Australian wine exports grew 20% last year, the highest growth rate in 15 years, and the average value grew 9%, the highest since 2009.
But not exports to the U.S. ‘Of our five largest markets, only one market – the USA – didn’t grow in value last year,” Andreas Clark, CEO, Wine Australia said. In fact, the value of Australian wine exports to the U.S. fell 4%. That’s concerning, Clark noted, because “the USA is the world’s largest wine market.” He expressed a belief that “and Australia has the opportunity to capture more of the premium end of the market as American consumers trade up to higher priced wines,
“Australia has been very strong in the commercial half of the USA market (54% of the US off-trade volume is wines under US$8 per bottle), but this market is shrinking. As American consumers transition from commercial wines to more premium wines, Australia has to be there to capture the opportunity.
“The premium end of the USA wine market is enjoying robust growth, as are Australian exports in nearly all price points above $10 per liter (albeit off small bases) and we’re working to accelerate this growth in demand through a marketing push supported by the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package.
“On Sunday, we launched our inaugural Australia Decanted at Lake Tahoe, California. This four-day wine education program is immersing 100 key influencers from the USA in Australia’s diverse and thriving wine scene to raise awareness of the breadth of Australia’s fine wine offering and the perception of the Australian wine category in the USA.
‘Australia Decanted will become Wine Australia’s signature annual event in the USA and will be followed by Aussie Wine Week in September this year and Aussie Wine Month in September 2019’, he said.