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Estimates from the Vineyards 2004 collection show that the season 2004 was another record year for Australia's grape growers, with 164,200 hectares of vines being cultivated. The total area of vines bearing grapes increased by 5% to a record 150,600 hectares in the 2004 season, with increases being reported in all the major growing states. In particular, the total area of vines bearing grapes in South Australia increased by 8% to a record 65,000 hectares.

There was a record 2.0 million tonnes of grapes harvested in 2004, a 35% increase on the 2003 harvest and 15% above the previous record harvest of 1.8 million tonnes in 2002. The largest producing state, South Australia, recorded an increase in production of 44% to a record 886,000 tonnes. The next largest producing states also reported record harvests: Victorian production increased by 31% to 532,000 tonnes; and New South Wales production increased by 25% to 482,600 tonnes.

Red grape varieties comprised 60% of the total area of vines and 62% of the total bearing area. Red grape production (1.1 million tonnes) continued to surpass white grape production (918,200 tonnes), reinforcing shifts in consumer preferences in recent years. A record 1.8 million tonnes of grapes were harvested for winemaking, an increase of 37% on the 2003 harvest and 20% above the previous record of 1.5 million tonnes in 2002. The production of grapes for drying rose by 40% to 129,500 tonnes while the harvest of table and other grapes fell, by 8% to 68,900 tonnes.

South Australia remains the principal red grape-growing state with 55% of total red grape production and 56% of the red grapes used for winemaking. Victoria produced 36% of all white grapes followed by South Australia with 31%.

Four varieties of grapes accounted for 62% of all production: shiraz (436,800 tonnes), cabernet sauvignon (320,100 tonnes), chardonnay (311,300 tonnes) and sultana (188,000 tonnes).

The principal source of water for irrigating vines in 2004 was surface water from state or private irrigation schemes. A total of 80,900 hectares of vines were irrigated from this source. The principal methods of watering vines in 2004 were by drip or micro spray. A total of 105,500 hectares of vines were irrigated by these methods.

(State data are available on request.)

	Australia
	2002	2003	2004
RED GRAPES
Bearing	88,102	88,645	92,892
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted prior to collection year	5,537	4,425	3,173
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted during collection year	3,530	2,422	2,224
Total area of vines	97,169	95,491	98,290
WHITE GRAPES
Bearing	55,271	54,148	57,669
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted prior to collection year	2,726	3,987	4,627
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted during collection year	3,427	3,866	3,595
Total area of vines	61,425	62,001	65,891
TOTAL GRAPES
Bearing	143,373	142,793	150,561
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted prior to collection year	8,264	8,412	7,800
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted during collection year	6,958	6,288	5,819
Total area of vines	158,594	157,492	164,181

	Australia
	2002	2003	2004
RED GRAPES
Winemaking	847,730	772,522	1,063,075
Drying	14,650	8,572	8,643
Table and other	30,751	28,400	25,076
Total production	893,131	809,493	1,096,794
Yield (t/ha)(b)	10.1	9.1	11.8
WHITE GRAPES
Winemaking	666,771	557,074	753,482
Drying	138,213	83,692	120,845
Table and other	55,772	46,680	43,844
Total production	860,757	687,446	918,171
Yield (t/ha)(b)	15.6	12.7	15.9
TOTAL GRAPES
Winemaking	1,514,501	1,329,595	1,816,556
Drying	152,863	92,264	129,489
Table and other	86,524	75,080	68,920
Total production	1,753,888	1,496,939	2,014,965
Yield (t/ha)(b)	12.2	10.5	13.4

SELECTED RED GRAPES
Shiraz			436,799
Cabernet Sauvignon			320,122
Merlot			123,952
Pinot Noir			41,692
Ruby Cabernet			35,814
SELECTED WHITE GRAPES
Chardonnay			311,284
Sultana			187,974
Semillon			99,239
Colombard			69,750
Muscat Gordo Blanco			56,325

SOURCE OF WATER
Surface water from state/private irrigation schemes			80,872
Other surface water			24,051
Underground water supply			33,289
Town or country reticulated water supply			2,996
Recycled water			2,789
Other			97
WATERING METHOD
Drip or micro spray			105,514
Furrow or flood			11,740
Spray			23,369
Other			173