'A lot of thirsty people over there': Australia shipping 234 million bottles of wine a year to China

Chester Osborn has been selling wine in China for about 20 years but in the last year sales have soared 300 per cent.

Osborn's family winery d'Arenberg exports about $4 million worth of wine a year into the country from its winery based in South Australia's McLaren Vale.

d'Arenberg, which turns over more than $40 million a year, joins a growing number of Australian wineries selling to China with export value hitting $1.05 billion earlier this year.

Wine Australia's figures show these sales were based on 19.5 million 9 litre cases - a 9 litre case is the measurement unit generally used in the industry and is the equivalent of 12 750ml bottles of wine, putting Australia's exports to China last year at 234 million bottles of wine.

Exports to China were equal in value to Australia’s next three most significant markets combined: $424 million to the United States, $384 million to the United Kingdom and $199 million to Canada.

"There are a lot of thirsty people over there and Australia makes a lifestyle they really quite enjoy," Osborn says. "We are actively working the market and doing a lot of tastings and dinners there. It's a huge market and there are a lot of premium buyers out there." Read more

Cara Waters - Brisbane Times - 11 Nov 2018