A new campaign coined “Grandma was on to something” has been launched by Barossa Valley winery Seppeltsfield, aimed at encouraging restaurants, bars and eateries to highlight Australian fortifieds on their menus in July and August.
The promotion involves venues across the country creating unique food pairings, cocktails and aperitifs utilising Seppeltsfield’s ‘Solero Collection’ of fortified wines, including Apera, Tokay and Muscat, to offer patrons new introductions to a category often obscured on wine lists by traditional vinous offerings.
The promotion by Seppeltsfield, in partnership with national wine distributer Negociants Australia, takes a light-hearted angle on Sherry’s common association with older generations. Refreshing its musty image by rebadging their Sherry wines as ‘Apera’ – the new Australian vernacular for the style – Seppeltsfield hopes a new conversation of both Apera and other fortified wines will strike a chord with the country’s ever growing epicurean culture.
The estate has been driving renewed excitement with the fortified category at its home base, the popularity of chef designed ‘fortified & canapé tasting experiences’ in its cellar door proving especially fashionable with visitors.
The estate hopes such interest will be replicated through the hospitality industry’s involvement in the campaign, adding fortified-based cocktails and aperitifs as additional attractions for patrons to reconnect with the world of Aussie fortifieds. A ‘Flor Mojito’ and ‘Solero Sundowner’ are amongst creations already recommended by the estate to invigorate consumer tipple repertoires.
Adelaide’s iconic East End Cellars and new urban hot spot Street-ADL are amongst two local venues each showcasing a Seppeltsfield-based cocktail or food pairing during the period.
Participating eateries, bars and restaurants will be posting their fortified creation to Seppeltsfield’s Facebook page, to encourage a people’s choice rating of their favourite invention. Seppeltsfield and Negociants Australia will be incentivising trade participation by awarding the venue’s creation with the most Facebook ‘Likes’ with a trip to and accommodation in the Barossa, as well as VIP service at the winery.
Seppeltsfield’s Chad Elson believes now is the perfect time to be offering consumers new reasons to discover the fortified category.
“Combining a new name for Sherry, the promotional messages of Restaurant Australia being rolled out by Tourism Australia and a burgeoning foodie demographic always looking for something new, we’ve got an excellent opportunity to promote fortifieds as an attractive differentiator in food and beverage service”, he said.
Venues wishing to get involved can contact Negociants Australia in their state for more information, with public encouraged to follow Seppeltsfield’s Facebook page to learn of participating venues in their state.
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