The King Valley’s finest was uncorked at Parliament House today in a celebration of the food, wine and tourism mega draw card – the Prosecco Road.
Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford joined Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes with King Valley wineries to showcase the best of the region’s Prosecco Road vintages.
Prosecco Road is a wine and tourism marketing initiative that brings together five King Valley wineries – Brown Brothers, Chrismont, Dal Zotto, Pizzini and Sam Miranda.
Ms Pulford praised the producers and backed the King Valley’s right to use the prosecco name at a time when Italy is trying to lay exclusive claim to the label.
Australian prosecco is worth $60 million, with 50 per cent of that hailing from the King Valley in Victoria’s North East – the first region to import the grape about 20 years ago.
Victoria’s King Valley region has an 18-year history of growing and producing prosecco grapes, and is the leading regional producer of Australian prosecco, with total sales worth $22.3 million in 2016.
Local prosecco producers have responded to rapidly growing demand from Australian consumers for prosecco, with a 78 per cent increase in production between the 2016 and 2017 vintages.
The Andrews Labor Government has committed over $1 million to develop the state’s wine industry. The four-year Victorian Wine Industry Development Strategy was launched in June to help winemakers capture new opportunities and address on-going trading and production challenges.
The wine industry plays a vital role in regional and rural Victoria, contributing an estimated $7.6 billion to local economies and employing nearly 13,000 people.
Victorian Government Media Release – 19 October 2017
Photo courtesy of Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia – Pizzini Vineyards
