The focal point of the "Australian Boutique Winemaker's Festival," spearheaded by Asia Wine Connection, was the presentation of four of Australia's exceptional wine boutiques - Meerea Park by Rhys Eather, Storm Ridge by Michael Warren, Trentham and Willandra by Anthony Murphy and Hundred Tree Hill and Gold Mountain wines by Neill Robb.

Their wines, says Asia Wine Connection Pty Ltd (AWCPL) director Lester Solden, "would suit the profile requirements of the Philippine market."

He noted that there is a gradual trend from drinking hard liquors to wines.

"The market has a potential to grow," says Solden, that despite the visibility for its diverse selection of labels, the country has not yet seen the proliferation of Australian boutique wines which provide greater choices.

Though the four Australian boutique wine makers offer a wide range of wine styles and adopt different company philosophies, they complement each other and share the same goal - to provide consumers with "handmade" wines. Each has a story and locale to boast of.

Hundred Tree Hill wines are grown and made at Redbank, Pyrenees region of South Eastern Australia, where the unique combination of soil type and climate characteristics produce low-yield grapes of high intensity, colour and flavour.

Trentham Estate crushes some 1,200 tons of grapes each year, sourced from around 47 hectares of grapevines in Riverland (one of the largest grape growing areas in Australia). It has amassed multiple awards and accolades.

Meerea Park traces its origins to Australia's oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, which produces red wines and rich and complex whites.

The family-owned and operated winery of Michael Warren, on the other hand, has firmly established the 'Storm Ridge' label as a true boutique operation, with the last vintage producing around 6,000 cases.

Tim O'Donnell notes "There is a growing enthusiasm and curiosity about new world wines."

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