AUSTRALIAN wine export rates has shown significant growth over the 2019 period, with Wine Australia announcing a 3pc increase.
The export increase has resulted in high value wines reaching a record value of $1.1b.
The total value of exports in 2019 was the second highest for a calendar year, with value approaching levels from before the global financial crisis.
The average value of exported wine has increased by 18pc to $3.91 per litre making it the highest level since 2006.
Balnaves of Coonawarra director Kirsty Balnaves, pictured right, said the report demonstrated the strength and popularity of Australia’s quality wines.
“The report is a positive one considering there has been a bit of concern surrounding exporting because of the coronavirus,” Ms Balnaves said.
“It has been a very rough year for the winery industry with the bushfires, smoke taint and now the coronavirus but we have held in there and increased our exporting which just goes to show how strong we are as an industry.
“Obviously the report does not reflect any of these issues at the moment because it would have ended before this all happened however the next report will be interesting because it will be covering all of these.”
“Despite that exporting numbers are still in our favour particularly the value ones.”
Ms Balnaves said the export value increase was good for the Coonawarra region.
“We are talking about the premiumisation of Australian wine and trying to bring the value of what we are selling up,” she said.
