Crocodile tears from “Australia’s first families of wine”

Crocodile tears from “Australia’s first families of wine” as they declare there’s a crisis in the Australian wine industry.

And don’t blame us, these noble families declare. It’s the government that should have done something about it in this week’s federal budget.

 d’Arenberg, Yalumba, Tahbilk, Henschke, Taylors Brown Bros, Campbells, Howard Park, Jim Barry and Tyrells call themselves Australia’s First Families of Wine

For a start Canberra should fund the ripping out up to a third of vines in inland and other regional red grape producing areas.

That would help get rid of the huge oversupply of red wine now weighing down the $45bn sector and unable to find a home. All the industry body Australian Grape and Wine asked for in its pre-budget submission was $85 million to grub out vines, advertise overseas and encourage cellar door visits to those still in business.

With the surplus gone, the First Families of Wine no doubt better profit margins would help address the current crisis in the industry. That crisis, The Australian reported, is “caused by rising costs, high interest rates and depressed consumer demand due to cost of living pressures.”

So what about a $150m investment by government to subsidise marketing and travel to enable Australian wineries to effectively promote their products in key international markets such as the US. 

And reinstate the Export Market Development Grant and remove the eight-year claim limit for wineries for expenses related to trade shows and marketing.

Not much of a help to those poor growers forced out of business as their vineyards are dug up but as Chester Osborne of d’Arenberg told the paper, “the harsh truth is most of the industry are not making enough money to travel and promote their wines”.

Now All in all that’s a good example of rocodile tears from “Australia’s first families of wine”.