Sirromet Wines owner and founder Terry Morris has declared war on the tidal wave of New Zealand-made Sauvignon Blanc flooding Australian markets.
The Gold Coast-based businessman is urging fellow Queenslanders to help turn back the invasion by switching to locally-produced Verdelho as an alternative white wine.
“It is time for us to ditch the imports because right now three out of every four bottles of Sauvignon Blanc sold in Australia are from New Zealand,” Morris said.
“Queenslanders need to take a stand and protect local jobs and support our wine industry in the same way we get behind our sports teams against the Kiwis.
“Queensland is recognised as producing some of the best Verdelho wines in Australia, and it’s a variety that thrives on our Granite Belt soils and the cool climate there.”
Terry Morris, Sirromet Wines Owner and Founder
Morris said Sirromet’s battle plan to counter New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc invasion was spearheaded by a newly-released 2013 white wine labelled ‘Verdelho Blanc Grand Reserve’.
“This is a 100 per cent Queensland Verdelho in every way,” he said.
“We included the word ‘Blanc’ on the label to alert customers this is something to try instead of buying yet another Kiwi import and looking after jobs over there.”
Terry Morris, Sirromet Wines Owner and Founder
Sirromet’s 2013 ‘Verdelho Blanc Grand Reserve’ is made from fruit from the company’s Night Sky Vineyard, located at 820 metres elevation at Ballandean on the Granite Belt.
The wine was produced, bottled and labelled at Sirromet’s headquarters at Mount Cotton, near Brisbane, under the direction of chief winemaker Adam Chapman.
“There are more than three million adults in Queensland and if they each bought one bottle of local Verdelho from Sirromet or other wineries around the state then it will create jobs here,” Morris said.
“Why should we keep supporting jobs in New Zealand when we have more than 50 wineries in Queensland who employ people who spend their money with other local businesses?”
Terry Morris, Sirromet Wines Owner and Founder
Wine Australia reports that 32 million litres of Sauvignon Blanc were sold in Australia in the year ending July 2013, and it was valued at more than $500 million.
New Zealand-made Sauvignon Blanc holds a dominating 73 per cent of Australia’s sales value market share of the variety.
Australia now imports more than 83-million litres of wine annually, with 62 per cent from New Zealand, including 87 per cent of imported white wines.
Photo Source Courier Mail
