)
Announced today, two South Australian wineries have made a foray into the Indian market as the sector looks to boost its profile in the country.
This marks the first time McLaren Vale-based Wirra Wirra and Langhorne Creek’s Metala have entered the Indian wine market, with their exports also accompanying the start of an annual wine event in India – ProWine Mumbai 2023.
The trade show will host a total of 10 South Australian brands: Lambert Estate, O’Leary Walker Wines, Kingston Estate Wines, 1837 Barossa, Mitolo Wines, Lindsay Estate Wines, Haselgrove Wines and Eight at the Gate Wines – along with Wirra Wirra Vineyards and Metala Wines.
All of the wineries were supported by a state government program designed to help introduce new local wines to India. Both Wirra Wirra and Metala participated last year, leading to contracts with Indian suppliers.
“Wine consumption in India is expected to nearly double by 2025 – and we want to ensure South Australia is capitalising on that,” Trade and Investment Minister Nick Champion said.
“We have premium wine – and produce to accompany – and we will be pulling every lever at our disposal to ensure South Australia is front of mind when the Indian market is choosing which Australian state to import their wine from.
“The initiatives our wineries are participating in this week represent essential opportunities to further build on South Australia’s strong reputation for producing premium wine.”
To help boost wine exports to India, Minister Champion has also launched the Indian Chapter of the South Australian Wine Ambassadors Club, which comprises an international network of advocates who share a passion for SA wineries.
Champion has appointed Aspri Spirits strategy & operations advisor Pritish Matai and Anggel’s Share sales and marketing director Rajesh Israni as ambassadors to help raise the profile of the State’s wines internationally.
This follows a significant reduction in India’s tariffs on some Australian wine under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), which took effect late last year.
It is hoped that reduced tariffs will support the growth of SA’s wine exports to India, which totalled $9.5 million for the year ending September 2023.
“Given Australia is a proud, quality wine-producing country – and India is only just starting to learn about wine – we have a genuine opportunity as an industry to ensure sommeliers, retailers and consumers alike, learn about South Australia’s wine history, our regional differences and our high-quality varietal options in the way we want the story told,” Metala commercial manager Justin McCarthy added.
)
)
)
)
)
