New partnership to strengthen Victoria’s wine sector
A new partnership between Wine Australia and Wine Victoria will fund a range of projects across the Victorian wine industry supporting grapegrowers and winemakers.
The two organisations are partnering over three years to fund projects that assist delivery of the Victorian Wine Strategy 2025–2030 and align with the One Grape & Wine Sector Plan.
The projects will strengthen sustainability, biosecurity preparedness, data-driven decision making and export capability. They will deliver practical support for Victorian wine businesses through field days, workshops, grower demonstrations, webinars, digital resources, benchmarking tools, sustainability and biosecurity education, and market-focused consumer insights that can be applied directly to business and export decisions.
The program combines $540,000 in Victorian Government funding secured by Wine Victoria with $346,667 in co-investment from Wine Australia through its Australian Wine Future Fund (AWFF) to expand industry extension, knowledge translation, adoption and capability-building activities across the state.
Wine Australia CEO Dr Martin Cole said the partnership would deliver practical, effective and data-driven information and insights for Victorian wine businesses.
"This partnership demonstrates the value of industry collaboration in translating research, technical expertise and market intelligence into practical outcomes for wine businesses," he said.
"By working alongside Wine Victoria, we can amplify the reach and impact of existing investments, helping Victorian producers adopt sustainable practices, strengthen biosecurity preparedness, make better-informed business decisions and access valuable consumer insights from key export markets."
Wine Victoria CEO Stephanie Duboudin said the partnership will help accelerate delivery of the Victorian Wine Strategy and provide producers with access to practical resources that address some of the industry's most significant challenges and opportunities.
"Victorian wine businesses continue to operate in a rapidly changing environment, with increasing expectations around sustainability, biosecurity, business performance and market competitiveness,” she said.
“This partnership with Wine Australia allows us to build on existing investments and provide industry with practical support, trusted information and accessible tools that help businesses make informed decisions."
The initiative will focus on four key areas:
- Sustainable Winegrowing: Support for Victorian wine businesses to improve sustainability.
- Biosecurity and Industry Preparedness: Building biosecurity awareness and supporting wine businesses to be prepared for risks.
- Data and Better Business Decisions: Supporting effective financial and business decision-making through practical information and insights.
- Export Consumer Insights: Translation of consumer findings into practical insights that support Victorian wineries' export decision-making and capability.
The partnership leverages Wine Australia's Research & Innovation Fund (RIF), part of the AWFF, to attract co-investment for co-designed projects that deliver practical outcomes for vineyard performance, product innovation, sustainability and production efficiency.
AWFF is expected to achieve an investment of $50 million for the Australian grape and wine sector over the next five years through a mix of Commonwealth matching, federal and state government grants, and partner investments. It is aimed at unlocking funding, creating additional value, accelerating investments and delivering impactful solutions for the wine sector.
AWFF has two complementary streams:
Research & Innovation Fund: A target of $35 million over five years through external grants and partner co-investment, funding co‑designed projects that deliver practical outcomes for vineyard performance, product innovation, sustainability and production efficiency.
Venture Investments Portfolio: A target of $15 million over five years through attracting private capital that will be strategically invested to address critical innovation gaps.
For media enquiries please contact
Wine Victoria
Phone: +61 437 663 878
Email: stephanie.duboudin@winevictoria.org.au
Sonya Logan – Communications Manager
Phone: +61 477 213 901
Email: communications@wineaustralia.com
About Wine Australia
Wine Australia empowers the success of the Australian wine sector through Research, Innovation and Adoption to enhance global competitiveness and meet the challenges of tomorrow, today; Market Development to increase the demand and premium paid for Australian wine; and Regulatory Services to safeguard Australian wine’s integrity and uphold the sector’s reputation.
Wine Australia is funded by the sector, for the sector, through grapegrower, winemaker and exporter levies and user-pays charges, with matching funds from the Australian Government for research and innovation. Established under the Wine Australia Act 2013, it is a Commonwealth Government statutory authority.
About Wine Victoria
Wine Victoria is the peak industry body for the Victorian wine sector, representing grape growers and winemakers across the state’s 21 wine regions. As a member-based organisation, Wine Victoria advocates on behalf of the sector and delivers programs that help Victorian wine businesses build capability, access new markets and strengthen their long-term resilience.
Wine Victoria works with industry, government and delivery partners to implement the Victorian Wine Strategy 2025–2030. Its work spans people and community, visitor experience, sustainability and innovation, trade, and data and insights.