Caroline Marcus
Sydney Morning Herald

SALES of NSW wines have grown 15 per cent in the past year, yet many Sydneysiders are still refusing to buy them.

While sales of NSW bottled wine rose $10.2 million to $69 million in the year to December, sales of NSW wine accounted for just 7 per cent of bottles sold, according to the NSW Wine Strategy.

In South Australia, the state's wine comprises 38 per cent of bottled wine sold, while West Australians buy their own wine 30 per cent of the time and Victorians 14 per cent. Wine critic and writer Peter Bourne said Sydneysiders in particular were guilty of not supporting the NSW industry.

''Within Australia, the Sydney market is by far the most open, not only to other wines around the country but other wines around the world,'' Mr Bourne said.

''We've got this non-parochial attitude. It has really become apparent to us as an industry.''

The third annual NSW Wine Week, sponsored by The Sydney Morning Herald, is one strategy designed to broaden consumer perspectives.

More than 20,000 people are expected to attend a week of events in Hyde Park, which begins today with the Sydney Cellar door featuring more than 100 NSW wineries.

''The public thinking was very much the, 'Oh well, there's the Hunter Valley, there's the Riverina but that produces the wine-in-a-box stuff','' Mr Bourne said. ''[But] we've really got some marvellous, sophisticated wine in the state.''

Varieties from newer wine regions including Orange, Tumbarumba and the Hilltops will be on show alongside older areas such as the Hunter.

A move to less traditional, cooler climates has given rise to a growth in new varieties in Australia, including tempranillo and vermentino.

NSW Wine Week chairwoman Tiffany Nugan said that NSW wineries made up half of the six finalists for the Australian producer of the year award at the London International Wine & Spirits Competition last year, which was won by the Hunter Valley winery McGuigan.

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