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EDITOR’S NOTE
Editor’s Note
PUBLISHED BY:
Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd A division of The Intermedia Group 41 Bridge Road GLEBE NSW Australia 2037 Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419
PUBLISHER: Paul Wootton
W
elcome to the August issue of National Liquor News. As we shiver through the coldest part of winter, as retailers it is time to start planning for the warmer months ahead. For me, I love nothing more than sipping on a dry Provence rosé or a glass of Prosecco in the sunshine with friends, so working on this issue has opened my eyes to quite a few wines I plan on trying come spring. You can turn to page 40 to read Andrew Graham’s Prosecco Report or page 46 for our tasting panel’s picks of the best rosé to stock your shelves with. In this issue we shine a spotlight on rum and spiced rum. We hear from Ian Burrell, one of the world’s leading rum experts and he focuses on the growing spiced rum segment – the entry point for many punters into the wider category. We also shine a spotlight on some of our top picks in the rum category – you can read all of this on page 28. And while Australia and the United States of America have long been friends, in this issue Andy Young discovered regardless of what may be happening in the political world, in liquor retailing relations are as strong as ever, which you can read all about beginning on page 33. This month I asked our retail strategy, marketing, and experience industry expert, Norrelle Goldring to take a look at the opportunities around upselling, cross-selling and switch-selling, which you can read all about on page 20. As we enter August we are well and truly in preparation mode for the 2018 Australian Liquor Industry Awards (ALIA). Voting has been live for some weeks and we have received hundreds of votes from people right across Australia’s liquor industry. With voting closing on 17 August this is your last chance to nominate your favourite brands, people, retail outlets, so head to the ALIA
pwootton@intermedia.com.au
EDITOR: Deborah Jackson
djackson@intermedia.com.au
GENERAL MANAGER SALES – LIQUOR & HOSPITALITY GROUP: Shane T. Williams stwilliams@intermedia.com.au
GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY: Kea Thorburn
kthorburn@intermedia.com.au
PHOTOGRAPHER: Simon Taylor HEAD OF CIRCULATION: Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au
Paul Wootton, Deb Jackson, Shane T Williams, Kea Thorburn
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WITH VOTING CLOSING ON 17 AUGUST THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE YOUR FAVOURITE BRANDS, PEOPLE, RETAIL OUTLETS, SO HEAD TO LIQUORAWARDS.COM.AU AND HAVE YOUR SAY NOW.
To subscribe and to view other overseas rates visit www.intermedia.com.au or Call: 1800 651 422 (Mon – Fri 8:30-5pm AEST) Email: subscriptions@intermedia.com.au
website (www.liquorawards.com.au) and have your say now. As always, keep your feedback flowing through (djackson@intermedia.com.au). This is your mag, so let me know what you want to hear and make it work for you. Cheers, Deb Deborah Jackson, Editor 02 8586 6206 | djackson@intermedia.com.au
TOP READS 20 33 40
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NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS IS THE OFFICIAL TRADE PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN LIQUOR STORES ASSOCIATION (ALSA).
6 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
TRADEMARKS.
Average Total Distribution: 10,294 AMAA/CAB Yearly Audit Period ending 31 March 2018.
DISCLAIMER
This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2018 - Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd
25/07/2018
9:04 AM
CONTENTS
33
20
40 24
32
Contents August Wine
Beer
22 Wine News: All the latest releases and wine news 24 Winemaker Profile: We catch up with Ferngrove’s Chief Winemaker 46 Wine Tasting Review: All the results from our rosé tasting
30 IBA: Highlights from BrewCon 31 Brewing: All that’s new in the world of beer 44 Beer Tasting: Our experts review the latest release beers
Spirits
10 News: The latest liquor industry news for retailers around the country 18 IRI: The latest industry knowledge from IRI 20 Shopper Insights: Norrelle Goldring looks at upselling, cross-selling and switch-selling 22 New Releases: The latest release wines to hit bottle shop shelves 32 Retailer Profile: Scott Young from Super Cellars at Churchill’s Sports Bar
26 Scotch: Grant’s introduces Triple Wood 27 Spirits News: The latest releases, news and promotions from the spirits category 28 Spiced Rum: Ian Burrell looks at this growing segment 29 Rum Promotion: Keeping up to date with the hottest rums
8 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
Retail Focus
50 Shop Talk: Shop Talk chats with Colonial Brewing Co and Barny’s Fine Wines & Ales
Associations 10 ALSA Retail Insights: Mal Higgs provides his monthly insights 14 ALSA: Insights from CEO Terry Mott 15 ABA: Insights from Executive Director Fergus Taylor 25 Wine Australia: Manager – Market Insights Peter Bailey discusses Cabernet Sauvignon
Features 33 Authentic America: The land of opportunity 40 Prosecco Report: This sparkling variety is rapidly growing in popularity
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COUNTRY $47.99
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Australia’s best selling Sparkling We certainly think so.
Perfect with Turkey
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WINNER
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Chain Of Ponds Innocence Pinot Noir Rosé 750ml
of European style - juicy flavours a dry strawberries and cream with finish.
1899
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We Recommend HALLIDAY JAMES Halliday James
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Chandon Brut NV 750ml
2999
The most popular premium market, Australian sparkling in the you haven’t and it’s easy to see why. If tried it, today is the day.
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89 POINTS
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90 90 POINTS
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99
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GOLD gold
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WINNER
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GOLD gold
WINNER
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GOLD gold
WINNER
99
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GOLD gold
WINNER
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WINNER
Perfect with Seafood
Winner Best Rosé at the 2017 Barossa Wine Show.
99
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557578
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Perfect with Seafood 540301
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Grant Burge Filsell Barossa Shiraz 750ml
95 POINTS
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3999
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WINNER
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GOLD gold
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Perfect with Seafood
96+ Points Canberra International Riesling Challenge, 95 Points National Wine Show, 96 Points Clare Wine Show.
Grant Burge is dry. Hillcot Barossa Merlot 750ml Fish Fish
750ml
1999
96+ Points Canberra International Riesling Challenge, 95 Points National Wine Show, 96 Points Clare Wine Show.
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This is one of the most popular Sauvignon Blancs in the world. just or Drinks beautifully with seafood sunshine.
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581459
La Gioiosa Italian Prosecco DOCG NV 750ml
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581459
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NEWS
MAL HIGGS PROJECT MANAGER ALSA RETAIL INSIGHTS
TRADING UP As retailers we often get absorbed in the debate as to whether we drive consumer preference or whether consumer preference is, in fact, driven by consumers themselves. There have been plenty of examples where consumers have actually demonstrated their preferences – look at the whole Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc category – was it one particular brand that created the demand for the product or did a significant number of consumers decide they loved the style, unlike anything they had tried before, and voted with their feet to make it the largest by far in the whole wine category? Undoubtedly our job as retailers is to be skilled enough to react to those preferences and make sure we are stocking products that our customers want to buy. The really interesting trend we are seeing currently is that despite seeing an overall decline in ‘volume’ of alcohol being sold (on a per capita basis, at least), we are seeing the ‘value’ increasing. In fact, according to this year’s ALSA-IRI State of the Industry Report, the total packaged liquor market has grown by 3.4 per cent in the 12 months to December 2017. So what has happened? Well, it seems that consumers are driving this change themselves. They are happy to spend a bit more while drinking a bit less. In each of the categories (beer, wine and spirits) we are seeing a shift to a more premium product offering that cannot be ignored. As a retailer this is a great opportunity, as with this shift comes the potential to engage more with your customer and actually assist them with their buying decisions. There is also clearly the opportunity to increase sales, as well as working to increase gross profit margin. This is true in all categories. Look at craft beer – the explosion of brands in the marketplace is exciting many beer consumers and making it difficult to keep up with. We are hearing reports from many areas that our beer drinking customers are so interested in the products they are purchasing that often they have more knowledge than we do. This is not only a great challenge, but also an opportunity. When this is expanded across to Australian gin, whisky, tequila and then the wine category, we find plenty of scope to engage and excite our customers. The ALSA Retail Insights website (www.alsaretailinsights. com.au) has plenty of information to help you capitalise on these trends, from pricing strategy tips, to category management principles and retail calculator tools. Many retailers report that they are getting their staff to use the website as a form of training and have been getting very positive feedback as a result. One of ALSA’s important roles is to promote professional development within the retail industry and initiatives such as ALSA Retail Insights, with the support of many of our suppliers, is a good example of how this can be achieved. Contact Mal Higgs at mal@alsaretailinsights.com.au or feedback@alsaretailinsights.com.au.
10 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
STOCK SHOULD HAVE A HIGH TURNOVER, NOT WORKERS BY CHARLES WATSON, WORKFORCE GUARDIAN The retail industry has long been characterised by a high turnover of workers. The reasons for this are varied and not necessarily reflective of poor practices in retail workplaces. However, there are a few ideas businesses can simply and easily apply that will have an impact on your workers and benefit your bottom line. In this article I outline a few overlapping factors employers should consider.
WORKPLACE CULTURE It’s been a workplace catchphrase for several years now, but the evidence establishes that ‘organisational culture eats strategy’ is spot on. This doesn’t necessarily mean installing a ping-pong table, but rather employers should come up with ways of making the workplace somewhere that workers want to turn up to each day and feel engaged. A good workplace culture is like a choir. Everyone is skilled in their role and function within the overall group and collectively behave with a single purpose having become part of something. A simple common and shared vision understood by everyone is where it starts. Remember the empire Walt Disney has grown on the vision of ‘to make people happy’. I’m a cynical lawyer but I think that’s awesome!
COMMUNICATION It does not matter how large or small your business, having a simple plan for communicating with your workers makes a big difference. This also supports the previous point on workplace culture. Businesses can rely on emails, texting and other forms of electronic communications, but covering relevant and important issues in conversation with your workers is still the best way to get across the sincerity of the message.
MENTORING You run a business and the skills you have are transferrable to others. Mentor younger workers on the various aspects of your business. It’s likely to dawn on them how hard you have worked to establish your business and what it takes to run it. Conversely, let them come up with ideas for doing things better and you may be surprised. But remember mentoring is not instructing a worker on how to do their job. Rather, it’s about supporting, engaging and developing knowledgeable workers.
WORK/LIFE BALANCE Another catchphrase that also rings true. Workers of different ages and at different stages in their life are looking for different experiences. Understanding this and showing some consideration for the personal issues your workers are facing will establish a level of trust and commitment that won’t go unrewarded. Remember being flexible doesn’t mean being a walkover. Some workers are just not meant to fit into your business and their future lies elsewhere.
SAFE WORK PRACTICES This is another no brainer. Issues relating to lifting, sitting, standing, processes and other workplace stressors are all issues that employers have legal obligations to minimise or eliminate. Having a policy in place is not enough to fulfil your obligations. Regular communication on safe workplace practices keeps it forefront in everyone’s minds and will help to minimise workers compensation issues. Most retailers are already busy keeping the doors open and are generally time poor. Consider these simple steps for some increased success. You deserve it.
NEWS
BOTTLEMART LAUNCHES ONE-HOUR DELIVERY The Liquor Marketing Group (LMG) has launched a new e-commerce platform for its Bottlemart and Sip’n Save stores, including an app for smartphones, which has options for one-hour delivery, nominated delivery times and parcel pick-up in 30 minutes. The platform is being trialled at seven Brisbane metro stores with a roll-out to a greater catchment to be undertaken in the coming weeks. LMG’s CEO, Gavin Saunders, told National Liquor News that the new platform complements the Bottlemart and Sip’n Save brands, which are traditionally strong with customers looking for a convenient retail experience. “The addition of an e-commerce platform allows our customers to shop anytime, anywhere and choose when they’d like to come into store to pick-up, have their purchases delivered in as short as one-hour or nominate an alternate delivery time which is convenient for them,” Saunders said. “The addition of e-commerce is complimentary for our member retailers who own and operate the stores, it provides them with another channel to sell within their catchments and meet the needs of their customers.” Although the trial has only been live for a short time, Saunders said that LMG is already seeing positive results, with average basket sizes up 47 per cent on in-store purchases, app downloads being greater than initial forecasts and repeat orders from customers already happening. Saunders explained: “Customers can download the Bottlemart App through the App store or Google Play for android devices. Sign-up registration and verification is undertaken, the customer enters their location and chooses which Bottlemart store they wish to shop, select whether they’d prefer home delivery or pick-up and then they are free to browse and shop the offers available. “All transactions are completed online or through the app which provides limited delays for delivery or pick-up. Our delivery drivers have Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training and checklists along with a process to verify that the identity of the person who is receiving the delivery aligns with the customer’s details. The process and systems have been extremely well developed to provide both our retail stores and the customers as simple and convenient an experience as possible.” Saunders added: “One very important aspect of the platform which differs from other online retail options is the integration with our retail members. Products which are offered through the platform align with the entire range available in-store, with pricing aligned to the stores pricing. This provides our retail members, who each have a wide range, the opportunity to sell this entire range and not just a selection to online customers. Similarly, if they have an in-store special to clear stock this pricing will be offered through the platform. “The platform does provide a direct connection with our customers. Promotional information which aligns with the Bottlemart marketing program can be pushed to the customer along with the addition of coupons to provide tailored offers for individuals through this connection.” Saunders said that with the online retail world becoming more and more important, the launch of the e-commerce platform was a key added benefit to LMG’s member retailers. “We’d encourage any independent retailers who aren’t aligned with a banner group and see the value of integrated marketing program along with the addition e-commerce to reach out to our team and we’d be happy to provide a demonstration and review.”
#1 B A ROS SA SHIR AZ 2 016 V I N TAG E awarded by Huon Hooke
T ER ROIR S OF T HE BA ROSSA EBENEZER DISTRICT SH I R A Z 2 016 E : sales@chateautanunda.com
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 11
24 DAYS OF RUM
NEWS
THE
ORIGINAL RUM ADVENT CALENDAR
NORTHERN TERRITORY LIQUOR RETAILERS PREPARE FOR ONE HELL OF A FIGHT
Get ready to try 24 rum from 24 different countries all over the world! Whether you are new to rum or already an experienced connoisseur, you will be surprised. Each day leading up to Christmas eve you can taste a new rum. This advent calendar is considered a rum school where you will find both renowned brands and unknown gems. The taste and strength varies from rum to rum, and you will taste both sweet and dry rum! How long can you hold up?
Ron Esclavo Ron Esclavo is a series of Solera rum from the Dominican Republic blended by Oliver y Oliver in coorperation with 1423. The four Ron Esclavo, Ron Esclavo 12, Ron Esclavo 15, Ron Esclavo XO and Ron Esclavo XO Cask, are sweet, smooth and mild with hints of vanilla, caramel and oak after aging in American Oak Barrels. Ron Esclavo also comes in a two delicate gift boxes, one including three Ron Esclavo in 50 ML bottles and one including all four Ron Esclavo in 200 ML bottles.
Compañero Compañero is the Spanish word for Companion, and it frames this series of products from 1423 where taste, complexity and finish are ultimate keywords. The three current products, Compañero Ron Elixir Orange, Compañero Ron Panama Extra Añejo and Compañero Ron Gran Reserva are from Trinidad, Jamaica and Panama.
E: admin@aldwines.com.au
P: +612 8747 4150
www.1423.dk www.aldwines.com.au
On 27 June, Liquor Stores Association (LSA) NT President, Faye Hartley, met with Trevor Riley and members of the NT Government’s Alcohol Review Implementation Team (ARIT) to discuss LSA NT’s response to the Alcohol Policies and Legislation Review. During the meeting it became clear that Riley and ARIT’s position is firmly that local liquor stores are the cause of alcohol related harm in the community and that NT liquor retailers are in for “one hell of a fight to survive”. The two main concerns for LSA NT are the recommendation of the physical separation of groceries and alcohol in stores and a 15 per cent cap on alcohol sales. If these measures are imposed then a large number of small businesses will be rendered unviable and forced to close. Terry Mott, the CEO of the Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA) told National Liquor News that the “critical thing here is that it’s an unsubstantiated view that licensed stores are causing harm compared to other licenses”. He said: “There is no evidence that suggests or unequivocally demonstrates that licensed stores are the problem. The evidence we’re aware of refers to takeaway packaged (liquor) and that could have come from a bottle shop attached to a pub, it could have come from a licensed takeaway liquor outlet of any make shape or size. “If it’s based on anecdotal evidence that someone has told the commission about or told Mr Riley about then we would like to see that evidence but at this stage they have not produced anything that demonstrates one form of licence being more responsible that another.” Riley has proposed the measure which says, ‘Takeaway liquor only be permitted to be sold from a standalone business in which the primary focus of the business is the sale of alcohol’. That regulatory proposal would force licensed stores to convert part of their existing hybrid food, grocery and liquor outlet in local shopping hubs, to have a separate takeaway packaged licensed area. This would in many cases force smaller stores to close up their entire business, without any resultant change in drinking behaviour. Riley has also proposed that supermarkets should only be allowed to make 15 per cent of total sales from the sale of alcoholic beverages. LSA NT is waiting on the ARIT team to provide information regarding where the 15 per cent ancillary figure came from, but during the meeting Riley pointed to the fact that sometime in the 1990s the then President of LSA NT provided that figure to government as a ‘fair figure’. But there was no mention of the fact that due to excise laws, alcohol prices have increased twice a year since 1990 and groceries are not subject to the same excise laws. Mott told National Liquor News that imposing a 15 per cent cap is “unworkable, impractical and meaningless in the overall scheme in the way these businesses operate”. He said: “If they impose a 15 per cent cap on alcohol beverages sales related to the overall sales of the store that would likely cripple the viability of many of these businesses which are often the focal point of local shopping precincts. “The move threatens to have a significantly detrimental impact on surrounding small and also mostly family operated local shopping hubs that rely on a mix of businesses to draw their customer base and, as one key component operation closes, the viability of the rest are increasingly challenged due to reduced patronage.” In an article written for the July issue of National Liquor News, Mott said it is disappointing to see governments “reacting to unsubstantiated media hype or deliberate mis-information from the temperance advocacy movement”.
NEWS He said: “The last decade has seen a number of those examples by governments which have failed to achieve the intended outcomes, by focusing only on the industry and not the underlying behavioural problems of a minority of people, including the recently reversed restrictions that were originally placed on NSW licensees in February 2014. The then O’Farrell government ignored the five-year blueprint for NSW liquor policy that had been developed over the previous two years and had a ‘knee-jerk’ response to media pressure with a raft of unproven policy responses. “Inexplicably, the NT government appears to be going down a similar path right now, by reacting without any known or publicly scrutinised evidence, to be planning the demise of the licensed store (grocery and liquor mixed business) category. “The NT government is proposing to phase out those mostly small family operated licensed store class of liquor licence over the next seven years. They have also advised they will place impossible-to-achieve conditions on them that would make the majority immediately unviable and to achieve what? “This is also despite that type of licence being a feature of the licensed liquor outlet landscape across half of the geography of Australia and over 60 per cent of our population incorporating NSW, VIC, the ACT and NT in addition to other countries like New Zealand, nearly all of Europe, the USA, South America and Asia. “ALSA will be working to encourage the NT Government to listen to all of their stakeholders and use publicly available, evidence-based advice to genuinely engage with the industry in the interests of giving all law-abiding Territorians a fair go.”
CONTRIBUTOR’S
PANEL
SUPPORT YOUR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
A
lcohol beverages is a fantastic and rewarding industry that does get under the skin. People who have worked in the industry for any reasonable length of time have a pride in what they do and are likely to feel troubled when advocacy groups who are pushing their own agendas (and their own careers) attempt to influence the public health and alcohol policy debate with dodgy science. Their mantra has a consistent theme and usually starts with the premise that they will recommend the three pillars – even if the evidence only partially supports, or in some cases with the caveats, refutes those recommendations: A. restrict supply and availability by reducing the number of liquor licences or the operating hours; B. i ncrease the retail price of alcohol beverage products through additional taxes and of course C. b an advertising and promotion (including sponsorship). We see examples in some papers where without any evidence, conclusions and recommendations are drawn which don’t stack up with the findings of the paper. It really is important that all those involved in the industry do treat these seriously and work together to challenge these not insignificant claims – don’t leave it to someone else to fix. In this very challenging policy and media environment it remains critical for the silent majority of the almost 16 million adult drinkers in our communities to be represented and heard along with the hundreds of thousands of employees whose jobs are dependent on or underpinned across our industry sectors. The need to join, support and contribute to the debate in industry associations has never been more important, as they provide an opportunity to get involved, to learn, understand, to have your say and to reap the return of defending the rights of that silent majority of law abiding drinkers, while also reinforcing the future viability for your business. Your business operation tomorrow
may well depend on what you put in now and you only get the full benefit in return if you also contribute. Like most things in life, ‘if you put nothing in - expect to get little out in return’. Association membership is more than the immediate dollar saving benefits from member benefits, services and reduced operating costs – your participation may be vitally important to keep operating and may also influence the very survival of your business. Industry responsibility is also a must for all operators and even the best operators are dragged down by the weakest link and ‘tarred with the same brush’. A big challenge for all licensees and for the industry as a whole, is to help identify and encourage better practices or help weed out those operators who do the wrong thing, irrespective of whether you operate a licensed pub, liquor store, bar, nightclub, cafe or restaurant. We have seen the expert panel who conducted the recent Review of the Northern Territory Liquor Act, now recommending to the NT Government to eliminate one whole class of liquor licence. Their recommendation is supposedly due to lax retailing practices by a few NT licensees, resulting in poor
behaviour by some customers. This is putting into jeopardy many small NT family businesses who have responsibly and ethically run their stores for many years. They are now all being blamed for the actions of those few bad eggs, compounded by the government’s inability to enforce existing licensing regulations. If that law enforcement had been applied over the last decade or two, they should have modified those behaviours, or weeded out any dodgy operators. There are exciting opportunities ahead for ALSA, our members and the overall industry to work together to collectively challenge with solid evidence, the myths often pedalled around alcohol consumption and to focus the attention of regulators on targeted policies designed to deal with the problem where it occurs – to really make a difference. So please support your industry association as the intrinsic value is the lobbying, business advocacy, stakeholder engagement and communication that are the cornerstone of creating a route to market not only for retailers, but also for producers and marketers of the fine products our ALSA members support and sell to their customers.
TERRY MOTT, CEO, ALSA As CEO of the Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA), Terry Mott has represented the interests of all free standing liquor store operators at the state, territory and national level and has been in that role for 11.5 years and was concurrently the CEO of the LSA NSW for seven of those years. His career has spanned almost 50 years in sales, marketing, general management and board roles, before moving into the alcohol and industry policy field.
14 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
CONTRIBUTOR’S
PANEL
CREATING A CULTURE OF RESPONSIBLE DRINKING
T
he many hundreds of thousands of us that work in the alcohol beverages industry can be very proud of the work our industry does to contribute to the communities we operate in via our numerous corporate and social responsibility (CSR) programs in all corners of the world. The industry proudly invests time, money and staff resources to promote the responsible consumption of alcohol and contribute to the global effort to reduce alcohol-related harm. This proactive investment reaffirms the industry’s commitment to promote a culture of responsible drinking and underlines the principle of targeted, specific solutions to address harm in favour of ineffective, one-sizefits-all, population-wide approaches. The recently released International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) – Producer’s Commitments Executive Summary shows the effectiveness of the private sector in developing and supporting initiatives to address alcoholrelated harm. Some key findings from the report show
IARD members globally delivered an average of 347 drink driving prevention programs per year between 2014 and 2017; reached more than six million underage individuals in face-toface interactions to reduce underage drinking; increased the number of local responsible retailing initiatives by 66 per cent between 2014 and 2017; and placed responsible alcohol advertising codes in 97 per cent of contracts with agencies last year. Alcohol Beverages Australia (ABA) members are proud to contribute to these results which show significant progress has been made in the past five years and demonstrate tangible evidence of support for a whole-of-society approach to help tackle non-communicable diseases, as well as meeting the targets laid out within the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the highly developed Australian market, the focus of much of this good work is on identifying cohorts or demographic sectors where initiatives need to be focussed and working with stakeholders to ensure measures are delivered in an efficient and effective way.
Local examples include Diageo’s Smashed program which educates high school students about harms associated with underage drinking; Local Liquor Accords which see the industry work with police, community leaders, health professionals and other stakeholders to monitor and improve nightlife precincts; successful DrinkWise behavioural change campaigns such as ‘How to Drink Properly’ and ‘Kids Absorb Your Drinking’; and highly specialised educational initiatives like Red Dust Role Models, which educate indigenous youths on social, health and lifestyle choices, including alcohol consumption, through the mentoring of positive and trusted role models. It is important to be proud of the positive work being done to promote a responsible drinking culture and address harms, and to let those in power know about it. Next time you talk to your local, state and federal members, be sure to remind them of the many important and positive contributions the alcohol beverages industry makes to the people and the communities they represent.
FERGUS TAYLOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ABA Fergus Taylor is the Executive Director of national alcohol beverages pan-industry body, Alcohol Beverage Australia. Before joining the industry he worked in senior roles for state government ministerial offices, national and international media organisations and as a communications and stakeholder engagement consultant.
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 15
PEOPLE
HUMAN RESOURCES
Shifting Rank
JO O’REILLY
LIAM TURNBULL
Senior Partner Reilly Scott
BIAS IN HIRING Despite anti-discrimination laws being in place in Australia for decades, it still surprises me that there are companies who will reject qualified candidates based on race, gender or age (off the record, of course). This is not just my opinion; the presence of biased hiring was substantiated by a study carried out by the Australian National University. 4,000 fake job applications were sent out and it was found that applicants with Anglo-Saxon sounding names had significantly greater call-back rates and applicants with Middle Eastern names had the lowest. Often ‘culture fit’ is cited as the reason for these preferences but is that just a convenient excuse for narrow minded hiring practices? The good news is that inclusive hiring practices are becoming more prevalent and there are an increasing number of companies adopting policies with a view to preventing biased hiring. The leading Australian job posting site, Seek, has launched a feature that gives employers and recruiters the option to conceal the names of candidates. The initiative is designed to help reduce gender and ethnicity bias during the hiring process and shift the focus to the experience and skills of the individual. Seek is calling it an opportunity to ‘hire based on merit, not unconscious bias’. Although the practice of ‘name blind’ job applications is relatively new to Australia, it is highly likely that it will become common practice as Australia follows the direction of other progressive countries such as France, Germany and the UK where there are government initiatives, incentives and laws around the anonymising of candidates’ CVs. Whether Australia will go as far as introducing laws in this area or not, it’s good to review your hiring practices and what you define as a ‘culture fit’ to see you truly promote a diverse workplace. For information on this or other recruitment related matters contact Jo O’Reilly on joreilly@reillyscott.com.au.
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER CALABRIA FAMILY WINES Calabria Family Wines has announced the appointment of Liam Turnbull as National Sales Manager for the company. Calabria has historically been focused on the wine export market distributing to more than 40 different countries, and is now looking to stabilise a strong distribution network in the domestic market. “The National Sales Manager is a new role for Calabria Family Wines and we felt that with our significant growth over the last two years that we wanted to expand our sales team, and Liam was a perfect fit for the business,” says Sales and Marketing Manager, Andrew Calabria. “We are embarking on a new direction within the domestic market with a focus on independents, which is where Liam will be valuable in helping the company grow these channels.” Turnbull has extensive experience in the Australian liquor industry, previously working for Australian Vintage Limited as NSW/ACT State Manager and as National Account Manager for Independents. He has also held roles at Red Bull and Brown-Forman Australia. He commences his role at Calabria Family Wines on 1 August.
RON HURLEY SUPPLY CHAIN DIRECTOR PERNOD RICARD PACIFIC Pernod Ricard Pacific has announced the appointment of Ron Hurley as Supply Chain Director, a new position that sits as part of the management committee within the Pernod Ricard Sydney office in Barangaroo. To support the company’s business objectives, Hurley’s role will look after the strategy, management and direction of all of Pernod Ricard Pacific’s supply chain activities, including the enhancement and integration of business
systems and supply chain capabilities. Reporting to Bryan Fry, Managing Director for Pernod Ricard Pacific, Hurley will be responsible for the management and development of supply chain, customer service and quality activities across Australia and New Zealand. Speaking about his new role, Hurley said: “I am passionate about inspiring those around me to achieve success, and am very much looking forward to working with Pernod Ricard to enable that success.”
DARRYN HAKOF GLOBAL MARKETING DIRECTOR PERNOD RICARD WINEMAKERS Pernod Ricard Winemakers has appointed Darryn Hakof as Global Marketing Director, following executive transfers within the Pernod Ricard Group. With nearly 20 years’ experience within the Pernod Ricard Group, most recently in his role as Director of Strategy and New Business for Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Hakof brings extensive knowledge of the Pernod Ricard portfolio and has developed a deep understanding of global wine markets and consumers. Speaking about his new role, Hakof said: “Our portfolio of leading, award-winning wine brands is one of the most premium and diverse in the industry. This is an exciting opportunity to work with our talented, innovative and passionate teams, and with our valued global partners, to bring our brand stories to life with consumers around the world.” In his new role, he will continue to report to Bruno Rain, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard Winemakers; and remain a member of the Pernod Ricard Winemakers Management Committee and a Better Balance Ambassador, promoting diversity and inclusiveness within the business. Hakof replaces Anne Tremsal, who has been appointed Marketing Director of Ricard & Pernod based in Marseille as part of the group’s annual appointments.
ANNOUNCE YOUR NEWEST STAFF
16 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
Simply send the details of your newest staff member to djackson@intermedia.com.au along with a high-res headshot and share the news of your latest appointment.
IRI INSIGHTS
IRI LIQUOR KNOWLEDGE IRI PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY TO MAY (QTR TO 03/06/18).
TOTAL OFF-PREMISE LIQUOR • All major categories measured by IRI are in dollar growth. • Beer and cider saw the largest level of innovation and range expansion, with 13 per cent and 15 per cent more products ranged in each respective category than the same time last year. • Smaller manufacturers are driving growth, with Little Fat Lamb Cider, Elephant in the Room Wine and Loch Lomond Scotch the key contributors. • Seven of the top 10 growth-driving brands and eight of the top 10 growthdriving items in total liquor are in the beer category, highlighting again how critical this category is to the performance of the off-premise market.
*DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
1. Total Mid Strength Beer (+18%) 2. Total Dark Spirits RTD (+4%) 3. Total Bottled Red (+4%) 4. Total Australian Craft Beer (+11%) 5. Total Bottled Rosé (+56%)
MARKET VALUE
$4.2bn (+1.8%) MARKET VOLUME
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
48.5m (-2.0%) BEER (37%)
WINE (26%)
SPIRITS (20%)
RTD (14%)
*9 Litre Equiv (000)
WINE CATEGORY OVERVIEW • Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is the key growth contributor, adding 44 per cent of all category growth, now accounting for 20 per cent dollar share of the total wine category. • Bottled red wine continues to be the largest growth-driving segment, accounting for 46 per cent of all growth in the category (off the back of a 36 per cent dollar share of wine). • TWE has five of the top 10 growth generating brands in wine, with two private label brands also featuring.
TOP GROWTH SEGMENTS
TOP GROWTH BRANDS *DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
CATEGORY VALUE
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Squealing Pig (+94%) 19 Crimes (+207%) Elephant in the Room (NEW) Samuel Wynn & Co (NEW) Pepperjack (+13%)
$1.1bn (+3.1%)
CATEGORY VOLUME
9.9m (-2.2%)
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*9 Litre Equiv (000)
TOP GROWTH MANUFACTURERS *DOLLARS GROWTH % YA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Treasury Wine Estates (+7%) Other Manufacturers (+12%) Brown Brothers (+10%) Australian Vintage Limited (+13%) Casella Family Brands (+8%)
CIDER (3%)
IRI INSIGHTS
RTD CATEGORY OVERVIEW • Beam Suntory has the top three RTD growth brands in the last quarter (Canadian Club, Jim Beam Double Serve, Jim Beam Black Double Serve). • Beam Suntory has contributed 30 per cent of dollar growth across glass spirits and RTD in the latest quarter. • Canadian Club added almost $10m to the RTD category this quarter, accounting for 46 per cent share of dollar growth versus a dollar share of nine per cent. • The top 10 growth SKUs are worth around five per cent of the category but contributed almost all (83 per cent) of RTD growth in the last quarter. Six of those items were launched in the last year.
$0.6bn (+3.8%) CATEGORY VOLUME
5.3m (-3.5%)
*9 Litre Equiv (000)
*DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
1. Beam Suntory (+6%) 2. Campari Australia (+12%) 3. Diageo (+1%) 4. Asahi Premium Beverages (+2%) 5. Brown-Forman (+1%)
*DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
1. Canadian Club (+22%) 2. Jim Beam Double Serve (NEW) 3. Jim Beam Black Double Serve (NEW) 4. Wild Turkey 5% (+19%) 5. Jack Daniel’s Double Jack (+13%)
TOP GROWTH MANUFACTURERS *DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
CATEGORY VALUE
1. Other Manufacturers (+44%) 2. Private Label (+17%) 3. CUB (+1%) 4. Asahi Premium Beverages (+8%) 5. Lion (+1%)
$1.6bn (+1.3%) CATEGORY VOLUME
30m (-1.5%)
*9 Litre Equiv (000)
GLASS SPIRITS CATEGORY OVERVIEW •D ollar growth is flat in the glass spirits category. Despite the continued growth of gin, the four per cent decline of Scotch leaves the category neutral overall. • In Scotch and whiskey, eight of the top 10 growth driving brands added a collective $12m, but this was not enough to counter the -$14m lost by five of the top 10 declining brands. • Glass spirits volume decline was the slowest of all the major categories in off-premise liquor. Volume was supported by consumers trading up from 700ml (-4 per cent volume vs. last year) to one litre (+8 per cent volume) packs.
TOP
GROWTH BRANDS
CATEGORY VALUE
BEER CATEGORY OVERVIEW • Mid strength beer continues to be the largest growth-driving segment, adding +$40m to the category in the latest quarter (off the back of a 17 per cent dollar share of beer). • Low carb and low alcohol are in decline, caused by a dip in the performance of Hahn Super Dry and Pure Blonde. • Great Northern remains the key driver in beer growth, but the successful launch of Iron Jack by Lion has cemented the mid strength segment as crucial to overall offpremise liquor growth. • Combined, Great Northern Super Crisp, Great Northern Original and Iron Jack have generated $75m worth of dollar growth in beer this quarter – equal to 100 per cent of all liquor growth.
TOP
GROWTH MANUFACTURERS
TOP TOP 5 GROWTH SEGMENTS *DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
1. Mid Strength (+18%) 2. Craft Australian (+11%) 3. Full Strength (+2%) 4. Ginger (+14%) 5. Craft International (+11%)
TOP GROWTH MANUFACTURERS *DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
CATEGORY VALUE
1. Other Manufacturers (+30%) 2. Bacardi-Martini Australia (+11%) 3. Campari Australia (+5%) 4. Pernod Ricard (+2%) 5. Private Label (+3%)
$0.8bn (+0.2%) CATEGORY VOLUME
1.6m (-0.9%)
*9 Litre Equiv (000)
TOP GROWTH BRANDS *DOLLARS GROWTH % YA
1. Bombay Sapphire (+29%) 2. Canadian Club (+14%) 3. Tanqueray (+23%) 4. Loch Lomond (NEW) 5. Jameson (+10%)
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 19
SHOPPER INSIGHTS
UPSELLING, CROSS-SELLING AND SWITCHSELLING: WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES? NORRELLE GOLDRING LOOKS AT THE DIFFERENCES IN SELLING TECHNIQUES AND SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR OFF-PREMISE LIQUOR.
I
n past issues of National Liquor News I’ve discussed the relative scarcity in the offpremise of simple cross-selling techniques such as mixers for bottled spirits. Below is a short discussion of upselling, cross-selling and switch-selling – what they are, the differences between each, and some examples in offpremise liquor.
UPSELLING Upselling is about persuading the customer to buy a more expensive or upgraded item from the one they intended to buy. Upselling can also be based around product size and Average Weight of Purchase (AWOP). Convenience stores do this when you’re paying for the bag of chips or bar of chocolate by suggesting that you can get two for $X or the bigger option for $Y. In liquor there are opportunities based around understanding the customer’s occasion. For example, if it’s a BYO wine for dinner and the customer is out to impress friends you may be able to upsell them to a higher quality product, such as upgrading them from a $15
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Sauvignon Blanc to a $30 bottle such as Craggy Range. Or if it’s for a cocktail party, upsell them to a premium vodka from a mainstream vodka, again for the impress factor. Or you could upsell the customer on size; they may need the 1L vodka for their party rather than the 700ml.
CROSS-SELLING Cross-selling is effectively increasing basket size by selling products that satisfy additional, complementary needs that are unfulfilled by the original item. This is where the mixers for spirits come in. In convenience stores they try to sell you something at the register, such as ‘X is on special today, would you like some’. Again, understanding the customer’s occasion before they get to the checkout may assist in selling them additional items. If you know they’re buying for a party, offer a bundle of beer, wine, spirits, snacks and ice for example. In e-commerce, cross-selling may be utilised on product pages (‘people who viewed this also viewed…’, ‘people who bought this also
bought…’), during the checkout process, and in lifecycle campaigns. It can be an effective tactic for generating repeat purchases and demonstrating the breadth of your product catalogue to customers. Cross-selling can alert users to products they didn’t previously know you offered. In liquor this may translate for instance to ‘popular bundle buys’. This requires an understanding of your basket data – which products customers are buying together. (In a famous example, UK supermarket giant Tesco discovered the two most commonly co-purchased items were beer and nappies. The blokes were being sent to the store to get nappies and got beer while they were there. So they merchandised beer in the nappies aisle to take advantage of this behaviour).
SWITCH-SELLING According to Wikipedia, “Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud used in retail sales but also employed in other contexts. First, customers are ‘baited’ by merchants advertising products or services at a low price, but when customers
SHOPPER INSIGHTS
visit the store, they discover that the advertised goods are not available, or the customers are pressured by sales people to consider similar, but higher priced items”. It’s not the same as loss leading, which is simply a traffic driving measure and customers are free to choose additional items to the advertised low price ones. Switch selling is illegal in the UK and Canada and is the subject of lawsuits in the USA. In Australia, according to the ACCC, bait advertising “takes place when an advertisement promotes certain (usually ‘sale’) prices on products that are not available or available only in very limited quantities. It is not misleading if the business is upfront in a highly visible, clear and specific manner about the particular product ‘on sale’ being in short supply or on sale for a limited time” (which is how Aldi stays on the right side of the law with its special buys). Given the large range, quantities and price points of goods in liquor stores, switch-selling applies less in this environment. Cross-selling and upselling are similar in that they both focus on providing additional value to customers, instead of limiting them to already encountered products. In both cases, the business objective is to increase order value and inform customers about additional product options they may not already know about. The key to success in both is to truly understand your customers’ needs and occasions, which involves getting staff out on the floor and asking them.
ABOUT NORRELLE GOLDRING Norrelle has 20 years’ experience in the liquor industry and in retail, category, channel and customer strategy, marketing and research, working in and with global retailers, manufacturers and research houses. Contact Norrelle on 0411735190 or email norrellegoldring@hotmail.com.
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WINE NEWS
PENFOLDS TARGETS GROWTH WITH BOLD ADDITIONS TO RANGE Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is making a series of bold moves as it looks to further the Penfolds global footprint with a number of innovative additions to the brand’s portfolio. The additions include bringing Napa Valley grapes to the Penfolds winemaking team who will begin “crafting authentic Penfolds wine styles” from the 2018 California harvest onward. Penfolds Chief Winemaker, Peter Gago said this move highlights Penfolds’ skills at multi-regional sourcing and that it builds on the brand’s reputation for crafting wines that focus on quality rather than quantity benchmarks. “Our Penfolds House Style certainly allows and embraces the freedom to explore premium viticultural regions across the world. We are striving to add outstanding Californian-sourced wines to our offering by fiscal 2022,” Gago said. In addition to the Napa wines, Penfolds is also expanding its range with ‘Penfolds Special Bottlings’; initially this special range will include: The first release of Penfolds Special Bottlings is Lot. 1990 – a Pot Distilled 28 year old Single Batch Brandy, available now; The second release, Lot. 518 is a Spirited Wine – a premium fortified Barossa Shiraz (94 per cent) enlivened with Baijiu; scheduled for release in September 2018; The third release is a Champagne, expected to be released in calendar year 2019 – in time for the celebration of Penfolds 175th anniversary year.
MCGUIGAN NAMED AUSTRALIAN WINERY OF THE YEAR McGuigan Wines has been named the Australian Winery of the Year for the second year running at the prestigious New York International Wine Competition. In addition to the Winery of the Year win, McGuigan also took home two double gold medals, six golds, nine silvers and six bronze awards, which Chief Winemaker, Neil McGuigan said demonstrated the winery team’s focus on making quality wines. “We are delighted to have been named Australian Winery of the Year for the second time at such a prestigious wine competition,” McGuigan said. “Our winemaking philosophy is all about making the wine the hero and we are committed to over-delivering at every price point, as demonstrated by this award, which, like other US wine shows, is judged by price bracket. “To have success across a range of both red and white varietals, across every price segment from entry level to super premium is a great achievement and highlights the dedicated focus of our viticultural and winemaking teams to driving quality throughout the entire portfolio. “We are excited about the US and are making great strides, having re-entered the market at a time of growing interest in premium Australian wines.” The double golds were awarded to McGuigan Shortlist 2010 and McGuigan Semillon 2014, with a number of other Australian wineries also taking out top awards. Double golds were also awarded to Bird in Hand’s 2016 Merlot, Barossa Valley Wine Company’s 2014 Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre and Taylors’ 2015 St Andrews Shiraz. There were also other individual awards to other wineries including: Australia Eden Valley Winery of the Year – Irvine; Australia Merlot Winery of the Year – Bird in Hand; New South Wales Winery of the Year – McWilliams Wines; Australia Petit Verdot Winery of the Year – Kingston Estates; Australia Shiraz Winery of the Year – Taylors; Riverland Winery of the Year – Mallee Estates.
NEW RELEASES ARANA SAUVIGNON BLANC VIN: 2017 RRP: $13.99 Pale straw yellow in colour, this wine has bursts of citrus and tropical notes with a lingering crisp acidity. Made with 100 per cent Sauvignon Blanc grapes.
BRAND’S LAIRA BLOCKERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIN: 2015 RRP: $25 Smooth and rounded with a base of solid fine grained tannins with rich dark fruit flavours and well integrated spice and oak. The finish is long and persistent with lingering fruit flavours.
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BRAND’S LAIRA BLOCKERS CHARDONNAY VIN: 2017 RRP: $25 The palate displays crisp acid balanced with fresh fruit flavours of stone fruits, grapefruit and light melon notes. Barrel fermentation and maturation on lees contributes cashew nut oak and light creamy notes.
IRVINE ESTATE EDEN VALLEY MERLOT VIN: 2017 RRP: $30 Crimson with purple hues with a nose of fresh black fruit with undertones of violet and plum. Layers of blackberry, plum and hints of floral make the palate complex yet refined.
WINE NEWS
ROB GIBSON RELEASES HIS ‘PRIDE AND JOY’ Rob Gibson has celebrated the Australian release of his personal pride and joy, the 2008 Bin 60 Barossa Valley Cabernet Shiraz, with a trade tasting last month. Bin 60 is a one-off special bottling that was created to celebrate Gibson’s 60th birthday in 2011. It is a super-premium wine with an LUC of $180. An exceptional blend of Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Eden Valley Shiraz, it is from a great vintage and two phenomenal vineyards. The wine is vibrant opaque and a near black colour with purple hues. It has a lifted, very complex nose of molasses, with ripe berry, herb and spice aromas. The palate is lively, bright and powerful with charming fruit sweetness and finishes beautifully dry with lingering vinosity. Gibson told National Liquor News that he was “staking his credibility on this wine”, which produced just 1500 numbered bottles. “To keep a wine in the museum for 10 years with nothing other than test marketing is something crazy special. “We talk about Grange at four years of age for drinking after seven years. As an ex Penfolds bloke of some 22 years, this is my alternative – a superlatively palatable wine at release after 10 years, with enormous ageing potential. “It was a personal indulgence to make and then gift 500 unnumbered bottles to friends and sexagenarians… reaching 60 being something to really celebrate professionally in my view. “No doubt I am staking my credibility on this wine so buyers can be confident that it will be a special experience.” Gibson also released the second year of the ‘Riesling Project’, a special collaboration wine created with his friend, award winning winemaker Andrew Wigan. “To have a mate who is Australia’s champion Riesling winemaker able to help make my Riesling is also something special,” said Gibson. “Andrew Wigan (Wiggo) has won more gold medals for Riesling than most in the Aussie winemaking scene… John Vickery excluded. A couple of good years in the vineyard have helped of course. “Eden Valley Riesling makers are now working collaboratively to position Riesling back up there as the classic wine that we know it is… with its long window of interesting development. We associate Riesling with the best that we do, right up alongside our super reds.”
KATNOOK ODYSSEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIN: 2013 RRP: $100 Intricate layers of concentrated fruit and oak. Rich dark berry, mulberry and plum fruits with hints of mocha and vanilla are complemented by assertive fine-grained tannins and balanced oak maturation characters.
RICHARD HAMILTON CENTURION 125 YEAR OLD SHIRAZ VIN: 2017 RRP: $80 The palate is full and flavoursome, yet retains the elegance that the old vines provide every year. A major emphasis is in the promotion of long silky tannins on the palate and a lively fruit that will mature elegantly over a long period.
WINEMAKER PROFILE
CRAIG GRAFTON FERNGROVE WINE GROUP DEBORAH JACKSON RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH CRAIG GRAFTON, THE CHIEF WINEMAKER FOR THE FERNGROVE WINE GROUP. HE CAME TO FERNGROVE FROM PERNOD RICARD WHERE HE WAS THE CHARDONNAY WINEMAKER BASED IN THE BAROSSA VALLEY AND BEFORE THAT THE SENIOR WINEMAKER FOR THE HELAN MOUNTAIN WINERY IN NINGXIA, NORTH-CENTRAL CHINA. Q CRAIG, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY FROM AUSTRALIA TO CHINA AND BACK TO AUSTRALIA AGAIN: China has a very vibrant wine industry. Their wine quality is already very good and improving rapidly. I’m certain we’ll get more and more of their better wines in Australia in time. I was based in Yinchuan, Ningxia. This province is about a two-hour flight west of Beijing. The region has a reputation for producing some of China’s best wines. I started in China in 2011 and worked six vintages. I was tasked with mentoring and training the local team and improving overall wine quality for the Helan Mountain Winery. It was a great winery with a great team. They made my time in China a very rewarding experience, I still look back on it very fondly. I returned to Australia to focus on the Chardonnay portfolio for Pernod Ricard, which was an amazing portfolio. Then the opportunity to become Chief Winemaker for Ferngrove came along and here I am today.
Q HOW DO YOU SEE THE CURRENT VINTAGE AND IS ANYTHING STANDING OUT SO FAR? The 2018 vintage in Frankland River was very good. We had some good rainfall during the growing season which gave us excellent water storage. The soil profile also had good levels of moisture, culminating in excellent conditions for the vines during bud-burst. The ripening period was steady with temperatures slightly
24 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
below average for January and February, and then slightly above average for March and April. There were no significant rainfall events during this period. The near perfect weather produced reds with intense colour and flavour, and whites with great freshness, natural acidity and elegance. The main varieties actually all look pretty good. The 2018 Rieslings and Rosés are already bottled and being enjoyed. The Chardonnay in barrel is developing nicely and the reds (Shiraz, Cabernet and Malbec) and deep coloured and varietal.
Q WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR THE FERNGROVE GROUP? WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS SINCE YOU CAME ON AS CHIEF WINEMAKER? I really want to build and entrench Ferngrove’s reputation as a quality producer of wine from Frankland River. There have been many highlights since coming to Ferngrove: the birth of my daughter, the quality of the 2018 vintage and winning the trophy for best Shiraz of Show in Queensland. Winning this trophy was great for the winery. Shiraz has really made a home in Australia and I genuinely believe we make some of the world’s best Shiraz in Australia. There are some great styles so, it was very rewarding to receive a trophy of such significance for a cool climate Shiraz and have this style rewarded on the national show circuit.
Q WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS CHIEF WINEMAKER AT FERNGROVE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES? The freedom to try new techniques and improve the overall process at Ferngrove are the best things. The wine quality has been a little inconsistent over the last few years for various reasons, but we are seeing some sensational wines coming out of Ferngrove now. One of my big drivers is to always be striving to improve the quality and attractiveness of our wines to the broader consumer. One of the big benefits is to be able to live in the beautiful Frankland River region. We reside on the property and waking up amongst the vines is something we will really enjoy.
Q HOW CAN WINEMAKERS WORK WITH RETAILERS TO ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS FOR BOTH BUSINESSES? Both winemakers and retailers always need to remain 100 per cent consumer-focused and ensure they have a good level of communication between both parties. We need to genuinely attempt to understand what consumers are really interested in, in terms of product contact, such as in-store tastings, wine dinners, social media or the range of products on offer and ensure we provide these products and services to ensure positive engagement.
CONTRIBUTOR’S
PANEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON: AN AUSTRALIAN SUCCESS STORY
C
abernet Sauvignon vines arrived in Australia in the mid-1800s, and over the years it has become an essential part of Australian wine heritage, highlighting regionality and its varietal qualities in single variety wines and classic blends. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2015 there were 24,862 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon under vine in Australia, making it the second most planted variety in the country behind Shiraz (38,893ha) and ahead of Chardonnay (21,442ha). Globally, Australia is one of the world’s major producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, ranked fourth in plantings behind France (54,434ha), Chile (40,728ha) and the US (34,788ha). Australian Cabernet is sold in many markets around the world and exports are growing at a stronger rate than sales in the Australian domestic market. In the 12 months ended March 2018, 15.4 million cases of Cabernet Sauvignon wines
were exported from Australia, up 20 per cent on the year prior and just below the record of 15.8 million cases that was achieved in the 12 months ended February 2007. While the volume of exports increased, the average price also rose by 13 per cent to $67.50 per case (free on board). Cabernet Sauvignon is successful in Australia as a standalone single variety wine and as a dominant feature in classic blends. This is reflected in export figures. In the 12 months ended March 2018, six million cases (nine-litre equivalent) of single variety Cabernet Sauvignon was exported while 1.8 million cases featured Cabernet as the dominant variety of a blend. The remainder were blends where Cabernet was not the dominant blend. Single Cabernet exports grew by 13.3 per cent, a slightly stronger rate than Cabernet blends, up 12.5 per cent. Australia’s Cabernet exports were destined for 115 countries. China (including Hong Kong and Macau) was the biggest destination,
with a 43 per cent volume share followed by the US (23 per cent), the UK (eight per cent), Canada (six per cent) and Japan (three per cent). All but the US recorded an increase in Cabernet exports. Other destinations that increased shipments of Cabernet included New Zealand, Singapore, the Netherlands, South Korea and Malaysia. In the domestic market, Cabernet (single variety and blends) is the second biggest selling red table wine behind Shiraz. According to IRI MarketEdge Liquor, the volume of Cabernet sales declined by two per cent in the 12 months ended 29 April 2018. A decline in the sales of Cabernet blends more than offset an increase in single variety Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for 63 per cent of the Cabernet category and sales increased by three per cent. There was growth across all price segments for Cabernet Sauvignon but the strongest rate of growth came at the $20 or more per bottle segment.
PETER BAILEY, MANAGER – MARKET INSIGHTS, WINE AUSTRALIA As Manager, Market Insights, Peter leads a team that keeps the Australian wine sector informed through the collection, presentation and dissemination of global wine sector insights. Peter joined Wine Australia as Senior Analyst in 2006 and was promoted to the senior management team in 2010. Prior to joining the wine sector he spent a decade in the Australian energy industry, his last role being Manager, Commercial Analysis at Origin Energy.
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 25
ADVERTORIAL
GRANT’S BRINGS IN AN EXCITING NEW ERA WITH TRIPLE WOOD THE GLOBAL REFRESH OF GRANT’S MARKS THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE BRAND FOR 20 YEARS.
G
rant’s, the world’s number three Scotch whisky and Australia’s number two, has announced a global brand refresh which includes striking new packaging with a renaming of its signature blend, a refined core range and a new direction for its communications. Launching in Australia from September 2018, Grant’s Triple Wood is a new way of communicating the superiority of the liquid through its unique whisky-making process – its maturation in three distinct casks – for a smooth, rich and mellow taste. Philip Gladman, Grant’s Chief Marketing Officer, said that Grant’s is continuing to go from strength to strength. “While other blended whiskies are declining, Grant’s continues to go from strength to strength, leapfrogging others to become the world’s number three Scotch whisky. As the whisky that holds the family name, we have big ambitions to be the most distinctive player in Scotch whisky and are proud to celebrate our Triple Wood maturation, the key to our exceptional taste, with a new global brand refresh.”
ABOUT TRIPLE WOOD The use of wood plays an important role in the creation of Grant’s. Using the same formula for the last 130 years, 60 per cent of its flavour is drawn from cask influence, rather than being aged in just one type of cask. Grant’s Triple Wood liquid is rested in three types of cask – virgin oak which provides spicy robustness, American oak lending subtle vanilla smoothness, and refill Bourbon bringing brown sugar sweetness – for a rich, smooth and mellow taste. “The Triple Wood process is at the very heart of what we create here at Grant’s. As a result of ageing our whiskies in three different casks our Triple Wood is distinctive to taste, with a balance of qualities drawn from the character of the wood. I love the complexity of spice, smooth vanilla and the sweet edge gathered from that combination of three casks,” says Master Blender, Brian Kinsman. Grant’s believes that great things happen when working together and it is through this power of collaboration and shared passion that Triple Wood is made. It takes 198 pairs of hands to make Grant’s whisky from grain to glass, with a totally shared commitment to the process. With five generations of the Grant family making whisky since 1887, Grant’s remains the only blended whisky producer to have its own Stillman (‘The Maker’), Cooper (‘The Muscle’) and Master Blender (‘The Master’) working together in one place, which is celebrated in a new global communications campaign. Having these craftsmen’s expertise under one roof means the collaborative process is seamless. Specialist expertise is passed from one generation to the next, meaning that the whisky created is of a consistently high quality with the same Grant’s taste and aroma. “As Australia’s Scotch whisky experts, we at William Grant & Sons are extremely proud that in the challenging blended Scotch market of Australia, Grant’s is bucking the trend, with both value and volume growing ahead of the category. The Grant’s Triple Wood bottle and supporting communication assets will reinforce our world class liquid credentials and solidify our position as Australia’s number two blended Scotch,” says Oliver Dickson, Head of Marketing ANZ. “The triple wood production process is such a strong claim to be able to make in the blended Scotch category, and we know that Scotch drinkers respond exceptionally well to it. We’re expecting some great results from this insight and will initially focus on in-store visibility to make that happen, as well as our continued support throughout trade as Australia’s Scotch whisky experts,” says Justin Strzadala, Brand Manager Malts.
GRANT’S TRIPLE WOOD TASTING NOTES: NOSE: Complex, clean with notes of ripe pear and summer fruits PALATE: Balances vanilla sweetness with malty and light floral fragrances FINISH: Long and sweet with a subtle hint of smoke
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SPIRITS
ROKU JAPANESE GIN LANDS IN AUSTRALIA With the popularity of Japanese spirits continuing to rise, Beam Suntory has announced the Australian release of its Japanese craft gin, Roku. Roku has been available at select retailers and venues across Australia since Tuesday 17 July and is based around the Japanese meaning of Roku – six. The bottle is hexagonal in shape and the gin contains six Japanese botanicals, which are individually distilled and then blended with other traditional gin botanicals. Beam Suntory Group Marketing Manager, Demetrius Giouzelis, said: “Australian consumers have a fascination with Japanese spirits, and we’ve seen a significant increase in Australians turning to premium gin as their beverage of choice. Roku delivers this premium experience with a delicate twist that comes from its truly distinctive Japanese flavours. We’re excited to bring this unique spirit to Australian shores.” The Japanese botanicals include sakura flower, sakura leaf, yuzu peel, sencha tea, gyokuro tea and sansho pepper, and these are then blended with traditional gin botanicals including juniper berry, coriander seed and orange peel. Roku can be enjoyed on the rocks or as a Japanese gin and tonic: this signature serve combines slices of fresh ginger and tonic to complement the citrus top notes of yuzu. Roku is a 43 per cent ABV gin, with a $64.99 RRP for a 700ml bottle and is described as having cherry blossom and green tea on the nose, a traditional gin taste with characteristics of yuzu and a slightly spicy finish thanks to the Japanese sansho pepper.
SCANDINAVIAN PREMIUM RUM HEADS DOWN UNDER Danish producer and independent bottler, 1423 World Class Spirits is bringing its range of premium rums to Australia, with all products being imported by Ald Wines Pty Ltd. Since 1423 was established in 2008, the company has developed and released three rum brands, each with multiple expressions that will be available to Australian liquor retailers. The Ron Esclavo brand is a solera rum from the Dominican Republic blended by Oliver y Oliver, comprising four age statement rums and one cask strength bottling. There is also the Compañero with three expressions and finally the S.B.S. line. S.B.S. stands for Single Barrel Selection and offers a range of single cask expressions from various rum producing countries, with 15 bottlings currently available. In addition, 1423 has released a rum tasting calendar, named 24 Days of Rum, which contains 24 mini bottles, each 20ml, as well as a tasting glass and a tasting notes booklet. 1423 CEO, Thomas Vogensen, said: “Rum is produced in more than 60 countries around the world. With the 24 Days of Rum calendar, we aim to reach as many styles as possible, and we consider this calendar to be a rum school where you will find both renowned brands and unknown gems, that can only be experienced in this calendar.”
SEPPELTSFIELD WINES INVESTS IN AUSTRALIAN WHISKY HOLDINGS Australian Whisky Holdings (AWH) has announced that Barossa wine producer, Seppeltsfield Estate has, under a convertible note, converted loans to equity to form a strategic investment in AWH. The Chairman of Seppeltsfield, Randolph Bowen, and its Managing Director, Warren Randall, said they have a “great interest” in AWH and the overall development of the Australian whisky industry. Warren Randall said: “Australian Whisky Holdings has a great product range across their brands and we are delighted to have a strategic investment in the Company. “We look forward to exploring the working relationship between the two companies and assisting in expanding AWH’s international distribution channels.” AWH CEO, Chris Malcom, added: “Seppeltsfield’s strategic investment into Australian Whisky not only signifies the strength of the AWH business, but importantly also provides working synergies between the two companies. “We greatly appreciate the support and look forward to working with Seppeltsfield to pursue new opportunities.” In a statement to the ASX about the investment, AWH said that Seppeltsfield has contracts in place for the distribution of its products into China, which provides opportunities for AWH’s plans to expand into this lucrative market. Both companies will be exploring these opportunities and the companies can further cooperate over the use of Seppeltsfield’s Sherry and Port barrels, which can be used in the production and ageing of single malt whisky.
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RUM
THE SPICE OF LIFE
IAN BURRELL IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING RUM EXPERTS. IN THIS COLUMN, HE FOCUSES ON THE GROWING SPICED RUM SEGMENT – THE ENTRY POINT FOR MANY PUNTERS INTO THE WIDER CATEGORY.
I
was recently asked by a journalist here in the UK, is rum the new gin? Why? Because rum is expected to break the £1 billion sales barrier later this year – hot on the heels of a certain juniper flavoured vodka, which passed £1 billion in sales last year. I laughed, because it is one of the oldest commercially produced spirits in the world – thus rum is not the new anything. But within the rum category there is an expression that can certainly claim to be the ‘gin of rum’. And that expression is ‘spiced rums’. Spiced rums, like gin, rely on several key factors to deem them to be a success, such as the variety of spices (as compared to the botanicals in gin), the fact that most are drunk with mixers or in a cocktail, and that they are very rarely drunk neat. But most importantly, spiced rum’s common theme with gin is that when it is marketed to the public, provenance, age statements and craft are not as important as the story behind the marketing. Some spiced rums technically cannot even call themselves rums as they are unaged, and bottled below the legal alcohol by volume to be legally called a rum. But there are, what I like to call, rums that are spiced (or ‘real’ spiced rum), where the spices used are purely to enhance the natural rum flavour of the distillate. If sugar is used to sweeten, then it is done to propel flavour and not just added to make a cheap spirit more palatable. Spice and spiced rums in some respects are
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an important part the rum journey for many people. Not everyone can drink neat rums or enjoy the taste of pure sugarcane distillate, but if your tipple is a spiced rum and coke, or you like it with your favourite soda or fruit juice, then you are more likely to eventually try a real ‘untouched’ rum, as your tastebuds develop. The biggest-selling spiced rums on offer are not really designed with subtle flavours in mind. Sweetened and infused with popular spices such as cinnamon and cloves, and often a big punch of vanilla, they are consumed by people who like the idea of rum and coke but not necessarily the taste of it – especially the younger drinkers among us. But once the spiced rum drinker has grown up, where do they go from there? As I mentioned before, spiced rum drinkers tend to gravitate towards ‘real rums’ as their palate develops, but some stay within the flavoured rum category and try more complex or newer styles of spiced rums. This is why we are seeing a new wave of spiced rums that are less sweet, with more complex spices added through maceration, infusion, barrel aging and even ironically some that taste even ‘rummier’ with very subtle spices. Fruit is also being used in different ways to add even more character to these new rums. Citrus, like orange peel, and tropical fruits, like coconut, are being used to compliment traditional spices as opposed to being the dominant flavour. This has led to many bartenders and mixologists
substituting regular rums with full bodied, drier and more complex spiced alternatives within cocktails such as Rum Old Fashioneds, Rum Manhattans and Mai Tais. Another bar trend that has emerged is for bars to make their own ‘homemade’ spiced rum. In the Caribbean this style of rum infusion has been a way of life for over 200 years. Not only are the popular infusions such as vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, peppers, ginger, allspice, mace and pimento used, but some bartenders are now using indigenous Caribbean herbs and spices such a Bois Bande, Horny Goat Weed and Mauby Bark. These local spices add a uniqueness to a spiced rum much like the individuality of the botanicals used in a craft gin. My favourite way to drink a spiced rum is to mix it with either ginger beer, ginger ale or fresh apple juice. What better than a long refreshing Rum Highball to cool you down in the hot sun; a good spiced rum mixed with a spicy ginger soda – a match made in heaven. It is even better when combined with a dash of Angostura bitters, a squeeze of fresh lime and plenty of ice. Fresh, cloudy apple juice works slightly different but equally as refreshing with a slice of fresh apple or lime. But with so many different styles of spiced rums on the market, there is no perfect way to drink them… except with a good friend. This article was originally published in the Winter 2018 edition of BARS&clubs.
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From Master Blender Allen Smith, Mount Gay Black Barrel is a small batch, handcrafted blend made of matured double pot distillates and aged column distillates. In a process called finishing, the blended rum is then matured for a second time in deeply charred Bourbon oak barrels. This unique process releases spicy aromas that are at once balanced and bold.
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FLOR DE CAÑA RUM Flor de Caña rum from Nicaragua is one of the world’s most awarded rums. Nicaragua is home to many active volcanos so the soil there is incredibly fertile, resulting in a rum of unparalleled richness. The 12-year-old Flor de Caña is presented in a crystal bottle with great shelf appeal and a taste to match. RRP: $99-$129 Vanguard Luxury Brands Vanguardluxurybrands.com.au
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 29
BREWCON
WELL-MATCHED WINNERS THE INDEPENDENT BREWERS ASSOCIATION SHARES ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM BREWCON 2018 AND THE INAUGURAL INDIES.
T
he Independent Brewers Association (IBA) hosted the inaugural Indies in late June at Sydney’s Paddington Town Hall, with Mismatch Brewing Co’s Lager being named the 2018 Indies Champion Beer. Mismatch is based in the Adelaide Hills and its Lager is inspired by the great Helles-style beers of Germany, and Munich in particular. A smooth drinkable beer, it celebrates the famed Hallertau hops. The Indies allows IBA members to laud the art and science of brewing and build greater consumer awareness of the excellence within independent brewing. The metrics for the Indies are not unexpected given the growth of independent brewing in Australia: 756 beer entries; 125 brewing companies; 44 judges; 32 volunteers and 443 kegs. Other award winners on the night were Modus Operandi, winning the Independent Brewery – Large award. Independent Brewery – Medium was awarded to Boatrocker Brewing Co, and Independent Brewery – Small, to Moffat Beach Brewing. Boatrocker is based on the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay in Braeside in Melbourne, and Moffat Beach is in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The Indies certainly brewed up success. Of the 756 entries, 443 were draught and 313 packaged. Pale Ale is still predominant on the Australian drinkers’ palate and 179 of the entries were for this style of which 14 were awarded a gold medal, 42 silver and 70 bronze. The only other double-digit gold medal-winning style was Hybrid Beer with Lager (114 entries) and India Pale Ale (103 entries) retaining their popularity among brewers and drinkers. The Indies wrapped up an important and successful week for the IBA. BrewCon 2018 ran from 26-28 June at the Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh. The conference is the IBA’s keystone event and exists to build excellence and best practice in the Australian beer industry. It has grown into an education and trade occasion of international significance. As the premier trade show for independent beer makers, the three-day conference includes business, technical brewing and supply chain seminars, brewery tours and workshops. BrewCon connects suppliers, innovators and leaders of the national and international brewing community and provides a platform for the latest and best products and services. It enables the fast growing independent brewing industry in Australia to build strong networks and develop profitable businesses. More than 800 people attended this year, including 460 delegates, 39 speakers, 100 exhibiting companies, 40 volunteers and many others associated with the industry with the aim of strengthening independent brewing in Australia. Independent beer-making is flourishing in Australia, and the Indies and BrewCon 2018 were the biggest events of their kind ever staged in Australia. An independent brewer produces less than 40 million litres per annum, and is not more than 20 per cent owned by any other brewer that produces more than 40 million litres.
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CHAMPION AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT BEER: Lager – Mismatch Brewing Company CHAMPION AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT BREWERY – LARGE: Modus Operandi Brewing CHAMPION INDEPENDENT BREWING COMPANY – MEDIUM: Boatrocker Brewing Co. CHAMPION INDEPENDENT BREWING COMPANY – SMALL: Moffat Beach Brewing Co. IBA SERVICES TO THE INDUSTRY: Dave Bonighton CHAMPION PALE ALE: XPA – Philter Brewing CHAMPION AMBER DARK ALE: Red Eye Rye – Dainton Brewing CHAMPION PORTER STOUT: Omen – The Grifter Brewing Co. CHAMPION HYBRID BEER: Vanilla Mocha Stout – Modus Operandi Brewing CHAMPION LAGER: Lager – Mismatch Brewing Company CHAMPION INDIA PALE ALE: #Gainz – Modus Operandi Brewing CHAMPION EUROPEAN STYLE ALE: Saison de Ville – BlackFont Brewhouse CHAMPION SESSION BEER: Social Jam Mid Strength – Moffat Beach Brewing Co. CHAMPION STRONG BEER: Ramjet – Boatrocker Brewing Co CHAMPION MIXED CULTURE BEER: Daddy Koel – Boatrocker Brewing Co.
BREWING
COOPERS TO LAUNCH PALE ALE IN CANS
CUB TO BREW GREAT NORTHERN AT ABBOTSFORD A continuing increase in sales of Great Northern beer has seen Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) make the decision to add to the beer’s brewing capacity. Originally brewed in Queensland for Queenslanders, the ‘Beer from Up Here’ will now also be brewed at CUB’s Abbotsford brewery in Victoria as the brewer looks to meet demand, especially after the decision to make Great Northern Original available nationwide. “Eight years after the first Great Northern rolled out of our Queensland brewery, and with Great Northern Original now available outside Queensland, we’ve seen massive growth in Great Northern all across Australia,” said Sales Manager, Mick McKeown. “From 16 July we’ll be brewing Original and Super Crisp at CUB’s Abbotsford brewery in Victoria as well as up here, so we can deliver the freshest possible beer to Australian beer lovers wherever they are. “All of the Original and Super Crisp for Queensland and the NT will continue to be brewed up here in Queensland, the home of Great Northern. “But because demand for Great Northern down south is so strong, it makes sense to also brew Great Northern closer to these expanding markets.” McKeown added that the success of Great Northern was proof positive there was room for innovation in the Australian beer market. “It’s so exciting that it has developed a following amongst people right around the country. I am incredibly proud of how well it’s doing and I am so pleased we’re able to rise to the challenge of increasing demand down south as well,” he said.
Coopers Brewery has announced that it will be releasing Coopers Original Pale Ale in a can from August. Coopers’ Sales and Marketing Director, Cam Pearce, said that the brewery decided that it was the right time to meet the increased demand for canned beers with its marketleading Pale Ale. “With increasing consumer demand for a can format, now is the right time to release our flagship product in a can,” he said. “Consumer demand for beer in cans has accelerated over the past few years as we see cans appealing to a wider audience and also for those occasions where drinkers are looking for the versatility and convenience that a can format offers.” Pearce said Coopers had been encouraged to offer the new can format for Pale Ale on the back of the recent and successful launch of Session Ale in both bottles and cans, and the uptake of the can offering in the product mix. He said that as a result of Coopers Original Pale Ale being released in cans, the Dr Tim’s brand would be retired from the Coopers portfolio. Pearce added that the 375ml cans are the same price as 375ml bottles, although may vary at retail with promotional activity.
®
Call your CUB representative or 13beer
RETAILER PROFILE
Scott Young and Jaylene Gilbert-Joseph
SUPER CELLARS
AT CHURCHILL’S SPORTS BAR
WE CATCH UP WITH SCOTT YOUNG FROM SUPER CELLARS AT CHURCHILL’S SPORTS BAR IN KINGSFORD, SYDNEY, WHICH IS A PART OF THE INDEPENDENT LIQUOR GROUP (ILG). Q HOW DID YOU GET INTO LIQUOR RETAILING? I was very fortunate to be born into the hotel industry being a third generation hotelier and I am very passionate about it.
Q HAVE YOU BEEN NOTICING ANY TRENDS IN YOUR STORE? I can confidently say the store refurbishment has strongly contributed to the overall growth in all areas of the business. In terms of trends and products, sparkling wines, top end spirits, Prosecco and craft beer have got the cutting edge.
platforms to get members involved, from training workshops, trade expos, golf days, race days, study tours, member dinners – they all help members to familiarise and learn from each other and, at the end of the day, these social interactions are integral to our growth both from a personal and a commercial perspective.
Q WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES YOU FACE
WORK PARTICULARLY WELL FOR YOU? The Independent Liquor Group (ILG) with its strong supplier support has been providing its banners with marketing campaigns that capture relevant occasions in a timely fashion, taking consumer awareness to a different level. These campaigns increase consumer engagement as they create an emotional connection to the purchase.
AS AN INDEPENDENT LIQUOR RETAILER IN TODAY’S MARKET? How to stay independent and relevant is and always will be a challenge, this is why I believe being a part of a co-operative banner is important for independents. It reinforces consumer awareness and recognition, customer loyalty, value and greater credibility, which makes market penetration come with some degree of ease. Nevertheless, we as local operators will still need to demonstrate our own individuality and point of difference by supporting the community we serve. The market changes, trends and behaviours are all constant encounters for any business, big or small.
Q WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A PART OF A CO-OP?
Q IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
WHAT ARE THE POINTS OF DIFFERENCE? I am really enjoying my time with the co-op, I can really feel the support 24/7. The family culture is what sets ILG apart. The mix in its membership base, from hotels, liquor stores, clubs and suppliers is another positive factor, it’s like a melting pot of various commercial categories blended together by a common goal. The co-op provides different networking
MENTION ABOUT CHURCHILL’S OR ILG? ILG has been very supportive in a difficult period for the hotel, and the current construction of the South Sydney light rail is causing major disruption for all concerned along its route. Now, along with a new banner and store fit-out, we have together set up a strong foundation to capitalise on the potential benefits it will hopefully provide upon its completion.
Q ARE THERE ANY RETAILING TECHNIQUES THAT
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“HOW TO STAY INDEPENDENT AND RELEVANT IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE A CHALLENGE, THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE BEING A PART OF A CO-OPERATIVE BANNER IS IMPORTANT FOR INDEPENDENTS.”
AUTHENTIC AMERICA FEATURE
AUTHENTIC AMERICA
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AUTHENTIC AMERICA
THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY
AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE LONG BEEN FRIENDS AND, AS ANDY YOUNG DISCOVERED, REGARDLESS OF WHAT MAY BE HAPPENING IN THE POLITICAL WORLD, IN LIQUOR RETAILING RELATIONS ARE AS STRONG AS EVER.
T
he influence of the American liquor industry on the drinking habits of legalage Australians is nothing new. Australia is a well-established and mature Bourbon market, making it hugely important to producers and, as more and more craft beer is consumed in Australia, the influence of the US craft beer market is also apparent. But this is not a bad thing, far from it. Being such an important market to so many producers across different categories means there are massive opportunities for growth in Australia and that means there are massive opportunities for Australia’s liquor retailers. In an industry that is seeing strong growth in many aspects of ‘craft’ whether that be beer or spirits, it could almost be considered a burden to be a major global brand, but that is not always the case. In the 2018 Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA) and IRI State of the Industry Report, it was highlighted that four of the top five spirits brands saw value declines. But the one top five brand to see growth was Jack Daniel’s, and it’s important to recognise the significance of American whiskey to Australia’s packaged liquor industry and where the opportunities for growth are coming, as Marisa Murray, Brown-Forman’s Marketing Manager of the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands, explains. “North American whiskey has historically always been one of Australia’s favourite drinks and it’s the number one spirits category in Australia. There is still strong growth in the category and we see that coming from two key trends which are firstly premiumisation – which is a trend across multiple categories and is not unique to our category. The other key trend is innovation and different ways to enjoy American whiskey. “Traditionally ‘with cola’ has been the most common way to enjoy American whiskies, but people are now looking for different ways to drink it, so we’re really looking at what we can do to make that easier.”
THE ONLY FILTER WE’RE A FAN OF IS CHARCOAL. WE’RE ALSO A FAN OF DRINKING RESPONSIBLY. JACK DANIEL’S OLD NO.7 40% ABV (80 PROOF ) AND JACK DANIEL’S & COLA 5 % ABV (10 PROOF). JACK DANIEL’S AND OLD NO.7 BRAND ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS. ©2018 JACK DANIEL’S. DISTILLED AND BOTTLED BY JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, LYNCHBURG, TENNESSEE. JACKDANIELS.COM
Murray adds: “A lot of that is what we can do to help consumers discover different products and then inspire them in different ways to enjoy their favourite spirits. “Specifically in American whiskey the trade-up story - or the premiumisation story - isn’t as clear as it is in a category like Scotch where you’ve got age statements that make it very clear to a consumer what the trade-up is. This means that there is a little bit more education needed in terms of what a premium American whiskey is and why you would pay more for it.”
TRADING UP The importance of the premiumisation trends to the American whiskey category is also a factor for Russell Hole, Marketing Manager with Think Spirits, which has the award-winning Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon in its portfolio. “The American whiskey market is pretty stable overall, but when you look beneath the surface there are some exciting things happening and some great higher margin opportunities for retailers, because we are seeing super-premium American whiskies growing at more than 12 per cent.” Elijah Craig has been well recognised, recently picking up a Double Gold medal and Best Small Batch Bourbon award at the San Francisco Spirits Competition as well as a Platinum medal at the SIP Awards, and Hole adds that this kind of recognition reflects the quality of the brand and also resonates with consumers. “We are seeing the explosion of hand crafted, high-quality, high-end American whiskey, with drinkers happily paying more for great products and brands, driving strong retail margins,” adds Hole. “In particular we are seeing growth in our Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon and the trend to quality and hand crafted has brought a change in the way consumers are drinking their American whiskey, with a rise in drinking it straight and just with ice.”
AUTHENTIC AMERICA So with higher margin, super premium American whiskey becoming more popular, how can retailers make the most of the growing trend? Murray says that one option can be to get the premium spirits out from behind the counter. “We do understand that there can be an issue with high levels of theft, but it really is an amazing way to educate consumers on premium products, and it really helps to inspire and educate in-store”. She adds: “We’ve got a range of premium products and what we’ve tried to do recently from a retail point of view is have a display cabinet that houses all the products in it, but in a theft-proof way, while still educating on why Gentleman Jack is different to Old No. 7 and why Single Barrel is different again, and that messaging helps educate a consumer on why they are paying $100 versus $50 for their bottle of whiskey. “Retailers can help with reasons why to trade-up, offering small tastings especially on products that are over $100 a bottle, as consumers may be a little reluctant to buy that if they have not tasted it before. A number of retailers do this very well with in-store tastings for their premium wines, and it would be great to carry that across into the spirits space as well.” Hole offers this advice to retailers: “Don’t forget about the potential to trade American whiskey drinkers up from $45 brands to super premium options. Every Bourbon drinker is a potential super premium whiskey drinker, and there are lots of Bourbon drinkers around, all of whom would be interested in a $70-plus American whiskey.” He adds: “Also retailers should think about how much high-value Scotch whisky they have in their store and then consider whether they can find more space for super premium American whiskey. Ideally they should be allocating as much space for high-value American whiskey as they do for Scotch.”
Goose Island gets mobile with its brews
“Spending one’s hard-earned money on the unknown is daunting for the consumer, so the more education they’re offered, the easier it is to try something new,” Tiffany Waldron, Beer Ambassador, Goose Island. CRAFT BEER
New Belgium beers
New Belgium‘s Stage Rock
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Another area experiencing strong momentum from the US into Australia is the craft beer market. The US market has led the way in the development of craft beer and while Australia is definitely no sheep, it has followed many of the trends that have been seen in the US. As a result there are also many US craft beers that are enjoying success here, or that are now seriously looking at the Australian market. One of those brands is New Belgium, which has been available in Australia for approximately 12 months through distributor Square Keg. Square Keg’s Managing Partner, Garry Hastings, says that as craft beer grows in popularity in Australia, many consumers are likely to try their local brew first, but as they understand the category and the history of craft beer they are drawn to beers from the US and, just as with spirits, it is the high quality of the American beers that hooks them in and keeps them coming back for more. “New Belgium and Square Keg really pride ourselves on the quality, so you will always get the best quality, fresh beer and we will always be bringing out the interesting limited editions. But with the core range, we are really, really confident that consumers and the trade will respond really well to those beers and hence we are introducing the Fat Tire Wheat Beer as a way of staying abreast of trends, we’ll never let it date. “Cold storage is absolutely critical, the key to craft beer is quality. Any time we place an order for New Belgium, the beer is made specifically for us, so we get their export stuff made fresh. It’s in refrigerated containers from the moment it leaves the brewery to when it gets on the ship, in refrigerated containers on the sea and then to the warehouses and then it is cold stored in Australia as well. So quality is absolutely paramount for us and we want to give consumers the best experience we can and give them the freshest beer we can.” Tiffany Waldron, Beer Ambassador for Goose Island, agrees that quality is key, saying: “The history and reputation are important, but the quality of the products is the most important thing. Goose IPA has
THE ONLY FILTER WE’RE THEA ONLY FILTER WE’RE FAN OF IS CHARCOAL.
A FAN OF IS CHARCOAL. WE’RE ALSO A FAN OF DRINKING RESPONSIBLY.
JACK DANIEL’S OLD NO.7 40% ABV (80 PROOF ) AND JACK DANIEL’S & COLA 5 % ABV (10 PROOF). JACK DANIEL’S AND OLD NO.7 BRAND ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS. ©2018 JACK DANIEL’S. DISTILLED AND BOTTLED BY JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, LYNCHBURG, TENNESSEE. JACKDANIELS.COM
AUTHENTIC AMERICA
“There are some exciting things happening and some great higher margin opportunities for retailers, because we are seeing superpremium American whiskeys growing at more than 12 per cent,” Russell Hole, Marketing Manager, Think Spirits.
An Elijah Craig cocktail kit A selection of Abita beers
been brewed for more than 25 years, so the reason the ‘trend’ keeps rolling is that the product is consistent and always brewed to the highest standards”. And for Michael Lonard, Sales Manager at BidBeer, which brings and distributes Abita Beer in Australia, understanding key American craft beer brands, their stories and how to make them available to consumers is a way retailers can make the most of the push for authentic American brands. “Tastings, promos and in-store visibility will help. In the case of the brand Bid represents, Abita, it is a craft beer from a hot climate (like here), so there is a great crossover and makes for an ideal food pairing. “Abita is the largest brewery in Louisiana and one of the earliest of the American craft brewers, (having been) founded in 1986. It is a beer that offers refreshing easy-drinking takes on both traditional styles like their amber lager, and modern session IPAs like the Big Easy, also Purple Haze a lager brewed with barley and wheat then infused with raspberries. Abita is a great introduction to American craft brews as they are a great place to start your journey and continually come back to.”
POINT OF DIFFERENCE Waldron agrees that for retailers, education and experimentation will make a huge difference, saying: “The more education and information a retailer can offer their customers, the more the customers will be interested in experimentation. “Spending one’s hard-earned money on the unknown is daunting for the consumer, so the more education they’re offered, the easier it is to try something new.
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People enjoying some Goose Island beers
AUTHENTIC AMERICA “As we launch Goose Island’s vintaged barrel-aged farmhouse ales into the Australian range, we hope to add new flavours and interest into the market by offering consistently well-made IPAs and limited releases of other styles to provoke tasting and trying new things.” Hastings adds, “For retailers I would say, stay abreast of the trends and the styles that consumers are looking for and then also look for a point of difference as well. We do the New Belgium limited release range and from a retailer’s point of view they can charge a good price and make revenue and a really good margin because they are so sought after.” The theme of being able to offer tastings or enhancing the shopping experience is a constant one. Murray says that while it may be difficult for some retailers, especially in terms of space, “the return is that those high-value SKUs do drive a lot more margin and growth for the retailer”. Authentic American products are still massively popular in Australia, and with the focus of many suppliers and distributors on expanding and developing their ranges, the trend and push for what the US can offer is only going to increase and that can mean strong growth and margin for retailers, it is also something that can help you to have a point of difference over your competitors.
“People are now looking for different ways to drink American whiskey, so we’re really looking at what we can do to make that easier,” Marisa Murray, Marketing Manager, Jack Daniel’s. Jack Daniel’s RTDs
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 39
PROSECCO REPORT
g n i l b b Bu er : Ov
PROSECCO’S RAPID RISE PROSECCO’S APPEAL IS BEING DRIVEN INTO THE STRATOSPHERE, AS ANDREW GRAHAM DISCOVERS.
I
n the words of cultural icon Paris Hilton, Prosecco is ‘so hot right now’. One of the fastest growing segments in the wine industry, Prosecco has enjoyed three consecutive years of growth averaging near 50 per cent per annum (according to IRI figures), which is second only to rosé. Despite the rampant success, this is also a segment that is carefully poised, with locally made Prosecco under considerable threat from political issues and global production struggling to keep up with demand. Further, while still seen as a premium Champagne alternative, recent moves towards RTD-like blends and convenient packaging suggest a market that is in a fascinating state of flux. But will the future of Prosecco be as a premium sparkling or a cider-esque daily drink?
AUSTRALIAN PROSECCO – THE EARLY YEARS Unsurprisingly, Prosecco’s history in Australia has a strong Italian accent. While Italian Prosecco has been imported for some time, it took until 1999 for a locally produced example to break cover – and it was an Italian who did it. Otto Dal Zotto (from Dal Zotto Wines) was brought up in the home of Prosecco, Valdobbiadene in northern Italy. He always thought that the King Valley had many similarities to his homeland and always wanted to make Prosecco there.
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By chance, Dal Zotto and family discovered that 19 years previously a fellow Italian migrant had already brought the variety to Australia and was willing to spare some cuttings. It took another five years for the first vintage of Prosecco to be released, finally unveiled in December 2004. Since then, the King Valley has become the undisputed centre of the $60 million Australian Prosecco market, with the Valley taking over half of that. More than just a production centre, the King Valley producers have also created a celebrated wine and food trail known as the Prosecco Road. One of the key drivers of the Prosecco Road alongside Dal Zotto is Brown Brothers, which is also the undisputed heavyweight of Prosecco production in Australia. For the second consecutive year, Brown Brothers has been the biggest driver of Prosecco growth too, accounting for 30 per cent of growth (IRI March 2018) across four different product lines. As ever with the restless team at Brown Brothers they’re not focusing solely on Champagne competitors either, with the family recently releasing their category hopping Prosecco-based Prosecco Spritz in a can. They’re not alone either, with one of Australia’s biggest brands, Jacob’s Creek, also embracing this Prosecco-based style with immediate results. Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ Global Marketing Director for Australian Brands, Derek Oliver,
explains: “We launched Jacob’s Creek Prosecco Spritz in July 2017 in Australia. Within a year of launch, Jacob’s Creek Prosecco Spritz became the number one premium and sparkling wine innovation by volume and value.” Despite this rampant popularity, Prosecco is still seen at Pernod to be a quality sparkling wine, as Oliver explains. “For Jacob’s Creek we see a bright future for Prosecco and the focus will (continue) to be on premium offerings for our consumers,” he said. And it doesn’t stop with Jacob’s Creek, Australian Vintage Limited (AVL) is also seeing strong demand for Prosecco. Scott Burton, General Manager, Marketing at AVL, explains: “Prosecco is taking Australia by storm, just as it has done in the UK and US markets. Sales have rocketed up and we are definitely seeing an uplift in demand as a result.” Interestingly, this is a product that is popular in on- and off-premise, as Burton notes. “In the on-premise channel, Tempus Two Copper Series Prosecco is the number one selling wine in the portfolio, reflecting the change in consumption from special occasion to becoming part of a drinker’s regular repertoire.” For Calabria Family Wines, their Prosecco story has been driven by an Italian make in a joint venture that has proven very popular. Elizabeth Calabria-Staltare believes that the trend can be viewed in the context of Moscato. “Trends are showing that wine drinkers are looking for a light dry sparkling wine with
PROSECCO REPORT
A sunrise over Jacob’s Creek vineyards Dragan Radocaj Photography
lower alcohol – we saw this movement with the success of Moscato and in my view we are confident in saying that Prosecco is the next big fashion for people who prefer drier sparkling styles,” she said. Finally, clever distributor Fourth Wave Wine has also embraced Prosecco in a can too, putting an Australian varietal Prosecco into 250ml cans under the Mascareri label. It is already proving popular, with its 12g/L dosage making for a light and generous crowd pleaser.
PROSECCO HEARTLAND POWERING ON While much of the focus in Australia has been on locally made Prosecco, local production is a mere drop in a wine ocean compared to how much Prosecco is now made in Italy. In 2016, there were 410 million bottles of Prosecco DOC produced, up from 141 million bottles in 2010, plus more than 100 million bottles as DOCG. That increase has seen growth now outstripping any other sparkling wine category – particularly Champagne, which is predicted to grow by just one per cent (IWSR 2017 figures). What’s also interesting is that despite this production increase, a short 2017 vintage (which saw a drop in Italian wine production by 26 per cent according to Coldiretti) has also caused price increases of 10-15 per cent. In other words, this is a category where volumes and value are increasing. Local importers have seen this first hand, with Kollaras seeing the unbridled growth with some of their products. Michael Kollaras explains: “In 2015, Kollaras
began supplying Maschio De Cavalieri Treviso to Independent Brands Australia (IBA) stores, exclusively. To say the brand has seen great success is an understatement, and sales rates rival Australia’s leading brand.” “We are (also) seeing the average price per unit increase year on year, which suggests consumers are trading up.” One important point of difference that Italian Prosecco has over local lines is that there is a clear hierarchy of quality – which Australia lacks. Kollaras has noticed this too: “Italian Prosecco caters to a number of consumers in different price points and profiles. You can find three quality tiers, starting with DOC, to DOCG, and the finest standard – Cartizze. Given a more serious and flavourful Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco can be purchased for around $20, those in the know can get a better quality wine... (The more) our market learns about the category, we anticipate that consumers will explore other options.”
THE ITALIAN THREAT While the focus for Italian Prosecco producers has been on increasing production, there has been a recent political push that could hobble competitors to the Italian product. In 2009, the Italians renamed the grape from Prosecco to Glera in a move that was seen as a contentious ‘grape grab’, locking in the name Prosecco as a European geographical indicator instead of a grape.
To further cement this move, the European Commission then attempted to register Prosecco as a GI in Australia, only to be refused in 2013. Now, with an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement looming, Italy has made it clear that it wants a formal recognition of the GI as part of the agreement – a move that would effectively stop the use of Prosecco and force producers to embrace the decidedly unsexy Glera. The Victorian Government has acknowledged the importance of Prosecco to the King Valley in particular, committing $50 million to the further development of the Prosecco Road. Other politicians on all sides of Parliament have also highlighted that this is an issue. But the question remains about whether this sort of commitment will be enough to stop Australian Prosecco becoming Free Trade Agreement collateral damage. Dal Zotto CEO and Winemaker, Michael Dal Zotto, believes that there is only one real name. “Let’s not embrace Glera. Our father Otto Dal Zotto grew up in Valdobbiadene, the home of Prosecco, and throughout his life he only ever heard Prosecco being made from Prosecco. End of discussion,” he said.
GOING PINK Beyond just names, there is another change afoot that could drive Prosecco’s appeal into the stratosphere.
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 41
PROSECCO REPORT At a board meeting of the Prosecco DOC Consorzio in March, members voted in favour of creating rules to let producers begin making Prosecco rosé. While Pinot Noir has always been allowed in the blend (up to 15 per cent), it has strictly been used for making white wine. Mooted rule changes would allow this to be still wine, effectively green-lighting the production of Prosecco rosé within the DOC. The appeal of making rosé is as much a question of trends as anything else, with rosé the fastest growing category in many market around the world, rising by 60 per cent YOY in Australia alone (IRI figures). While not all producers are convinced – particularly in the traditional DOCG areas within the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG – there is no question that this segment could further propel Prosecco’s appeal.
Tempus Two Cellar Door
QUALITY AUSTRALIANS In the face of these Italian challenges, many Australian producers (particularly in the King Valley) believe that a premium product (with quality packaging) is the only way forward. One producer that has pushed a quality product in top packaging is Pizzini, with winemaker Joel Pizzini using an uncompromising approach. “I believe hand-picking the fruit and whole bunch pressing (in particular) makes all the difference. The palate is longer and more delicate,” he said. “We use some solids in the fermentation to give the wine richness and edges of complexity and has a nice dry long finish.” For the Prosecco originals at Dal Zotto, the future also includes a very traditional style – the Col Fondo. Col Fondo translates as ‘with bottom’ or ‘with sediment’ and refers to a Prosecco style where the second (sparkling) fermentation is happening in the bottle – much like Champagne. Col Fondo is often seen as the most historic style of Prosecco, but fell out of favour in recent times when the juicier, bright style of modern tank-fermented wine gained favour. The appeal of this cloudy and sometimes funky style of Prosecco is complexity, with the lees often giving extra layers of flavour. Lots of contemporary Italian producers are embracing (or re-embracing) Col Fondo and it promises much for more interesting Prosecco. Over at Vinea Marson their Col Fondo has proved very popular, as Madeleine Marson explains: “We produce a very small amount of Col Fondo in addition to our regular Prosecco, more out of the interest of the winemaker than anything else, however it has become a popular wine at the Cellar Door so we will continue to produce it. “The Col Fondo is an engaging wine in this context. You have to explain what it is and how to serve it, as it can be prone to foaming so that it is a great spectacle wine – but one which needs a decanter handy.”
Jacob’s Creek vineyards Dragan Radocaj Photography
IS THERE A MARKET FOR PREMIUM PROSECCO? Mark Singarella runs retailer and importer business, Vino Bambino, and sells a whole range of Prosecco styles from local and international producers. Singarella too sees Prosecco as “a fresh alternative to Champagne and also more affordable”. Interestingly, he has also noticed that one of the hot trends is the rising popularity of organic wines, with the drier Extra Brut styles also continuing to be most popular. For the most important view on selling premium Prosecco in Australia, however, we need to confer with the queen. Melissa Brauer helped establish Australia’s first Prosecco festival and quickly got the title of Prosecco Queen. She now runs Prosecco masterclasses and sells Prosecco through her website www.theproseccoqueen.com.au. As she explains, the sky is the limit when it comes to premium Prosecco: “I definitely think the market is there for better quality Prosecco. “Consumers are ready to learn more about Prosecco and make informed decisions about what they are buying. We have some stunning examples of DOCG Prosecco available in Australia that are retailing from anywhere between $25 and $60 a bottle, and people are learning that paying more equates to a more elegant, refined style of Prosecco, where the terroir is evident from the very first sip.”
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Tempus Two tasting room Dal Zotto cellar door
BEER TASTING
TINA PANOUTSOS
NEAL CAMERON
JUSTIN FOX
MICHAEL CAPALDO
GRAHAM WRIGHT CHARLIE WHITTING
TAM ALLENBY
IN THIS ISSUE OUR PANELISTS TASTE THE LATEST NEW RELEASE BEER AND CIDER, HERE ARE THE RESULTS.
GOODIESON BREWERY BLACK PILSNER
GOODIESON BREWERY CHOCOLATE STOUT
SAUCE BREWING 50 SHADES OF BLACK SAUCY STOUT
6.8% ABV, 330ml An intensely dark red hue meets the eye and a journey begins into a complex beer that doesn’t quite portray what the name states. The beer is reminiscent of the traditional Schwarz-style black pilsner with notes of noble hops and a pleasant malt body, but it is clearly an imperial version of the style with a big alcohol hit. Style: Black pilsner Goodiesonbrewery.com.au
7.6% ABV, 330ml Black and rich, chocolate itself doesn’t come through but a savoury cocoa and carob flavor emanates from aroma to palate. The high alcohol dominates, yet is well balanced with a firm malt backbone and herbaceous hop profile. A nice beer for a winter’s night! Style: Stout Goodiesonbrewery.com.au
5.7% ABV, 945ml squealer Tight, tan head, and nice and dark in the glass. Aromatically, the first thing that jumped out was an espresso martini! Coffee notes are buttressed by roasted nuts, dark chocolate and a slightly smoky character; following through to the palate. Coffee is the centerpiece, with a medium mouthfeel that avoids being heavy or cloying. While a malty sweetness lingers, there is a dryness and firm bitterness that lingers and makes a second sip too tempting. Style: Stout Sauce.beer
MODUS OPERANDI DREAM WEAVER UNFILTERED IPA
CAVALIER BROWN ALE
TWO BIRDS TRAIL BLAZER AUSSIE LAGER
7% ABV, 500ml can Modus’ latest big IPA presents with a thick, opaque and almost custardy murk in the glass – it’s NEIPA time. As you’d expect, fruit bowl, tropical aromas jump out. The mouthfeel is very smooth, and it goes down very easily, with breakfast juice character. However, there’s a firm bitterness and slightly piney tinge towards the end that leaves the tongue tingling, and takes this beer into more interesting, complex territory. Style: NEIPA MObrewing.com.au
5% ABV, 330ml Hazelnut brown in colour, this beer has a rich roasted aroma – chestnuts and malt – as well as coffee notes. On first sipping, there is a pleasant caramel sweetness, but there is a decent and bracing bitterness to finish. The beer is robust, but not heavy, and is certainly a very drinkable number. Style: Brown ale Cavalierbeer.com.au
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4.5% ABV, 330ml can Two Birds teamed up with the women’s branch of the Western Bulldogs for this special collaboration brew. Bright golden yellow in colour with a good foam, this is a relatively malty lager with a light hop aroma and mild bitterness. Overall palate is rounded, moderate in weight and clean in the finish – it easily rolls off the palate without any challenging flavours. Style: Lager Twobirdsbrewing.com.au
MURRAY’S DARK KNIGHT PORTER 4.5% ABV, 330ml Initially I thought this porter was more of a stout than the classic style as the colour is black, and the malt is roasted and chocolatey. Hop influence is minimal, but there is bitterness at the end. The lingering flavour is of crystal malt. But given that, and even if it’s not exactly on style, we really enjoyed for its rich, fulsome flavour. Style: Porter Murraysbrewingco.com.au
HOBO BREWING APA 4.2% ABV, 375ml can Intriguing appearance with a foam that is effortlessly generated; taking a sniff, it’s definitely hop forward in aroma. Green, grassy hop notes along with fruity, slightly citrus hop provide continuing interest and character. The palate is relatively malty, with a slight toffee note and mid palate dryness. The lingering bitterness is firm and slightly grassy. Style: American pale ale Hobobrewing.com.au
SAUCE BREWING SON OF A PEACH BERLINER WEISSE 5% ABV, 375ml can This has an almost glowing yellow haze in the glass – very appealing. Smells tart and zippy with a hint of peach shining through. Taking a sip, there’s plenty of sourness but it’s softened by a subtle hit of peach, which adds softness over the top of unripened berries and green apples. Pleasantly tart, but not so dry that you pucker up. This is a winner – and might be a good one to try and win over a cider drinker with too! Style: Berliner Weisse Sauce.beer
CAPITAL BREWING CO ROCK HOPPER IPA 6.1% ABV, 375ml can Slight tinge of amber, soft haze and decent foam provide an enticing appeal! Hops? Well there’s plenty here as to be expected; first contact being the tropical fruit followed through with subtle and intertwining notes of pine and citrus. The balance is effortless and transitions really well into the palate, playing a bigger role than the malt. Its bold bitterness lingers and provides a reminder of the hop character with each sip. Style: West Coast IPA Capitalbrewing.co
BEER TASTING
YOUNG HENRYS MOTORCYCLE OIL HOPPY PORTER
COASTAL BREWING COMPANY ELIZABETH ENGLISH BITTER
5.5% ABV, 500ml This beer is almost bordering on a red in colour – a dark auburn in the glass, perhaps? Then you put your nose in and if you closed your eyes you’d swear it was an IPA – lots of resin and grassy notes exploding from the glass, along with some dark fruits. There’s plenty of spicy bitterness on the tongue that lingers for a long time, with a toasting, nutty malty sweetness quietly growing to round it off. This is dangerously refreshing – it’s clean and fresh and light. Style: Porter Younghenrys.com
3.5% ABV, 375ml can With all these new brewers, it’s easy to see some that some are learning faster than others. But Coastal brewer David Black has thrown off accountancy with some style. Not only is this mid-strength beer well produced, it is also excellently conceived. Beers with low alcohol need a bit of extra work elsewhere. This beer has all the yeast character of the style, esters aplenty, a rich crystal malt hit that helps with the mouthfeel, and some herbal hop flavour gives a complete rendition of the English bitter style. Style: English bitter Coastalbrewingcompany. com
STOMPING GROUND PRIDELWEISS AUSTRALIAN WHEAT ALE
WOLF’S BREWERY AMERICAN PALE ALE
5TH OCEAN BEER GRAND ALE
6% ABV, 450ml Wolf Brewing Company American Pale Ale pours amber with good foam. The aroma of citrus, and bready malt has hints of passionfruit and peach. The palate is rich, with good toasted malt layering and a nice medley of hops, with citrus dominant. The finish is medium bitter and is well balanced by toasted malt character. Style: American pale ale Mosbrew.ru
6.2% ABV, 375ml Brewed in Moscow, Russia, 5th Ocean Grand pours amber with a firm white head. The aroma offers light biscuit malt, winter fruits and some candied alcohol notes. The palate has good malt layering, and excellent Christmas cake and stone fruit subtlety. The finish offers lingering malt sweetness. Style: English strong ale Mosbrew.ru
4.5% ABV, 355ml can A good cause, backed by an equally good beer. With a fresh aroma of lemon and lime, pineapple and a hint of cut grass, there’s decent hop action on the nose. Sipping, the light mouthfeel and spritz is very refreshing and urges you to come back for a second gulp. Later you notice subtle spiciness and a decent bitterness that rounds out the beer. With tight, clean flavours there’s nowhere for any faults to hide and none can be found – a testament to the brewers. Style: Wheat ale Stompingground.beer
PIRATE LIFE PILSNER 4.8% ABV, 355ml can As expansions continue, the Pirate Life team have squeezed the tankdemanding Nelson pilsner into the packaging line up. The hallmark white grape aromatic of Nelson Sauvin presents amidst lemon zest and pineapple, all just poking up above toasty and crisp malt sweetness. The palate is light and clean, preceding an assertive bitterness that pushes the boundaries of even more traditional pilsners. It’s a twist to these hop lovers’ usual hop expression, showcasing the raw alpha power of hop amongst a more delicate aromatic. Style: Pilsner Piratelife.com.au
STOMPING GROUND GIPPS ST PALE ALE
4 PINES BIG BREKKY PORTER
5.2% ABV, 355ml can Leaning in, a rich hop aroma is balanced by a weight of malt; it’s earthy, pineappley and intriguing. Flavour-wise, the beer is almost non-descript, but not in a bad way – more because there’s nothing screaming for attention. It’s just a very well balanced beer, somewhere between an American and English style pale, that lets the malt and hops do some talking, without either shouting that they’re there. A very restrained and pleasant beer that provides more than enough reason to guzzle a couple of cans. Style: Pale ale Stompingground.beer
7% ABV, 500ml With a fluffy white foam head and a good dark colour, this looks like a cracking porter. There’s something sweet and milky alongside the coffee aromas – like a cappuccino with extra cocoa. In the mouth, it’s full bodied, slightly creamy and very smooth. There’s plenty of malty goodness in the taste alongside chocolatey notes – like weetbix with chocolate chips, or sipping a mocha made with single origin beans. Style: Porter 4pinesbeer.com.au
SAUCE BUBBLE & SQUEAK NEW ENGLAND IPA
TEMPLE BREWING COMPANY BICYCLE BEER
6.5% ABV, 500ml Cloudy in appearance, with a tarnished gold/yellow colour, Bubble & Squeak offers a complex aroma, including guava, mango, passionfruit and melon, integrated with grassy hop notes. The palate has malt layering to support the complex hop flavours without the distraction of astringency or cloy bitterness. The finish is grassy and herbal with good lingering malt sweetness. Style: NEIPA Sauce.beer
4.2% ABV, 330ml An English-style summer ale with surprisingly seven hop additions, Bicycle Beer is a lighter style beer, offering refreshment and flavour. Pouring straw in colour with good foam, the beer has fine aromatic notes of lychee, melon, lemon, and citrus. The malt body carries the palate with hop citrus flavour through to the finish. Easy drinking and pleasant as a Radler alternative. Style: Summer ale Templebrewing.com.au
This tasting was originally conducted for the Winter Issue 45 of Beer & Brewer.
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 45
THE ROSÉ TASTING
THE PANEL
1. Daryl Fisher, General Manager, Fisher Fine Wine 2. Reneé Foster, Communications & Marketing Manager, Moppity Vineyards
3. Michael Park, Wine Educator, Endeavour Drinks Group
5. Andrew Graham, Online Communications Manager, Cracka Wines
4. John Quinn, Owner, IconicWinemakers.com.au
6. Nigel Jerram, Account Manager, Fisher Fine Wines
THE PANEL’S PICKS Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Dry Rosé Barossa Valley VIN: 2017 LUC: $16.13
Stoneleigh Pinot Noir Rosé Marlborough VIN: 2017 LUC: $14.95
“A ripper. Showed nice good depth of colour and nice fresh strawberry and cream on the palate, with a balanced dry finish” – John Quinn
“Bright and complex, savoury with good balance and length” – Renée Foster Distrubted by: Pernod Ricard Australia
Jacob’s Creek Cool Harvest Rosé South Australia VIN: 2017 LUC: $9.76
“Nice deep colour and this transfers into the nose and palate with a subtle finish – a very nice wine” – John Quinn Distrubted by: Pernod Ricard Australia
Distrubted by: Château Tanunda
THE SYSTEM 95-100 Classic: an exceptional wine
90-94 Outstanding: a wine of remarkable character
46 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
85-89 Very good: a wine with impressive qualities
WINE TASTING LUC $15 AND OVER Bird in Hand Pinot Rosé Adelaide Hills VIN: 2018 LUC: $16.33 “A great wine! Rich and creamy with strawberries and peaches on the palate. Long lasting and toasty” – Nigel Jerram
Pepper Tree Pinot Noir Rosé Orange VIN: 2017 LUC: $16.13 “Pale, rusty pink. Fresh nose of sweet fruits and anglaise. Dry palate, quite citrussy. Dry and clean” – Renée Foster “A good wine with a savoury finish” – John Quinn
“Elegant, closed, perfumed strawberry. Good balance, stalky finish” – Daryl Fisher
Distrubted by: Bottle in Hand
Distrubted by: Déjà Vu Wine Co
Gundog Estate Rosé Canberra District VIN: 2017 LUC: $17.42 “Lovely ruby red colour and strawberry nose. Cream palate and dry finish” – John Quinn “Dark pink in colour. Intense nose, dry style” – Renée Foster
Distrubted by: Australian Liquor Enterprise
“A good number of pretty wines with good balance and complexity. Rosé should be light, but can be complex as the high scorers showed” – Michael Park
Pepper Tree Coonawarra Rosé Coonawarra VIN: 2017 LUC $16.13
Rêve De La Mer Rosé Corsica France VIN: 2016 LUC: $25.03
“Fairy floss, apple, bit stalky. Nutty and complex” – Daryl Fisher
“Pineapple, cedar, lime, sherbet. Tight, complex, a bit earthy” – Daryl Fisher
“A very good wine. Rich and creamy” – Nigel Jerram
“Quite pale in colour. Perfect” Nigel Jerram
Distrubted by: Déjà Vu Wine Co
Distrubted by: Pernod Ricard Australia
Nepenthe Pinot Noir Rosé Adelaide Hills VIN: 2017 LUC: $16.25
THE RISE OF ROSƒ • 35 per cent of all wine growth came from rosé last year • Of every dollar spent on rosé, 67c is on Australian rosé • Oyster Bay and Upside Down were the biggest new launches of the year • Still bottled rosé is worth 63 per cent of rosé sales and contributed 85 per cent of total rosé growth
“A more sophisticated and grown-up style, with fruit aromas and some complexity” – Andrew Graham “Very nice and floral. Subtle but builds to the finish. Lovely texture” – Michael Park
Distrubted by: Australian Vintage Limited
THE SYSTEM 95-100 Classic: an exceptional wine
90-94 Outstanding: a wine of remarkable character
85-89 Very good: a wine with impressive qualities
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 47
WINE TASTING LUC BETWEEN $10 AND $15 Watershed Shades Rosé Margaret River VIN: 2017 LUC: $13.65 “Good value for money wine. Easy drinking!” – Nigel Jerram “Lovely aroma, perfumed. Subtle but complex, a great wine” – Daryl Fisher
Distrubted by: Premium Wine Partners
“Interestingly, the best wines were often simple, fresh and cheap. Rosé really doesn’t need to be worked – just fresh and vibrant. Rosé needs to be fresh” – Andrew Graham Peter Lehmann Portrait Grenache Rosé Barossa Valley VIN: 2018 LUC: $14.19
Castel Côtes de Provence Rosé France VIN: 2017 LUC: $11.03 “Finishes a little tart, but this is just the savoury characters coming through” – John Quinn
“Rosehip and herb. A Grenache from a winemaker doing their thing” – John Quinn
“Heady nose, very perfumed, floral and musk. The palate is quite dry, grapefruit and citrus. Finishes fresh and bright” – Renée Foster
“Pale, pink, bold nose of strawberry and cream. Full palate, creamy with red fruits. Well balanced. A fuller style” - Renée Foster
Distrubted by: Kollaras & Co
Distrubted by: Casella Family Brands
Geoff Merrill Bush Vine Grenache Rosé McLaren Vale VIN: 2018 LUC: $13.98
Thorn-Clarke Sandpiper Rosé Barossa Valley VIN: 2018 LUC: $12.69 “Pale pink with a medicinal nose. Green herbs, watermelon. High acid and short” – Renée Foster
“Pale, bubblegum, pink in colour. Pretty pot pauri nose. Delicate palate, citrussy” – Renée Foster
“Lovely bright salmon pink colours. Strawberry nose. Very approachable palate” – John Quinn
“I love the colour of this wine. I wouldn’t say it’s bursting with fruit, but it’s a proper wine” – John Quinn
Distrubted by: Thorn-Clarke
Distrubted by: Young & Rashleigh Wine Merchants (NSW/ACT) The Wine Company (QLD), Prime Wines (VIC) Options Wines (SA/NT)
Shingleback Haycutters Salmon Rosé McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills VIN: 2018 LUC: $11.29
ROSƒ IN AUSTRALIA • Rosé accounts for 4.2 per cent share of wine (up from 2.5 per cent two years ago)
“Sweetness on the front palate with a savoury finish” – John Quinn
• 12m litres of rosé were sold year (up from 2m litres the year before)
“Pale salmon with a subtle citrus nose, quite a dry palate, high acid and very citrussy” – Renée Foster
• The category is worth $190m • There has been $15m collective growth in the category • The most popular price range is $10-15, but there are signs of shoppers trading up
Distrubted by: David Muster (SA) Domaines & Vineyards (WA) Shingleback
THE SYSTEM 95-100 Classic: an exceptional wine
90-94 Outstanding: a wine of remarkable character
48 | AUGUST 2018 NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS
85-89 Very good: a wine with impressive qualities
WINE TASTING LUC UNDER $10 Tempus Two Rosé South Australia VIN: 2017 LUC: $9.46
THE WINES BEHIND THE GROWTH
“Lovely perfumed nose, subtle strawberry and spice. Well balanced and a long finish” – Renée Foster “Orange tinge to salmon colour. Sweet fruit, a subtle palate. Quite dry” – John Quinn
Distrubted by: Australian Vintage Limited
• Jacob’s Creek Le Petit Rosé 750ml (bestselling SKU in growth) • Squealing Pig Marlborough Rosé 750ml (top contributor to rosé growth) • Gerard Bertrand Cote des Rosés 750ml (second top contributor to rosé growth)
Jacob’s Creek Classic Shiraz Rosé South Eastern Australia VIN: 2017 LUC: $7.81 “Bright pink, confected red berries, juicy sweet fruits” – Renée Foster “Excellent value. Good colour, palate, shows fruit and a dry finish” – John Quinn
Distrubted by: Pernod Ricard Australia
“The middle tier bracket were trying too hard to be dry and as a result tasted short. The best wines were bright and fresh, with complexity and balance” – Renée Foster
Tempus Two Shiraz Rosé Hunter Valley VIN: 2017 LUC: $9.46 “This was complex, textured and juicy. Lovely acidity rounds it off, balances the fruit and firms the complex flavours” – Michael Park “Soft, pink and elegant. Savoury notes, candied peel. Very subtle” – Andrew Graham
Distrubted by: Australian Vintage Limited
Luna Rosa Rosado Central Ranges VIN: 2018 LUC: $8.95 “A light and elegant wine, very drinking. Good mouthfeel with a zesty floral nose!” – Nigel Jerram “Musk, apricot, a bit of watermelon. Intense fruit bomb. Zesty and full of life” Daryl Fisher Distrubted by: Robert Oatley Fine Wine Merchants
Zilzie Wines Selection 23 Rosé Murray Darling VIN: 2018 LUC: $7.31
Beresford Grenache Rosé McLaren Vale VIN: 2017 LUC: $10.00 “It’s more light red than rosé but a lovely, energetic” – Andrew Graham
“Full bodied and juicy acid. Sweet fruit lollies and some orange” – Michael Park
“Blackcherry on the nose, subtle green leap inviting boiled sweet. Big berry flavours on the palate balanced by rarish acid” – Michael Park
“It’s everything you’d want in a single, fresh inexpensive rosé. Not complex but vibrant” Andrew Graham
Distrubted by: Vok Beverages
Distrubted by: Fesq and Company (NSW/QLD/ACT) Options Wine Merchants (SA/NT) Distinctive Wines & Spirits (WA), Swallow Liquor Merchants (TAS)
THE SYSTEM 95-100 Classic: an exceptional wine
90-94 Outstanding: a wine of remarkable character
85-89 Very good: a wine with impressive qualities
NATIONAL LIQUOR NEWS AUGUST 2018 | 49
SHOP TALK
Shop Talk WE TALK SHOP WITH PETER LANE AND SHAWN DAVIS FROM BARNY’S FINE WINES & ALES AND HAYLEY GRIFFITHS FROM COLONIAL BREWING CO.
Meet... HAYLEY GRIFFITHS NSW Brand Ambassador, Colonial Brewing Co
PETER LANE & SHAWN DAVIS Hayley Griffiths, Peter Lane and Shawn Davis
Q ABOUT US: HAYLEY: My background is an interesting one as I had a swift transition from athlete into becoming a wine and spirits rep. I have had a passion for wine since a young age. My parents really helped with my education in this area and my love for wine has grown exponentially. I am fairly new to the beer game but I really enjoy the culture surrounding it. Other reps are extremely helpful and welcoming and everyone seems to stick together. It’s like a big family and one I can see myself being a part of for a long time to come. PETER: My background is actually in the engineering field working for manufacturing companies as an operations manager. I decided to get out of engineering when I started a family as I was ready to have my own business with more flexible hours. At the same time Shawn was looking for a business partner to start a bottle shop and this seemed liked a good fit as I had always had an interest in specialised alcohol. On trips to the USA while working in engineering I would bring back particular bottles that could not be bought in Australia to add to my collection. Besides, I thought as my first business if we went broke, we could at least drink the stock! SHAWN: I started my career working in various pubs around the world. When I got sick of that, I moved into wine and found a passion for it – now some 25 years later I’d probably be considered somewhat of a wine specialist and it has become my love and passion. Every wine in our store has been judged by me and must earn at least 16 out of 20 points for us to consider bringing it into the shop. And it doesn’t matter what price the wine is, they all go through the same process.
Q HOW ARE YOU FINDING THE CURRENT MARKET? PETER: We have seen a major change in craft beer sales over the past year, with Australian and locally brewed beers all the rave and imported beers down 80 per cent on sales. With so many fantastic Aussie
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Directors, Barny’s Fine Wines & Ales
breweries producing so many great beers and the increasing push from these breweries to produce more seasonal and one-off beers there is no doubt that this trend will continue. There has also been a massive shift over the past two years towards craft beer in cans and I believe this will continue until nearly all beer will only be available in cans. It was slow to start, with some customers still saying they can taste the difference between glass and can, but with all the new technology that has gone into coating the inside of the can, I find they taste the same. SHAWN: It’s a struggle against the chains because they are constantly selling things for under cost, but luckily most of my wines are removed from the chains. I’ve got more specialist and boutique wines from people who actually care about the wines they are making and not just the dollar that they produce.
consumer tasting at Barny’s and I want to go back every Friday so I can join in on their weekly beer and wine club. Where else would you want to be when they are opening incredible wines and beers and sharing them with their locals? These guys are always open for promotions and are always on top of their game. They have an incredible amount of knowledge and have so much love for what they do. I definitely feel a part of the family! PETER: Shawn and I have different skills which can complement each other. Shawn has 25 years’ experience in the wine industry so he has a lots of knowledge about wine and spirits and knows a lot of people in the industry. I keep the business side of things on track and I guess not coming from the industry, I am in a good position to look at what is possible and to try new ways of doing things.
Q WHAT DEALS OR PROMOTIONS ARE WORKING FOR YOU AT THE MOMENT? PETER: At Barny’s we always have our monthly promotions on craft beer, wine, spirits and ciders but we also have 20 per cent off on craft beer singles. This is an ongoing special taken off recommended retail prices, which works really well for us and our customers. Some shops are doing a lot of online sales and the beers get sent out. We are not set up with the staff or space to do a lot of packing deliveries so it works really well to offer the 20 per cent off for in-store sales. SHAWN: I change our catalogue specials each month to something that I am liking at the time and seasonal; you know what people are looking for depending on the weather and the time of year and I will make promotions and specials to suit. Pete always has a ‘Star Brewery’ of the month that we support and we do tastings for wine every Saturday and beer every Friday – it’s a fairly social shop here.
Q WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH EACH OTHER? HAYLEY: Working with Shawn and Peter has been a pleasure from day one. I had my first
Q HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE RETAILER/ REP RELATIONSHIP? HAYLEY: These were the first guys I visited when I started with Colonial and from day one I knew I was going to enjoy working with Shawn and Peter. I believe that as long as everyone is working towards a mutually beneficial relationship then everyone is a winner. We should be propping each other up and helping each other out as that will only help the industry grow stronger as a whole. Respect for one another and communication is key, with a bit of friendly banter thrown into the mix. PETER: To me this is a very important question. I believe that the relationship between retailer, rep and brewery/importer is paramount. If everyone looks after each other it will make the industry stronger. Unfortunately in this industry I see some companies using short term thinking and they appear to be more concerned with their relationship with the chain stores than with independent stores. There is a very long list and getting longer by the day of brands that are not around or not wanted anymore due to the brand being damaged by the chain stores.
IT’S IN THE CAN NOW AVAILABLE
4.2% lager now available
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