Wine Australia snubs the country's major wine producers

The wine makers of the Riverina are are feeling a bit peeved about Wine Australia at the moment and no wonder. The government body they help finance is in the throes of escorting assorted groups of journalists, sommeliers, wine buyers and wine influencers from China mainland, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States on tours "to gain first-hand experience of the unique regions that help make Australian wine so special." But strangely these apparently important people will not be visiting the region that produces more than half the wine that is exported to them.
Wine Australia says that the more than 30 international wine professionals it is hosting this month will be meeting producers face-to-face and sampling wines over tastings and master classes in regions including the Adelaide Hills, Hunter Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Margaret River. In addition the visitors are also exploring wines from Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra, Limestone Coast, Tasmania, Canberra, Tumbarumba, Orange, Mudgee and New England at centrally held master classes, allowing them to explore more regional expressions within the limited time of their visit.

But no time, apparently, for the visitors to take in the Riverland regions of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria that are this country's major producers and exporters.