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Chris Yorke
Since I remember, Austrian Wine Marketing Board (founded
in 1986) was a leader in the promotion of Austrian wines in
the world thanks to the fresh ideas of a small young team. The
visionary Michael Thurner gave it a drive, an amazing enthusiast
Willi Klinger led it to worldwide recognition till he paved the way
for a generational change in time in 2020.

In these difficult times, the seventh captain, Briton Chris Yorke
steers the Austrian ship on the waves.
Austrian wine and corona: a summary

Austria’s wine industry faced unprecedented challenges in 2020. To support
winemakers as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Austri-
an Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) made changes to its entire 2020 plan at
short notice: domestic and international sales channels were heavily promo-
ted, events were moved online, and even a world-first event was hosted in

Moscow at the end of November. Nevertheless, a slightly negative balance
must be expected for wine exports. On the home market, positive trends in
individual sales channels could not compensate for the massive losses in the
gastronomy sector.

For Austrian wine, the year 2020 actually of 2020’s first digital-format activities, and

started quite promisingly with a very succes- this remained an attractive format throu-
sful Austrian tasting event in London (400 ghout the year. As the AWMB rapidly gained
trade visitors, 620 wines presented), as well experience in online activities, they were able
as participation in Millésime Bio and Vinexpo to handle increasingly larger projects. Some
Paris, which helped to ensure that 2020 got off highlights of these included the online ver-
to a great start. But then the coronavirus came sion of this year’s Sommelier Competition in
along... and changed everything. New York, online events to coincide with the
Austrian Wine Time retail and on-trade cam-
AUSTRIAN WINE CONQUERED paign in Japan, and a collaboration with the
THE INTERNET prestigious Star Wine List, including an award
With travel restrictions being put in place ceremony held online.
around the globe, the AWMB reinforced its PR The first “hybrid” wine-tasting event took

with key international opinion leaders. By the place in Moscow at the end of November
end of the year, more than 1,300 wines had – a world fi rst! Trade visitors on-location in
been sent to recipients all around the world Moscow took part in the tastings while the wi-
for tastings, and most of the AWMB’s interna- nemakers back in Austria were connected to
tional activity had moved online. the event via an online tool to facilitate con-
Online round-table discussions involving tact and discussion.
wine experts from around the world were one In 2020, the AWMB organised a total of 70
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