Australia's fine wine exports climbed by 10 per cent to $2.82 billion in calendar 2018, with red wine varieties growing the fastest.
International demand for Australian fine wine grew five per cent in volume to 850 million litres (94 million nine-litre case equivalents) in the year ended 31 December 2018.
“These figures demonstrate strong international demand and they highlight how Australian wine exporters have worked diligently to develop and maintain international markets,” Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark said. “This demand translated into growth in almost all price segments.”
Bottled wine shipments increased by seven per cent in value to $2.24 billion and decreased in volume by 3 per cent to 361 million litres (equivalent to 40 million 9-litre cases).
This saw the average value of bottled wine grow by 10 per cent to a record $6.20 per litre FOB.
The strong growth of the Penfolds and Wolf Blass brands owned by ASX-listed Treasury Wine Estates into China helped push total exports into that country ahead by 18 per cent for the year to $1.14 billion, even as the pace of growth has cooled in the past few months, according to the Australian Financial Review.
