Grapes of wrath: Red wine glut leaves crops to wither on the vine in South Australia

The Riverland is the engine room for the state’s wine industry, producing 60 per cent of its grapes, but growers are facing dire predictions for the next two harvests. Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone said Riverland wine executives reported this week that 40 per cent of Riverland Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grown for the harvest starting in January has no home. “That could mean 100,000 tonnes of fruit that will potentially be dropped on the ground,” he said. “(Predictions are that) the China bubble has burst and the majority of wineries and wine wholesalers will buy cool climate premium wines at lower Riverland price (meaning those growers will struggle to cover costs).” Previously sought-after red wine grapes Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon dominate vineyard production across the state. The two were the major wine varieties exported to China where September figures show the market has shrunk to about $16 million. Wine Australia’s latest report released yesterday shows there is no drop in ...