Australian wine drives positive momentum at ProWine China
Australian wine has staged a successful showing in our most valuable export market at ProWine China 2016, held in Shanghai on 7–9 November 2016.
The Wine Australia Pavilion included 19 exhibitors who showcased approximately 200 wines, from close to 30 brands, from nearly 20 wine regions, across 5 states. Some of these brands are already in-market while others are seeking distribution in China for the first time as Australian wineries seek to build on the positive momentum for our finest wines that is reflected in the latest export figures.
Visitors
Sophie Liu, wine educator
‘To me the Wine Australia Pavilion was impressive! As far as I could tell, Wine Australia was the only national pavilion that organised educational tastings on-site, which attracted many visitors and a big audience. All the wines I tasted at the classes were of very high quality.’
Sihan Wang, wine expert at Auchan Supermarket
‘Many of the exhibitors at the Wine Australia Pavilion showed boutique wineries and their premium Australian wines, which are not commonly seen in the China market.
‘It gave me with a good opportunity to explore the different styles of high quality Australian wine and I was very impressed.’
Alvin Huang, founder and CEO of Vinehoo.com, a leading wine media and online retailer in China
‘The wines showcased at the Wine Australia Pavilion are some of the best I’ve seen in the China market. There were even Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy winners at this year’s Wine Australia stand!’
Exhibitors
Stephen Bradshaw, Group Sales and Marketing Manager of Fogarty Wine Group
‘We’ve had a lot of enquires and we noticed the growing interest towards Australian wine. People are becoming more knowledgeable about wine and they’re beginning to know more about our region, Margaret River.
‘We’re very happy to have worked with Wine Australia. The pavilion and stand design were very good and we had plenty of space in the meeting area and storage room. It was great to not have to worry about any of the trade fair set-up.’
Matthew Bahen, General Manager Sales, Greater China of De Bortoli
‘We have seen a lot of interest for partnerships, both for our in-market products and for export opportunities, from diversified channels including online buyers. The trade show has been very good as has partnering with Wine Australia.’
Willa Yang, Wine Australia Head of Market, China, said, ‘ProWine China is one of the most important trade shows on the calendar. We’ve had exceptionally positive feedback from our exhibiting partners who told us that they have generated strong business leads and have got to know the China market better. We also saw a growing number of visitors showing a great interest in Australian wine. The trade show is an opportunity for industry insiders in China to learn more about the quality and regional diversity of our wines.’
Event background
Throughout the three-day fair, Wine Australia invited Sophie Liu and Jackie Qi, two of Wine Australia's certified educators, to deliver tasting classes on the topics of key Australian red and white varieties, and diversified Australian Shiraz. The classes provided an opportunity for visitors to learn more about the history, key grape varieties, diversity and regions of Australian wine. Nearly 40 premium Australian wines were tasted during the classes.
Wine Australia also hosted a dinner on the first evening of the show, providing exhibitors with a chance to network with local influencers and potential buyers including representatives from wine media, educators, retail buyers, and sommeliers. Approximately 50 guests attended the dinner.
Wine Australia also recommended Australian wines for the tastings during WSET courses and industrial forums and seminars that were hosted by ProWine event organisers.
China wine exports
China is now Australia’s most valuable wine export market. In the 12 months to September 2016, exports to mainland China grew by 51 per cent to $474 million. To put this in context, just a decade ago, Australian wine exports to China were valued at $27 million.
Contributing to the exceptional growth are the trade benefits of the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement and the growing Chinese middle class’ increased interest in wine, with average consumption frequency of imported wine and the number of imported wine drinkers both on the rise.
More than a third of Australian wine exports priced $10 and more per litre FOB were destined for China (valued at $190 million and up by 63 per cent).