Australian wine is famous for its elegance, vibrance, quality & consistency all over the world. With the demand for Aussie varietals and blends increasing overseas, it has become imperative for wineries and winemakers alike to balance their focus on local as well as international sale strategies. Currently, Aussie wine exports are largely being concentrated on two markets – USA and China.
USA
Wine Australia recently invested $4 million to boost sales in the US – launching the first ever ‘Australia Decanted’ event in Lake Tahoe, California. Hosted between July 22 and 26, this event was attended by over 100 wine influencers – critics, writers, sommeliers – members of different fields in the industry. A series of similar events will take place across the States in an attempt to boost sales, since USA is one of the five largest wine export markets for Aussie wine companies. Australians present at the event said that it felt like a fresh start for Aussie wines in the US – driving in a younger audience for discovery.
China
In a previous blog post, we discussed how delays in custom clearances and docking issues were causing losses to Aussie winemakers exporting their products to China. Many wineries and brands found a workaround to this problem – sending wines directly to retailers, rather than storing the bottles in their own warehouses. This resulted in Australian winemakers breathing a sigh of relief, as sales in China picked up once more and the total value of Aussie wine exports rose by 20% in the 2017-18 financial year.
The sale of Aussie wines is booming across the world. As more people are discovering these ‘New World’ wines and the innovation of the distinct wine producers spread throughout Australia, the love and demand for Australian varietals and blends is on the rise. Aussie wine exports have never been better!
