WHAT A NIGHT!
~ NSW Wine sales grow to $64.3 million! ~
Godfather of organics honoured ~ Brokenwood wins NSW Wine of the Year
2009 NSW Wine Awards Gala Dinner – Catalina, Sydney
October 20 2009
Hot off the press: NSW Wine retail bottled wine sales within NSW have grown 12.8% or $7.3 million on the previous year to reach a record
$64.3 million outstripping the State’s growth of only 2.5% in the same period. This is a phenomenal result indicating the positive impact of the
NSW Wine Strategy, guests at the 2009 NSW Wine Awards Gala Dinner at Catalina were told last night.
This previously unreleased Nielsen data MAT 31 August 2009 was revealed to the who’s who of the NSW Wine industry, who also witnessed
iconic Hunter Valley producer Brokenwood take out the 2009 NSW Wine of the Year with their 2007 Brokenwood ‘Forest Edge’ Orange
Chardonnay $30 and industry stalwart Gil Wahlquist accept the Graham Gregory Award for his commitment to establishing the Australian
organic wine industry.
Chair of the NSW Wine Strategy, Tiffany Nugan cited the latest Nielsen data which reinforces the achievements of the NSW Wine Strategy,
spearheaded in February 2008 to drive sales of NSW Wine in NSW.
“Sales of NSW Wine within our home state have grown a further 12.8% on the last 12 months bringing an additional $7.3 million retained
income into the State on the previous year to reach a new total of $64.3 million. NSW Wine’s growth has outstripped the State’s growth, with
NSW’s total bottled wine sales in the same period only growing by a meagre 2.5%. That means the NSW Wine Strategy is working. As at
December 2008 MAT sales in NSW were only $59 million. Now 8 months later they are $64.3 million, having grown $7.3 million or 12.8% on the
previous year! This is a phenomenal result which we should all celebrate - particularly given the current economic climate,” said Ms Nugan.
Nugan went on to call for the industry to continue the growth of our State’s wine industry saying “Whilst a lot has been achieved in a short time
frame. NSW Wine still only represents 6.8% of bottled wine sales in this State. This is not good when compared to other states such as South
Australia where they consume 38% of bottled wine indicated to be from their home state, Western Australia 29.6% and Victoria 14% (Nielsen
MAT 31 January 2009). If we can double our representation of NSW Wine in NSW to match Victoria’s representation – we could bring an
additional $65 million retained income into the State and support the predominately family wineries of our State who are producing some of the
most exciting and interesting wines on the Australian wine landscape. Just take a tour of the 2009 Top 40 Wines and you will begin an
undiscovered journey of quality wines be it Hunter Semillon, Orange Sauvignon Blanc, Canberra Riesling or Nebbiolo from the Hilltops.”
Someone who has witnessed more than his share of the economic highs and lows of the wine industry is Gil Wahlquist, dubbed ‘the godfather’
of the Australian organic wine industry. Recognised for almost forty years of dedication to consolidating the organic wine industry in NSW and
indeed the nation, Wahlquist last night accepted the NSW Wine industry’s highest accolade for service – the Graham Gregory Award – from
Barry Buffier, Acting Director-General of the NSW Department of Industry & Investment. In winning the Graham Gregory Award, which pays
tribute to a former director of the NSW Department of Agriculture, Wahlquist also wins a $10,000 cash prize, flights and a commemorative
bronze medal.
But the award of the night went to Hunter Valley icon Brokenwood for a stand out single vineyard Chardonnay produced from Orange fruit. The
2007 Brokenwood ‘Forest Edge’ Orange Chardonnay $30 is produced by a winery whose history involves some of Australia’s most famous wine
personalities – James Halliday, Len Evans, Iain Riggs to name a few. This superb wine was enjoyed by guests at the dinner, including
winemaker P.J. Charteris, who travelled to Sydney unaware that his wine was the winner. The likeable Charteris couldn’t stick around long to
celebrate though – his first child is due in five days – and so he made the journey back to the Hunter Valley, chauffeured by his new assistant
winemaker, with his Trophy on his lap.
For further information, please contact Bly Carpenter at The Mod Comms Group on 02 8968 9377, 0407 775 105 or
bly@modcommsgroup.com.au or Tiffany Nugan, Chair of NSW Wine Strategy, on 0414 969110 or tnugan@nuganestate.com.au.
31 August 2009 MAT Nielsen figures:
NSW accounts for 37.5% ($944m) of Australian Bottled Wine Sales with NSW experiencing 2.5% growth.
NSW Wine sales in the domestic market are predominantly in NSW with 67.8% ($64.3m) of NSW Wine sold in our home state, followed by 14.6% VIC, 12.7% QLD, 3.3% WA
and 1% SA. So NSW is the biggest domestic seller of NSW Wine indicating the majority of NSW Wine is exported and not appropriately represented in our home state.
NSW Wine now represents 6.8% ($64.3 million) of the total bottled wine sold in NSW having grown 12.8% or $7.3 million to reach $64.3 million indicating the NSW Wine
Strategy is having an extremely positive impact.
In $AUD dollar terms bottled wines sales in NSW indicated from NSW Wine have grown by $7.3 million on last year.
NOTE: All data prepared by Nielsen is based on wine sold in NSW that is indicated to be from NSW.
NEWS 
