News

On 28 October 2021, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer announced plans to overhaul the excise tax system for alcohol. While details are still unclear, it is understood that the proposed changes would benefit lower alcohol product (including sparkling wine) and significantly impact higher alcohol ones. It could mean that a bottle of 9.5% wine would …

New Virus Detection in South Australia Vinehealth Australia and Australian Grape & Wine advise industry of the detection of five grapevine viruses not previously known to be present in Australia. They were identified using the powerful analysis technique of High Throughput Sequencing (HTS)1. These viruses have previously been reported overseas but studied in a limited …

European wine launches digital labelling initiativeAt the end of September 2021, the European Wine and Spirit Industries launched its new joint initiative to provide consumers with information about wine and spirit products via an e-label.  The new “U-label” tool provides a platform for companies to provide information about the products linked to QR code technology …

Engagement with the wine sector. Due to criteria which relates to business requirements for those above $5millon turnover, a large portion of Australia’s large and medium wine businesses are members of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO). However, many small and micro wine businesses are not, as these requirements are unrealistic for small businesses who’s …

Australian Grape & Wine, Australia’s national association of grape and wine producers, has expressed its disappointment after learning its opposition to Italy’s effort to register Prosecco as a geographic indication (GI) has been dismissed, but says the battle is not over. Read more here…

The Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) has been under negotiation for some time. Since the beginning of 2021, there has been renewed enthusiasm from both sides to progress these free trade negotiations.  On 26 August 2021, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and his counterpart Hon Mr. Piyush Goyal, …

On 19 June 2021, the Australian Government announced it would initiate the dispute settlement process at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in response to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce’s decision to impose duties on Australian wine imports in March 2021. The WTO dispute settlement process was one of the few remaining avenues for ongoing engagement …

Australian Grape & Wine is progressing its project to support grape and wine businesses impacted by the disruption of exports to the China market. The project, which is being funded under the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Trade and Market Access (AMTAC) grants program, is seeking to create clear framework to ensure the sectors priorities for …

Australian Grape & Wine are pleased to announce that there have been over twenty new Signatories to the Code of Conduct for Australian Winegrape Purchases. For those who are yet to sign, you can do so online in less than a minute. We would like to acknowledge those who have shown their support for fair …

UK Scrap burdensome VI-1 Certificate The post-Brexit landscape is already starting to pay dividends for Australian wine producers, with the removal of import tariffs for wine announced last month under our Free Trade Agreement; and further good news announced in recent weeks of the removal of VI-1 Certificate requirements. Australian Wine producers woke to the …