More than 500,000 bottles of wine are exported from Orange to Russia in a deal worth over $1 million every year.
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In Russia ladies like wine, not vodka, vodka is for men and older people.
- Natalia Semenets, Import manager, Luding
Robbie Robinson and the team at D’Aquino Group are keen to see that develop and have brought a group of wine buyers and the sommelier from a leading St Petersburg restaurant to Orange to show them where their Wallaby Creek brand calls home.
The five young Russians arrived in Orange on Thursday fresh from minus five degrees and snow in Moscow to a sunny spring day.
Import manager for Russia’s leading wine and spirit import company, Luding, Natalia Semenets said: “We are looking at different brands and different qualities of wine. We are looking at what the possibilities are. How we can extend our business.”
Miss Semenets said they had strong business ties to D’Aquinos.
“We try to make business with other Australian companies but still no success. D’Aquinos are our friends.”
She said wine was the major drink in Russia and it was increasingly being made in the country.
“Russian people like Russian wine. Russian producers like to make more wine. We import from more than 30 countries.”
She said that while Australia was a small player in the wine import business to Russia it was valued.
“Australian wine is different to Russian wine. We have other styles. The style of Australian wines are unique. We have lots of different varietals of grapes in Russia.”
She said one of the most popular was bastardo.
Miss Semenets said Russian women loved wine.
“In Russia ladies like wine, not vodka. Vodka is for men and older people. Ladies prefer sparkling wine, lighter reds. Men prefer dryer reds.”
The group includes Natalia Potrubeiko, the sommelier at Etage 41 restaurant in St Petersburg, who is keen to taste Australian wines.
They are in Orange for two days as part of a six-day trip to Australia.
Mr Robinson, the D’Aquino Export Director, said the trip was part of a regular exchange of visits between the two companies.
“Every two to three years we host a group of Russians to Australia. It’s the third one I’ve hosted. Most of the Russians have never been to Australia. We always bring them to Orange.
“We go up to Russia every year,” he said.
David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
