It's out with the heavy old-world styles and in with bright, natural drops as young consumers around the globe seek wines with more Australian sunshine and fewer additives.
Younger consumers are increasingly turning away from traditional, full-bodied mainstream wines in favour of natural varieties with little to no additives.Sales of natural and organic wines in the Canadian province grew by 15 per cent last yearThese type of easy-drinking wines, often distinctive for their cloudiness and bright colour, are also seen by overseas buyers as a better reflection of Australia's sun-soaked lifestyle than their more traditional counterparts.
So it was no surprise that when a delegation from the government-run monopoly liquor board of Quebec – Canada's second most populated province – visited Australia they had their eye on premium natural wines.Instead, they are often left to ferment with their skins, which gives them a slightly chewy texture, and can bring out amber colours.
Unico Zelo co-founder Brendan Carter, who buys grapes from the Riverland and Clare Valley, said it was the perfect opportunity to showcase his products. "To have wine from the oldest terroir known to man that grapes to grow in, that is wild and incredible," he said.