1329.0 - Australian Wine and Grape Industry, 2001  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/01/2002   
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MEDIA RELEASE

January 29, 2002
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
8/2002
Red outstrips white in record wine production year

Record levels of both grape and beverage wine production were achieved in 2000-01 and for the first time red wine grape production surpassed white wine grape production according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) .

In contrast to 1999-2000, favourable seasonal conditions in 2000-01 were generally experienced across the major grape growing regions in Australia, resulting in increases across all the main grape growing and industry indicators.

For the first time in the history of the Australian wine industry, red wine grape production (772,816 tonnes) surpassed white wine grape production (618,266 tonnes) reinforcing the shift in consumer preferences.

Other key findings were:
  • The total area of bearing vines increased to 130,599 hectares, up 18% on last year's record of 110,623 hectares.
  • In 2000-01 grapegrowers harvested a record 1.5 million tonnes of grapes for all purposes, representing an increase of 18% on the previous record in 1999-2000.
  • All States except Victoria recorded increases in the tonnage of grapes harvested with South Australia increasing by 192,601 tonnes (40%), followed by a 25,632 tonne increase (62%) in Western Australia and a 22,091 tonne increase (7%) in New South Wales.
  • Beverage wine production increased 28% on last year's record of 824.4 million litres to be above 1 billion litres for the first time (1,052.9 million litres).
  • Inventories of Australian produced beverage wine at 30 June 2001 were 1,376.9 million litres, up 16%, with red/rosé table wine being the largest contributor to the overall increase.
  • Domestic sales of Australian-produced wine reached a record, with 384.8 million litres sold, up 4% on 1999-2000.
  • Wine exports grew significantly in 2000-01, increasing by 19% to a record 338.3 million litres and valued at almost $1.8 billion.

The results of the Vineyard Survey (2001) are for the first time published on an Australian Geographical Indications (GI) region basis. The GIs are descriptions of Australian wine zones, regions and sub-regions which are defined in the Australian Wine and Brandy Act.

More details are in Australian Wine and Grape Industry, 2001 (cat. no. 1329.0).