Australian Wine Industry Fact Sheet
The wine industry is based on approximately 8,000 wine grape growers supplying over 2000 wineries. The total vineyard area reached 166,000 hectares in 2005. The area of bearing vines has doubled since 1997-98. In the 2006 Vintage approximately 1.85 million tonnes of wine grapes were crushed. The 2005-06 Year sold a record 431 million litres sold domestically; imported 27.1 million litres of beverage wine worth $234.2 million Exports at record highs for 2005-06 exports grew to a record 722 million litres at a value of A$2.7 billion; the average value of Australian wine exported was $3.71 per litre in June 2006; still red wine comprised nearly two-thirds of the value and volume of wine exported; Australia exports to 80 countries, the top 5 markets accounting for 50 per cent of trade; about 75 per cent of Australian wineries operate a cellar door; the top five markets by value were UK $954m (34 per cent), USA $866m (31 per cent), Canada $246m (9 per cent), NZ $97m (3 per cent), and Netherlands $67m (2 per cent). The wine industry is an important regional employer directly employs 30,000 people, in both wine making and grape growing (2001 Census); makes an important contribution to a number of regional economies by providing direct employment, regional leadership and by generating employment in supplier industries; 50 per cent of Australian wineries sell wine on the export market; is also a major contributor to tourism with winery visits a very popular weekend activity. Popular vine varieties; 1.03 million tonnes of red and 0.88 million tonnes of white grapes were crushed in 2006; Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were the main red grapes crushed; Chardonnay, Semillon and Colombard were the main white grape crushed. Big companies dominate production; the largest 5 wine businesses produced 61 per cent of total Australian production in 2003-04, the top 20 produced 86 per cent; 32 per cent of Australian wineries have an annual crush of less than 20 tonnes of grapes (or less than 1500 12-bottle cases). Major Wine Producers Fosters Wine Estates Wolf Blass, Penfolds, Rosemount Estate, Lindemans Hardys Wine Company – Banrock Station, Leasingham, Houghton Orlando Wyndham Group – Jacobs Creek, Wyndham Estate, Poets Corner McGuigan Simeon – Bin Range, Black Label Range Casella Wines – Yellow Tail
WINE POLICY SECTION – AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES & FORESTRY