Australians look to drink more of their own wine as imports fall
Wine Australia has released its latest analysis of the domestic wine market which it sees as being broadly "optimistic with many positive signs for winemakers after a long period of flat sales and strong competition from imports".
In total around 40% of all Australian wine is now sold at home, which was up 1.3% per cent in volume and 4.2% per cent in value in the 12 months to July 2 2017, according to figures from IRI Market Edge Liquor. Which means close to 500,000 cases of wine a now being sold in Australia.
The findings back up previous research from the International Wine and Spirit Record (IWSR), which showed that the average per capita wine consumption in Australia was 29.6 litres per annum in 2016, the first time it had increased in five years. The IWSR also predicts wine sales will grow by 1.4% per annum over the next five years.
There is also less wine being imported in to Australia from around the world. Total imports were down 10%, or nearly 9 million litres, over the past 12 months and is at its lowest level since 2010–11 (ABS). Value was down 6% with less wine coming in from all the top five countries, apart from Germany. It also found that Italy and France had gained some market share from New Zealand thanks to demand for sparkling wine.
New Zealand is still its biggest import market with 58% of sales.
Australian wine sales below A$10 per bottle was down 1%, with wine above A$10 increasing by 8%, said IRI Market Edge Liquor. Some 80% of Shiraz sales are above A$10. This compares sharply with Sauvignon Blanc, where 85% of growth was for wines below $10 per bottle.