Throughout the calendar year are many occasions to celebrate the drinks industry, including days dedicated to particular drinks themselves.
In the wine category, there are international celebrations of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Rosé, just to name a few, but a notable varietal missing has been Shiraz.
That changes this year as Mastermind Consulting launches the first ever Shiraz Day, with the inaugural event taking place this week, on July 23. For future, the event is set to be held on the fourth Thursday of July each year.
The drive behind the creation of Shiraz Day comes both from its extensive history in Australia, but also its enduring popularity. Shiraz vines are some of the oldest in the country, producing a red that is held to a high standard across the world, and showcasing the diversity of the varietal in Australia and New Zealand.
Trish Barry, CEO of Mastermind Consulting said: “For almost a decade we’ve worked with Australian and New Zealand wineries to leverage varietal wine days and we’ve seen firsthand the sales impact that can be achieved with some focused messaging and targeted activity. It has been phenomenal and yet our most popular red grape varietal is not in the spotlight!”
“Given it is key red wine season, it made sense to put this icon in the broader spotlight for a day and thus Shiraz Day is born.”
There are multiple ways to celebrate Shiraz Day, including by taking a look at the wineries and vineyards that cultivate over 39,000 hectares of Shiraz vines, which is more than 29 per cent of Australia’s total grape plantings.
Shiraz Day is the perfect excuse to discover a new producer in the category, or enjoy one of your existing favourites. For businesses, there’s also a chance to create some hype and get customers to celebrate with you. The Mastermind Consulting team have created a series of downloadable Shiraz Day graphics on their website to help wineries, venues and retailers leverage the new date and the opportunity it provides.
Get involved with the Shiraz Day conversation on social media by using the hashtag #shirazwineday.