New Wine Campaign To Toast The Hunter's Top Drop

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday February 13, 2008

By KYLIE WILLIAMS

THE NSW wine industry will use the strength of Hunter semillon to remind the people of NSW about the quality of wines in their own backyard.

The wine industry last night launched a new marketing campaign at Sydney's Aria Restaurant to promote the state's 14 wine regions and their flagship varieties.

Hunter Valley winemaker Bruce Tyrrell said it was well known that the Hunter produced the best semillon in the world.

The campaign would eventually promote NSW wines globally, but the first phase would target consumers within the state.

"There's no real parochialism. People in NSW will try any wines," Mr Tyrrell said.

"This is all about getting the people of NSW's attention back onto NSW wines."

Mr Tyrrell said the quality of the Hunter's semillon was down to the wet and humid conditions that the region often had early in the season.

"Sometimes when it rains it makes the best wine for semillon," he said.

Young semillons made fresh, vibrant drinking wines and developed depth after five years.

"Hunter Valley semillons are also only 10 to 11 per cent alcohol," Mr Tyrrell said. "So they have low alcohol but good flavour."

Chief winemaker and general manager of McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Phillip Ryan said the region's first winemakers tried many different wine varieties but soon discovered the success of semillon.

"Semillon is our flagship variety in the Hunter Valley," he said.

"It has been for 180 years. Our forebears tried just about everything, to our good luck."

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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