Some of the UK and Ireland's most influential wine buyers and sommeliers will visit Australia this November as part of a Wine Australia initiative designed to deepen market understanding and build long-term advocacy for Australian wine.
Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as part of the Grape and Wine Sector Long-term Viability Support Package, the visit will connect participants directly with Australian producers, regions and wine styles while providing firsthand insight into the people, places and stories behind Australian wine. For wineries, it creates opportunities to build relationships with influential trade professionals who shape wine lists, purchasing decisions and consumer recommendations in their home markets.
The trip, hosted by Wine Australia's Emma Symington MW, will cover Margaret River in Western Australia; Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Macedon Ranges and Yarra Valley in Victoria; and Barossa in South Australia.
The six trade professionals selected to participate in the visit are:
- Tom Fahey (Managing Director, The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Isle of Wight)
- Seoridh Fraser (General Manager and Beverage Director, Heron, Edinburgh)
- Freddie Johnson (Head Sommelier, The Ledbury, London)
- Elisa Marchini (Head Sommelier, Muse by Tom Aikens, London)
- Patrycja Szpiech (Head of Wine, Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham), and
- Leo Vasileiou (Director, Stack A Restaurant & Urban Brewing, Dublin).
Laura Jewell MW, Wine Australia Regional General Manager UK/EMEA, said connecting influential buyers and sommeliers directly with Australian producers is one of the most effective ways to build long-term advocacy among influential trade across the UK and Ireland.
"International trade visits provide an important opportunity to build understanding of modern Australian wine and create lasting connections between Australian producers and influential buyers and sommeliers.
"These visitors play a key role in shaping wine lists, purchasing decisions and consumer perceptions in their markets. By experiencing Australia's regions firsthand, meeting our producers and exploring the diversity of our wine offering, we're helping to build understanding, affinity, and preference for Australian wine."
During the visit, participants will explore a cross-section of Australia's wine landscape through experiences including an old vine masterclass, cool-climate Chardonnay tasting and biodynamics session. They will meet winemakers, visit wineries and vineyards, and explore both established and emerging wine styles through an itinerary carefully designed to provide a balanced perspective on Australia's diverse regions, wine styles and winemaking approaches, while highlighting the quality and innovation driving modern Australian wine.
Having built his knowledge of Australian wine from afar, Freddie Johnson, Head Sommelier at three Michelin star restaurant The Ledbury in London, believes experiencing Australia's wine regions firsthand will bring a new level of understanding to the wines he recommends and sells:
"I've spent four years learning about Aussie wine at Australian chef Brett Graham's three Michelin star The Ledbury, now I'll be able to experience it first-hand. The trip will broaden my knowledge of Australian wine, it will help me train my team and increase sales, and it's a fantastic opportunity to discover new producers and build relationships with wineries.
Elisa Marchini, Head Sommelier at one Michelin star restaurant Muse by Tom Aikens in London, believes some of the most exciting Australian wine stories are still waiting to be discovered by international consumers.
"I'm excited to explore Australia's cool-climate sites and emerging regions, uncovering new expressions and alternative styles. The visit will enable us to expand and diversify our offering, bringing greater choice to our customers while increasing sales of Australian wine."
For Dublin-based hospitality leader Leo Vasileiou, Director of Stack A Restaurant & Urban Brewing, visiting Australia's wine regions isn't just about discovering new wines, it's about building authentic connections that influence how wines are listed and championed long after the trip ends.
"Visiting a wine region creates a lasting connection - you don't just experience it, you become a lifetime ambassador for its wines, its people, and its story. I can't wait!"
Participants were selected through a competitive process linked to Wine Australia's trade tasting program in the UK and Ireland, with entrants invited to demonstrate how they would use a visit to Australia to increase engagement with and awareness of Australian wine in their business and networks.
