In late April, a new virtual platform will launch that will allow wine buyers from around the world to discover and connect with Australian wines. During a time of reduced travel, cancelled trade exhibitions and China’s imposed tariffs, Australian Wine Connect (AWC) offers an entirely new framework in which the industry can do business.

This first-of-its-kind platform will be a go-to resource, bringing the taste of Australian wine to communities across the UK, USA, Canada and Asia. Running for the next 12 months and with 230 exhibitors already registered and a total of over 1900 wine products, AWC allows international trade, winemakers, buyers, importers, distributors, media and more to network and meet producers, discover new wines, link up with distributors and enable sales conversations. It also offers ongoing live thought leadership sessions, tastings, and variety and regional explorations to showcase the people, places and processes that make Australian wine unique.

Travel bans have made collaboration and trade with international wine markets challenging, as well as many Australian winemakers searching for alternative markets outside of China , making AWC very timely for the sector. It also shows that the ways in which the wine industry embraced digital technology during the height of the pandemic may be here to stay, which will be particularly beneficial as travel bans remain in place.

Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Andreas Clark said , “We’re proud to bring this same spirit of innovation to the way we do business and have been working hard to develop a valuable opportunity for Australian wineries to continue marketing and selling their wines overseas this year”.

“Australian Wine Connect has been designed to offer similar benefits to an international trade show, however it also enables wineries to reach and engage with multiple markets across the globe and it will be live and offering various virtual business opportunities for a full twelve months.”

AWC will host a launch event on the 27 ^th of April that will introduce the platform to the international wine trade. The launch is hosted by renowned Australian wine and drinks writer, Mike Bennie, who will lead a series of conversations with some of Australia’s cutting-edge winemakers, as well as offer a preview of the platform’s many features and activities over the next twelve months.

Though winemaking is a process often associated with age-old practices, the industry has come a long way in recent years, using modern technology to demonstrate its resilience in the face of current challenges.

If you’re an employer in the wine industry and are looking for quality staff, partner with a company that understands your unique needs and  contact CozWine today.