Jacob’s Creek paints future for Australia

Phil Laffer, winemaker for Jacob’s Creek, has revealed a number of new developments for the brand, which he believes are key to ensuring Australia’s wine offer remains relevant for the UK market.

In an exclusive interview with the drinks business, Laffer flagged up the new 500ml bottles of the Jacob’s Creek Three Vines range, the introduction of a blanc de blancs, and last year’s release of a Tempranillo as just some of the steps designed to appeal to the modern UK consumer.

Describing the 500ml bottle as being designed “to fill a gap in the marketplace”, Laffer noted its particular relevance for the on-trade. “There is a price advantage so it’s not as if you’re going to buy a large bottle and tip the rest out because 500ml is a decent amount for two people for lunch and there’s already been a lot of interest”, he said.

The blanc de blancs represents an extension of the Jacob’s Creek existing sparkling wine offer, designed to tap into a growing consumer trend. “Research shows that people were looking for something that was perhaps a little lighter,” explained Laffer, highlighting the use of a flint bottle to emphasise this stylistic shift.

While Jacob’s Creek is not the first Australian producer to develop a Tempranillo, Laffer is excited by the potential of this variety to enhance the country’s wine identity.

“The Australian wine industry was based around northern European varieties – Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon etc – all varieties that are quite fruity and yet Australia’s climate obviously suits Mediterranean varieties,” he argued.

Elaborating on this Mediterranean theme, Laffer said: “The big difference is that they tend to be somewhat lighter in terms of alcohol, ideally suited to our climate and soil, but more importantly they have a savouriness to them rather than a fruitiness and a lot of people find them a better match, particularly with Mediterranean food.”

Laffer emphasised the importance of this gastronomic association to the Jacob’s Creek winemaking philosophy. “I reckon eight bottles out of 10 of Jacob’s Creek are drunk with or around food,” he claimed.

“Wine evolves to a degree as cuisine evolves”, noted Laffer, “People are eating lighter and they’re eating fresher, so today’s wines have to accommodate these changes.”

Click here to watch the full interview on dbTV.

Gabriel Savage, 10.02.2010