News

Australia today launches a world first system to provide product assurance for all of its branded wine exports.

The global wine trade can now connect with Australian wineries via a first-of-its-kind virtual marketplace – Australian Wine CONNECT – replacing global expos and on-ground activity impacted by travel constraints

Wine Australia will launch an always-on, 24/7 virtual platform called Australian Wine Connect this March to bring the global wine community together to experience and explore Australia’s thrilling wine scene.

Wine Australia’s free, comprehensive education program Australian Wine Discovered (AWD) has been refreshed and 25 topics are now available online with additional resources, updated commentary and advanced notes.

The value of Australian wine exports continued to grow in the 12 months to 31 March 2020, but Wine Australia reports that the full impact of COVID-19 on exports is still to come.

Japan is a significant market for Australian wine, ranking as the eighth biggest export destination by volume and value. In the 12 months ended March 2019, exports to Japan grew by 16 per cent to reach a record $55 million.

Japan is by far the second biggest wine market in Asia behind mainland China. The International Wine and Spirit Record (IWSR) reports that 39.5 million cases of wine were sold in Japan in 2016, compared to 157 million cases in mainland China and 3.8 million cases in third-placed Hong Kong.