With a wine culture that dates back two millennia, Austria’s wines are highly prized around the world.
Vineyards in Austria can be found at similar latitudes to those in Burgundy, France. Ideal soil compositions, warm sunny days and cool nights enable Austrian growers to produce fresh, full-bodied, aromatic wines with unique characters.
Established in 1986, the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) continues to play an important role in promoting Austrian wines to international markets, including Japan.
“Japan has always been a top priority in Austria’s wine export strategy to Asia. Although the volume is still very limited, we are very proud of the high average price which means that Japan is an extremely quality-orientated market for our wines,” said Willi Klinger, managing director of AWMB.
Through partnerships with high-end restaurants and professionals such as chef Sosuke Okada, owner of Ginza Soseki, Japan looks set to remain a key market for AWMB.
“The attraction of Austrian wines is their subtlety and elegance,” said Okada.
“The balance of acidity and fruitiness and their abundant mineral tones make Austrian wines ideal for drinking with a meal. These qualities also make Austrian wines especially good companions for the delicate flavors of Edomae sushi (using seafood from Tokyo Bay) and kaiseki (traditional multicourse) dishes.”
Since 2012, AWMB has employed a number of wine experts and wine ambassadors in Japan to promote Austrian wines in the increasingly important Japanese market.
Scheduled for July 1, AWMB and the Austrian Trade Commission are organizing the first Austrian wine tasting event in Tokyo accompanied by several winegrowers from Austria.
“We are all looking forward to the milestone Austrian wine tasting event, which will be open to the public and will emphasize the fantastic pairing options between Japanese food and Austrian wines,” said Klinger.
“We hope our wines will continue to be enjoyed in Japan — a market which we truly believe appreciates Austrian wines,” said Michael Zimmermann, AWMB export manager.
The Austrian Wine Marketing Board provides comprehensive online information (as well as in printed form if needed) about Austrian wine (wine regions, grape varieties, wine law, etc.) on its website. AWMB staff is also available for direct requests on Austrian wine at [email protected].
