Western Australia’s Small Business and Tourism Minister, Paul Papalia, has praised an initiative that was launched last week, aimed at bringing small family-owned wineries together with buyers from independent liquor stores.
Representatives from banner groups including, Independent Brands Australia (IBA), Liquorstax, Liquor Barons and Bottlemart, came together for the first in a series of virtual tastings to be hosted by Liquor Stores Association of Western Australia (LSA WA).
Minister Papalia opened the tasting by praising the initiative, saying that it was a great support for small business across the state.
“I would like to commend the LSA WA on this initiative in putting some family-owned wineries together with some movers and shakers in the independent liquor world, enabling them to have the reach across a much greater potential market. It is a fantastic initiative,” he said.
“And then we have the other element of this being that people who can experience the wine might be enticed to go and visit the region. So it’s a wonderful support for small businesses.”
The virtual tasting was hosted by LSA’s Media and Government Relations Manager, Peter Kapsanis, who said that the initiative would bring about benefits for the entire industry.
“This is a unique opportunity for producers and vignerons right around the state to come together face to face virtually with the buyers and decision makers from many independent stores,” he said.
“These tastings are part of a wider plan, which was spawned before the COVID period and as a result have been fast tracked. We think this is an initiative that will bring about many benefits for the industry overall.”
Throughout the tasting, representatives from participating wineries presented their flagship wines and also gave a brief history of their vineyards. The tasting panel, consisting of buyers and banner groups were then able to taste the wines and ask questions of the producers.
Julie Hutton, Managing Partner at Windfall Wine Estates, explained just what the opportunity means to the local wineries involved.
“To be able to reach out to independent liquor traders on this scale would not normally be possible to a small producer such as Windfall Estate, and we are extremely grateful for the opportunity,” Hutton said.
LSA WA will also be hosting a virtual tasting of Western Australian distilleries.