For Immediate Release: The Barossa Australia & Grapevine, Texas Host VIP Event
to Further Goals of Sister – City Partnership
August 30th, 2022.
Grapevine, Texas culminated their week long in market trade mission last week out in Barossa with a day long series of events at The Barossa Cellar. With Texas being the 5th largest wine producing state in the USA & Grapevine, Texas known for their passion and commitment to the wine industry through programming such as Grapevine’s Urban Wine Trail as well as their Grapefest® wine festival (265 000 visitors annually) their are many unique selling points shared with the Barossa region
The day began with a VIP group of Adelaide based retailers from Phil Hoffman Travel, Flight Centre, Helloworld, MTA and Travel Managers arriving at The Barossa Cellar and being treated to an update and Cellar tour by CEO of Barossa Australia, James March. James shared the incredible community involvement that created The Barossa Cellar to be the hub of the wine community for the region ensuring support for Barossa wine, viticulture, gastronomy, arts and heritage. The Barossa Cellar also overlooks the 2020 planted Barossa Heritage Vineyard where the agent group learnt how cuttings were taken from 35 of the region’s oldest and most iconic Shiraz Vineyards, being a tribute to 175 years of grape growing in the Barossa and a reflection of best practice viticulture.
From there the VIP group was treated to a destination update by Heather Egan, Director of International Sales for Grapevine, Texas where she highlighted the proximity of Grapevine, Texas from DFW airport (10 minutes), the 20 accommodation properties available for Australian agents to sell including Hotel Vin, The Gaylord Texan, Great Wolf Lodge as well as all of the touring and activities available for Australian travelers including Grapevine Mills Outlet Shopping, The Historic Railroad to Fort Worth stockyards, food and wine tours and their incredible festival scene.
They were then treated to a VIP wine tasting by Baron of Barossa and head winemaker at Yalumba, Louisa Rose, including a selection of Barossa Wines. A “Barossa Rib with Texas wine” lunch followed where Heather introduced Sagrantino Reserva brought all the way from Grapevine, Texas to pair with lunch which is produced by Messina Hof Winery from the oldest plantings in Texas. Local business leaders arrived to share in on the lunch festivities including attendees from South Australia Tourism Commission, Local Wineries, Barossa Chocolate Factories, Local Artisans and Mayor Bim Lange from the Barossa Council.
These business leaders were then treated to a capability workshop in the afternoon co presented by Barossa Australia & Grapevine Texas where best practices were shared from panel discussions & networking opportunities. The day finished with The Mayor of The Barossa being offered an invitation to GrapeFest® 2023 for Barossa Winemakers as well as an outline for continued intent to sign a sister – city relationship in the year ahead.
James March from Barossa Australia stated, “This was an excellent opportunity to continue to build depth in the Barossa/Grapevine Sister City relationship. Grapefest has been an excellent avenue to raise the profile of Barossa wine in Texas, and the US. So this event served a dual purpose of raising awareness of our partnership with Grapevine, but also provided the opportunity to share with our membership base best practice wine tourism.” about the partnership.
Heather Egan commented, “What a wonderful way to introduce the travel trade to Grapevine with an event here in the Barossa, a destination we feel such a strong connection with and have been proud to highlight at our very own wine festival, GrapeFest, twice in recent years.”
