Wine industry welcomes Chinese buyers back to WA

Regional Development Minister Don Punch has welcomed the first inbound Chinese wine trade mission to Western Australia since the lifting of wine tariffs earlier this year, with delegates set to tour the Great Southern and Margaret River wine regions this week.

“It’s fantastic to be here in the Great Southern, which produces world-class wines historically sought after by the Chinese market,” the Minister said.

“Re-entering this market could be a challenging prospect for producers, so providing the opportunity to directly connect producers with this market once again, is a valuable endeavour.

“This trade mission marks the beginning of this re-entry and is expected to reignite trade relationships and subsequent exports for Great Southern and Margaret River premium wine producers.”

This trade mission follows the State Government’s funding boost to the WA Wine Industry Export Growth Partnership, following significant challenges experienced by the WA wine industry in previous years due to tariffs imposed by China, which were lifted earlier this year.

“Before the duties were imposed, mainland China was Margaret River wine’s most valuable export market, representing 26 percent of the region’s bottled wine export value in 2019,” Margaret River Wine Association chief executive Amanda Whiteland said in April.

WA will host 11 premium wine buyers from 10 Chinese companies, with a focus on premium wines, and specific interest in wines of WA provenance.

Minister Punch welcomed delegates at a curated dinner in Denmark on Monday, acknowledging the significance of the Chinese market, formerly Australia’s largest wine export market, and the quality of WA wines.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Great Southern Development Commission, South West Development Commission and industry partners from Wines of Western Australia, Great Southern Wine Producers Association and Margaret River Wine Association.

The tour will also feature producer tastings, regional masterclasses, trade showcase events, and exploration of the Great Southern and Margaret River regions.