Imports
In the last 12 months, total Australian imports fell by 6% to a total volume of were valued at $9.11 per litre representing a 10% increase in price compared to 2021 (Tables 9 & 10).
The volume of bottled wine imported was approximately 48ML, representing 62% of total imports. Bottled red and white wines remained the most popular products with 46ML imported. The volume of imported bottled white has been on a steady decline, dropping by another 4% to a total of 26ML, continuing the trend over the last decade (Table 9). Conversely, there was a decline of 14% in imported bottled red to approximately 20ML, returning to a more consistent pattern in the last five years (Table 9).
The volume of bulk wine imported fell by 6% with 39ML shipped into Australia, primarily comprising still wine at 30ML, representing 77% of bulk shipments (Table 9). Bulk white wine shipments fell 11% on the previous 12 months. However, the shipment of bulk sparkling increased by 16% to 9ML which is the highest in the last decade (Table 9).
The French continue to supply the majority of imported wine for Australia, extending its dominance by another 8% compared to the previous year with a market value of $446 million. Imports from France represent 48% of the total imported wine into Australia. Imports from New Zealand shrank by 4% in 2021-22 to a value of $267 million (Table 10), reflecting the poor vintages within that country over the last five years. Imports from Chile grew 234% for a total value of $13 million (Table 10) while there was a sharp decline in imports from the USA, falling 62% to $7 million in 2021-2022. Trade with Germany also fell by 51% to a low of $6 million.
Table 9. Wine imports by type (‘000 litres) by year
| 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | Change % in last 12 months | |
| Bottled wine | 65,146 | 64,888 | 62,179 | 68,503 | 68,914 | 65,538 | 67,846 | 63,507 | -6% |
| White | 39,391 | 36,918 | 35,583 | 37,514 | 36,456 | 31,728 | 26,487 | 25,502 | -4% |
| Red | 16,167 | 17,641 | 16,186 | 20,347 | 21,692 | 20,615 | 23,334 | 20,182 | -14% |
| Sparkling (bottle fermented) | 7,856 | 8,619 | 8,540 | 8,605 | 8,290 | 8,664 | 10,933 | 11,087 | 1% |
| Bottled other* | 1,732 | 1,710 | 1,870 | 2,038 | 2,476 | 4,531 | 7,091 | 6,736 | -5% |
| Bulk wine | 26,093 | 22,987 | 30,103 | 27,784 | 31,244 | 36,619 | 41,253 | 38,615 | -6% |
| Still wine | 21,020 | 17,713 | 24,422 | 20,699 | 22,489 | 27,948 | 33,727 | 29,904 | -11% |
| Sparkling (bulk fermented) | 4,962 | 5,180 | 5,614 | 7,054 | 8,726 | 8,640 | 7,485 | 8,649 | 16% |
| Bulk other | 111 | 93 | 67 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 41 | 62 | 50% |
| Grand Total | 91,238 | 87,875 | 92,282 | 96,287 | 100,158 | 102,157 | 109,099 | 102,154 | -6% |
*Includes brandy, fortified and carbonated wine
Source: ABS imports data from Global Trade Atlas analysis by Wine Australia
