Riverland Wine, the South Australian region’s peak wine industry body, is asking its members to carefully consider their business models and make balanced, financially viable decisions heading into vintage 2026.

With Riverland, Australian and global wine businesses struggling from the ongoing challenges resulting from the mass surplus of wine, Riverland Wine is encouraging the local industry to make “informed, rational and potentially tough decisions before next vintage”.

Riverland Wine said it recently engaged with several major wine companies that purchase grapes from the region, with the message received from these winemakers was very clear – they did not expect the demand for grapes to improve for the 2026 vintage and as a result, neither would grape prices.

Riverland Wine general manager Alex Cannon-Leyson said it was clear that time is running out for many regional wine businesses and action is needed now.

“With the expectation that water prices and other input costs will also increase during the growing season ahead, the immediate future looks very challenging for many of the local growers and wine businesses.

“Riverland Wine cannot provide advice on case-by-case situations, but we can help collate information and present measured and unbiased facts, allowing growers and wineries to make balanced business decisions.

“With wine consumption in regular decline and wine stocks in oversupply globally, it’s time for growers, winemakers and the community to start considering how they can make positive and lasting change for the region,” Cannon-Leyson said.

“If you are a grapegrower, start by talking to the wineries that buy your grapes and then consider talking to other key business stakeholders – like your irrigation trust or water broker, service providers, fertiliser and chemical suppliers and potentially seek professional financial advice.

“If you are a winery, consider engaging with your grower base as soon as practically possible, to provide clear direction on price and demand.

“And if you reside in the Riverland, and are not directly impacted by the wine industry, you can still support the sector by drinking locally grown Riverland wines.”

Riverland Wine will be hosting an Industry Insights event later this month on Thursday 24 July, at the Berri Hotel. The event hopes to provide regional industry insights to members, directly from key industry stakeholders – enabling them to make informed business decisions for Vintage 2026.

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