Australian wine grape harvest back to normal in 2022

The 2022 Australian wine grape crush is estimated to be 1.73 million tonnes, just 2% below the 10-year average but 13.5% below the 2021 record crush of 2.01 million tonnes, the National Vintage Report 2022 released by Wine Australia shows.

The total estimated value of the 2022 crush at the weighbridge was $1.21 billion.

The estimated value was a decrease of $335 million (22%) compared with the record 2021 value, but $60 million more than in 2020 and $8 million higher than in 2018, a year when the crush was 2% larger.

The value reduction compared with 2021 was a result of the reduced crush, combined with a reduction in the overall average value.

The reduction in crush compared with 2021 is the equivalent of approximately 190 million litres of wine.

Wine Australia manager for market insights Peter Bailey said the reduction in volume was likely to be the result of a combination of seasonal influences and adjustments made by winemakers to market conditions and winery production capacity limitations.

“After a record-high vintage in 2021, a lower yield in general was expected due to reduced cropping potential," he said.

"This natural variation was compounded by a number of significant seasonal effects – in particular heavy widespread spring and summer rainfall across much of the eastern half of Australia and a number of significant hailstorms,” Mr Bailey said.

“Apart from seasonal effects, the 2021-22 season was challenging as a result of winery production capacity limitations going into vintage following the record harvest in 2021, compounded by reduced exports to mainland China and severe shipping disruptions that caused delays and escalated costs.

“Lack of winery production capacity, together with reduced exports and softening prices for red wines, may have resulted in wineries and growers reducing their overall production and/or intake of grapes - particularly red varieties."

Demand is shifting back in favour of white varieties, the latest figures show.

“The average value for white wine grapes has increased every year since 2014, and in 2022 was the highest since 2008,” Bailey said.

The full report is available from www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/national-vintage-report