By Max Weber for National Liquor News
Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW) has set its collective sights on the China, with a host of events to be held in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong over the coming week as part of an expansion drive into the Asian wine market.
The AFFW is made up of twelve Australian wineries that must fulfil stringent criteria, such as production for at least two generations and family operation.
As such it has a strong focus on family values, which AFFW chairman Mitchell Taylor says will resonate in the Chinese market.
“We believe these values sit both culturally and socially in alignment with the values of China and these values are going to be the driving message for AFFW,” said Taylor.
Founded in 2009, the AFFW families are Brown Brothers, Campbells, d’Arenberg, De Bortoli, Henschke, Howard Park, Jim Barry, McWilliam’s, Tahbilk, Taylors, Tyrrell’s and Yalumba – a group boasting 1200 cumulative years of winemaking experience.
“As a group, we are passionate about family history, provenance, stories and a pride for our wines which are made from some of Australia’s most iconic vineyards,” explains Taylor.
China is Australia’s fastest growing wine export market and is seen by the AFFW as a new frontier for premium wine.
The move into China comes in the wake of other expansions internationally, first into the UK in 2010 and subsequently Canada in 2011.