being sold.

Why would bottle-shops want to sell more wine to young people? Wine sales generally draw more repeat customers compared to other drinks due to an increased reliance on staff assistance. Wine also has significantly higher profit margins

Wine Fairly Clear

Very Clear

than other categories of alcohol.

The following graph displays a comparison of what Sydney’s youth and Sydney’s bottle-shops think are the most important factors in making wine more accessible to young people.

This below graph is interesting for several reasons. Firstly, there is a high correlation between the youth survey and the bottleshop survey, reflecting that liquor retailers understand what their youth customers require.

Secondly, the largest deviation occurs because Sydney’s youth want more

access to product information in store, further emphasizing the lack of consumer confidence when purchasing wine.

The only other major deviation occurs in Targeted advertising/social media, with bottle-shops ranking it as more important.

This is unsurprising as effective advertising typically goes unnoticed by the consumer, and the fact it still ranked highly among Sydney’s youth reflects its importance.

The last interesting point to note is the even spread across the categories. To make wine more accessible to young people numerous changes should be made in a variety of areas.

So what can wine-retailers do to better accommodate Australia’s youth?

One simple way is to help younger buyers better understand the product they are purchasing. This can be done by displaying short product descriptions/pamphlets that inform about the wine, through more effective customer service, or even through in-store tastings. Matthew Oosthuizen explains the need for information to be shared in a straight-forward, non-pretentious manner.

“I think there’s a culture among young people of not wanting to ask, so I guess that would put it on the staff to be more open and friendly about it, talking about it, and letting them ask for wines they could recommend without being judged.”

The next major step is to target wine

What Can Be Done to Make Wine More Accessible to Young People 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00%

Unique wine Be�er product descrip�ons/customer styles/grape varie�es service

More exci�ng/less serious labels

Youth Survey

Cheaper prices

Targeted adver�sing/social media

Alternate product formats (eg half bo�les, cans)

Reduc�on in s�gma

Bo�le Shop Survey

drinks trade 59

LOOKING TO OPTIMISE YOUR NO-LOW OFFERING? HERE’S TWO BANGING IPA’S FROM THE WORLD’S MOST AWARDED NO-LOW BREWER WHY STOCK PARADISO AND POOLSIDE? Big Drop is the most awarded brewer of no-low beers No-low beer forecast +16% vol GAGR 2020-2024 76% of consumers intend to maintain or increase consumption of no-low alc 65% of consumers want to discover new no-low alc offerings 84% of craft beer consumers drink IPA / DIPA’s

READY TO STOCK THE WORLD’S BEST NA BEER? Drop our team an email at customersupport@bigdropbrew.com or find us at Paramount, Kaddy, Polkadot (TAS) & Wine Gang (WA) Source: 2021 IWSR Drinks Management Analysis Australia Beer Cartel Craft Beer Survey 2020

LIMITED EDITION RELEASE

Johnathan Hepner is the owner of Bucket Boys Marrickville

advertisements towards youth. With this, it is important to recognize what aspects of wine appeal most to younger generations and using this to focus media campaigns.

Johnathan Hepner, owner of Bucket Boys Bottle-Shop Marrickville, recognizes that younger wine drinkers are looking for different things in the bottles they buy when compared to traditional wine buyers.

“I think one of the main things that’s driving younger wine drinkers is the idea of drinking fresh wines, so not having to store things in the cellar and worry about vintages and dates, it’s more like: this is what it tastes

like and it’s meant to drink now.”

Advertisements that focus on the fun factor and uniqueness of wines will likely appeal most to Australia’s youth. This could be focusing on natural wines, petnat’s or even some of the more unique and interesting grape varieties found in the traditional wine sector. For example, Australian Grenache with its bright red berry flavours is a very approachable style to the novice wine drinker, or the red-fleshed Saperavi could provide a unique drinking experience to get someone new to the world of wine hooked.

Alternative product formats, and especially canned wine, also have a strong potential to increase wine’s appeal. With the removal of the need for glassware and the convenience of having wine in the size of a single serve, it becomes far more accessible for those who aren’t planning on sharing a bottle with mates. It also removes a lot of the traditions surrounding wine, which can often be a deterrent to those just starting out on their wine journey.

The appearance of wine is also essential to reducing its stigma. Johnathan Hepner believes that when it comes to younger drinkers “the cloudier and uglier it looks in the bottle the better.”

He also feels younger generations would prefer to drink an interesting, unique, and decent-quality wine over a traditional, mainstream and high-quality wine.

“It doesn’t mean the wine is any less interesting or good or bad, it just means people have caught onto the fact that just putting your name on a white label and a vintage date is not the best way to sell wine, especially to this demographic.”

Johnathan also believes the story and ethos of the producer makes a big difference.

“We try to focus on independent wines, we try to focus on innovative stuff so natural ferments, minimal contact wine-making, and also along those same lines choosing younger wine makers who kind of have an idea about the branding and marketing that appeals to younger wine drinkers.”

One important point to note, however, is

Introducing the Canadian Club Soda & Lime for a new take on refreshment.

Canadian Club just made choosing a lighter, natural and easy-drinking sessionable drink a whole lot easier with the launch of its exciting new CC Soda & Lime.

Once again, CC delivers a dark spirit RTD that behaves like a beer and delivers the refreshment and summery vibes of a light spirit.

Not only does it provide the smooth, great taste of Canadian Club with a splash of sparkling soda and a hint of lime, it also ticks all the ‘better for you’ boxes because that’s what today’s discerning dark spirit RTD consumer wants. CC Soda & Lime uses all-natural ingredients, is lower in sugar and just 31 calories per 100 ml. That’s 50%

less than your average cola and dry RTD! And the numbers don’t lie. There is a growing following for the CC movement.

Call it the club of Club or the cult of CC, whatever it is, it's a huge thumbs up from RTD drinkers because Canadian Club is a leading driver of growth in the Dark RTD category and one of the top-selling RTD brands in Australia.

What are you waiting for? Try it for yourself and range the new CC Soda & Lime today and embrace the next big thing in ultimate refreshment - it's all taste with none of the guilt.

Available to purchase through your CCEP Australia representative or all good bottleshops nationwide. https://soda. canadianclubaus.com.au/

drinks trade 61

Next Generation Retail

Canned wine is fun, accessible and convenient

that a strong focus on appealing to younger generations has the potential to alienate traditional wine buyers.

“I have lots of friends who are big wine drinkers who don’t shop here much because they don’t like natural wine. They want a straight varietal, they want to know where it comes from, they’re interested more in the aspects that most people were forever: where was it grown, who grows it, was it a good year or was it a bad year, all the things young wine drinkers just don’t care about.”

With Bucket Boys being a small store,

Tom Mazzei is the owner of Toms Cellars West Pymble

62 drinks trade

balancing traditional and natural wines is a harder process due to limited shelfspace. With a larger store, clear segregation between the traditional and the natural wine sections could pose as an effective solution.

This would not only maintain buyerconfidence among traditional wine buyers, but would create a fun and exciting section to entice new wine drinkers.

Despite this, demographic is also an important aspect to consider. While Bucket Boys is located in the youth-centric Inner West, Tom Mazzei of Toms Cellars West

Pymble on Sydney’s North Shore is not looking to expand his range of natural wines.

“Pet-nats seem to be a category for the younger demographic and I would say our stores are located in a more established mature market, and because of that we haven’t had the demand for these styles of wine.”

When it comes to stocking both traditional wines and natural wines in store, Johnathan says there is a bit more that has to be considered.

“Some of my friends have caught on to the fact that just because it’s natural wine doesn’t mean it’s funky, I think a lot of winemakers could do a better job of segmenting if it’s going to be funky versus clean: that would really help.”

The future of wine in younger generations is promising: young people are already drinking and enjoying wine at home but are disenfranchised by stigma and various traditions. With increasingly accessible and more exciting formats of wine appearing on the market, it seems natural that in the future wine-drinking will be adopted at increasingly younger ages, something that will only benefit the industry as a whole.

CALL YOUR WG&S SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON 02 9409 5100

An Australian Liquor Marketers Promotion

MARKETING SHOPPERS OUT OF COVID TOWARDS 2022 AND BEYOND AUSTRALIAN LIQUOR MARKETERS GENERAL MANAGER OF MARKETING, JOSH GAUDRY EXPLAINS HOW HIS BUSINESS IS EFFECTIVELY MANAGING THE PANDEMIC MARKETING RESPONSE TO LEVERAGE RETAIL MOMENTUM. What has been your approach to marketing over the unstable Covid period of the last 18 months for retail?

My covid work story won’t be one I will forget soon. I joined the business on the first day of Covid lockdown in March 2020. No one knew what was ahead of us. Without a playbook to refer to, I jumped onto the roller coaster ride and did the only thing I could do, buckle up and let my instincts guide our marketing strategy for the unforeseeable future. Instincts in this case were referring to the foundational liquor landscape research ALM conducted just before Covid hitting, and I spent time wrapping my head around the intricacies of the business. The response to the million questions I had while everyone was trying to stay on top of the ups and downs of what was happening around us was truly overwhelming. Everyone in ALM across the country was so forthcoming with their time and information; it made the task an absolute pleasure.

A credit to many things we did at ALM, we stuck to our guns on much of our strategic initiatives. To do this, we also had to be agile and ready to pivot should the need demand. From a marketing perspective, we very much had to walk and chew gum simultaneously. While we were busy putting a long term strategy together, we had to keep the lights on with the day to day business. It is true that retail moves faster than the world of FMCG, but the speed of operations during Covid 2020 was staggering. We maintained and kept up with the pace through consistent, collaborative communication between our states, functions, and our most important key stakeholders – the retailers themselves.

64 drinks trade

a bit like golf. You can’t be good at putting if you don’t have a good drive, and vice versa; it is no point having a long game if you can’t convert those short term putts.

And for long term brand building?

IBA has a spectacular portfolio of uniquely differentiated banner offerings. In my first week, I remember I got very direct advice from our National Retail Board to showcase that differentiation. The key to our current and ongoing strategy is to develop a long and short marketing strategy. In all the good marketing textbooks that have ever been written, having a solid short term tactical marketing strategy and plan is critical for driving foot traffic to stores. Our retailers live and die by our ability to drive the short term plan. It is the foundation of what we do. The long term brand building plan is about creating brand meaning, bringing brand positioning to life through differentiated and uniquely distinctive propositions. It’s a harder sell because the benefits aren’t always immediate, but it is vital for long term brand sustainability. It’s

How will this new marketing approach benefit your retail partners?

In the craziness of the Covid years, it has not been easy to pull apart sales data and attribute it to one thing that succeeded or failed. The quantitative ad diagnostics, however, point to a very positive outlook.

We knew we needed to get the basics of our short term plan bedded down and clearly articulated with a long foresight of what was coming. Achieving this bought us a bit of trust from our business and our retailers to execute against a long and short strategy. Endorsement from our NRB and State Committees have been a key enabler of achieving alignment across the network on the strategy. We (the marketing team) service our retailers. They entrust us to market their brand, and our job is simple; make people aware of us, make people like us and get people to turn up to their stores and fill their baskets. We never lose sight of that, and it drives everything we do.

Tell us about the catchy Bottle-O TV commercial reception and what was behind its creative development?

Our brand positioning informs everything we do from a marketing perspective. It’s marketing jumbo to many, but it is our North Star; it guides everything. For this reason, The Bottle-O commercial (and our Cellarbrations TV commercials) all started with our brand positioning. Once again, research and what shoppers want from a liquor retail experience informs our brand

focus on these two metrics, and we measure them in research periodically. We know it’s a long term game, but we have built the foundations, and we already see the benefits of the strategy.

positioning. The Bottle-O is the everyman/ woman who doesn’t take himself too seriously, is loveable, outgoing and thinks fun is the ultimate leveller. That’s what the TVC brings to life. It’s light-hearted, it champions the retailer and the brand, and it just reinforces the idea we don’t take everything too seriously. Easy to say, but hard to do. We worked with our brilliant ad agency Dig to develop the campaign, and I must say developing and shooting during a pandemic threw all sorts of challenges at us.

I’m proud of the spot, but most importantly, shoppers like it too. It has performed well above industry benchmarks for awareness (people remember it) and appeal (people like it and see the intention).

How does this approach grow awareness and appeal of the IBA brands?

The key to our strategy is to bring our brands to life. An enormous driver of retail liquor is top of mind awareness. Consumers need to know who we are, what we stand for whenever they want to buy booze.

Awareness is one of those things that is easier to move the needle on; you pour more media dollars onto it. That’s not always practical or possible, so you have to make sure what you do appeals to shoppers.

High appeal makes up for the shortfalls of any budget challenge. It is super hard to nail, but when you do, it is gold dust! They work in tandem, but no amount of money in media will grow your brand without appeal. Appeal has the greatest correlation to the things that matter most – loyalty, frequency and spend. It’s that simple, if you like a brand, you tend to be more loyal to it. If you like a brand, you visit it more often and spend more on it. We relentlessly

What are your greatest challenges right now?

The greatest challenges are probably our greatest opportunities. Changing consumer behaviour is probably one of the toughest jobs to do in marketing. It takes a dambuster moment for consumers to change what they do. Covid has been our dambuster moment. We have capitalised on this time to re-organise our marketing strategy, put some foundations in place for the short and long term and orientate our business behind relentlessly delivering against it. Shoppers have re-appraised our brands or appraised them for the first time and like what we are doing. Of course, this is our total offering, but marketing plays a crucial role in driving that re-appraisal. The challenge now is to continue to live up to expectations, continue to deliver and engage with consumers in a meaningful way. That’s tough, but it drives us.

How do you see the business continuing to navigate these unprecedented times in the next twelve months?

A trusted partner once told me this line, and I have it written on a post-it note above my desk – “Think big, start small, execute relentlessly”. I remind myself of this often, and it has serviced me well in the first tumultuous 18 months, and I am sure it will get me through the next twelve.

drinks trade 65

The MARTINI It is one of the world’s most recognised cocktails with a rich and colourful history. The classic Martini comes in many guises, but there is only one original made with two ingredients, dry vermouth and gin. Tweaked over the years to accommodate individual tastes and trends, the Martini, whether dry, wet, dirty, shaken, stirred, vodka, gin, olive or lemon twist, is a perennial favourite. Here we reveal some fun facts about the iconic drink.

THE LEMON TWIST It is thought the lemon twist was the first and original garnish of the gin martini. When vodka martinis became fashionable, the olive became the garnish of choice.

The Superstitious Olive Bartenders know that it is bad luck to place an even number of olives in a Martini. Either one or three is the recommendation should you not want any bad Ju Ju coming your way.

DRY OR SWEET? The classic cocktail recipe reference, The Savoy Cocktail Book published in 1930, lists recipes for four styles of Martini. The first is Dry with 1/3 dry vermouth, 2/3 gin. The Medium Martini is ¼ dry vermouth, ¼ sweet vermouth and ½ gin. The Sweet Martini is 1/3 sweet vermouth and 2/3 gin, and the Martini Special is a Sweet Martini with a dash of orange flower water and a drop of Angostura Bitters.

THE WET MARTINI For those who prefer more vermouth in their Martini, the ultimate wet Martini is 50/50 dry vermouth and gin.

SHAKEN OR STIRRED? Martini aficionados will tell you Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, has it all wrong and that a Martini should be stirred and not shaken. "Martinis should always be stirred, not shaken so that the molecules lie sensuously one on top of each other," Martini devotee W. Somerset Maugham eloquently said.

THE DIAMOND IN THE ALGONQUIN The cocktail list at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City features a 'Martini on the Rock,' complete with a 1.52 carat 'radiant' cut diamond sparkling and shimmering on the bottom of the glass. It’s a cool $10,000 and requires 72 hours-notice but what a way to impress someone or pop the question.

66 drinks trade

553.009 mm

Plant

Explore our wines

R PLA N

O

YE

ARS

HELPIN

ARS

YE

our wetlands

T

5

F

R 2

OU

Discover

E

G

a virtual tree

2 R O VER

5

For more information contact your Accolade Wines Business Development Manager or call 131 492