FAR Northern fruit wineries are poised to take on grape wine as the industry looks towards potential  
export markets.

North Queensland’s eight tropical fruit wine producers, who are making wine from exotic and native fruits such as mangosteen, black sapote and dragonfruit, are already wooing tastebuds across the Far North.

Fresh momentum has been struck in the industry following the release of the report Markets for Tropical Fruit Winery Products, funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation trade and business officer Judy Noller wrote the report with the Wine Solutions Consultancy’s Brian Wilson.

It profiles the Australian and overseas fruit and wine markets and recommends strategies for market development as production grows.

De Brueys Boutique Wines owner Bob de Brueys yesterday welcomed the report as the company looks to expand it cellar door sales to include international markets in Europe and North America.

He said fruit wines were a competitive product in terms of taste and quality but the biggest obstacle facing the industry was educating drinkers used to drinking grape wine.

"It’s difficult to convince a grape wine drinker to drink fruit wine," he said.

"We have a lot of repeat customers at our cellar door, and that’s the market we have really focused on, and while it is doing well, we are looking at other markets.

"Our wines are also being trialled in Europe, where we need to convince them that our product is high quality as well as different due to being made from exotic tropical fruits that are rare in Europe."

Ms Noller said key behind the latest push was to develop a retail fruit wine category, new market niches and supply chains to markets in Australia.

"Fruit wine is a growing industry around Australia, and collaboration across production regions would support market and product development," she said.

"Tropical fruit wineries in the Far North have developed a wide range of new products over some seven years, adapting traditional and modern grape wine-making techniques to the individual attributes of the broad range of fruits used.

"The range has expanded from wines and ports to cream cocktails and coffee liqueurs, ranging from dry through to sweet."

Ms Noller said the study found the wines were versatile products, suited not only for drinking, but to enhance cooking, desserts and cocktails.

"The project found Japan’s emerging fruit wine market offers the best export prospects initially," she said.

"Japanese distributors and retailers who tasted a range of North Queensland tropical fruit wines commented on their high quality and likely consumer appeal."

Other promising markets include the US, Canada and Singapore.

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