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INTRODUCTION

1 This publication presents final estimates from the ABS collections: Inventories of Australian Wine and Brandy, 2003-04; Wine and Spirit Production, 2003-04; Wine Statistics, 2003-04 and Vineyards, 2004. Not all data from these collections are published here. Some further data are available for a charge, on application to the ABS.

2 This publication is a summary of statistics on grape and wine production and related activities collected by the ABS and from other sources. Some of the data used in this publication were obtained from various ABS collections for which publications with appropriate Explanatory Notes are already available. The bibliography contains a list of these publications. However, much of the data are only available in this publication and the following notes are provided to assist users.

3 The Viticulture tables replace the previous publication Viticulture, Australia (cat. no. 7310.0) and contain information on area of vines and production of red and white grapes for the 2004 season. The continuing collection of varietal data is supported by Australia's grape-growers and winemakers and the Australian government through the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation.

4 Differences exist between the grape production intended for winemaking reported by grape growers in the viticulture collection and the quantity of fresh grapes crushed by winemakers reported in the Wine and Spirit Production Collection. Differences in the collection methodologies, as outlined below, mean some difference should always be apparent between the series.

SCOPE AND COVERAGE OF VITICULTURE SURVEY

5 Viticultural statistics relate to the year in which the harvest occurred and are derived from information obtained in a collection of all known growers.

6 Prior to the 1999 collection, an exercise was undertaken to increase the number of known growers included in the collection. The improved coverage, of over 1,000 growers, means that the data presented for 1999 and later years are not directly comparable with data for previous years.

7 The scope of the 2004 collection is based on establishments undertaking agricultural activity and having an estimated value of agricultural operations of $5,000 or more. The scope of the collection from season 1994 to season 2002 was also $5,000. Prior to the 1994 season the scope varied. Details are available on request.

8 Tasmanian data are derived from a collection undertaken by the Appellation of Origin Board under the authority of The Commissioner of Licensing. The scope of the collected data is the same as for other states.

9 Viticultural statistics are presented on an Australian Geographical Indications (GI) basis in this issue. The GI are official descriptions of Australian wine zones, regions and sub-regions which are defined in the Australian Wine and Brandy Act. The zones and regions listed in the following table were provided to the ABS by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. The list includes those regions which had been determined at the time of the Vineyards 2004 Survey and was used by the survey respondents for reference in allocating a response to a GI question on the survey form.

AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Zone/Region
NEW SOUTH WALES
Big Rivers - Murray-Darling, Perricoota, Riverina, Swan Hill, Other
Western Plains
Central Ranges - Cowra, Mudgee, Orange, Other
Southern New South Wales - Canberra District, Gundagai, Hilltops, Tumbarumba, Other
South Coast - Shoalhaven Coast, Southern Highlands, Other
Northern Slopes
Northern Rivers - Hastings River, Other
Hunter Valley - Hunter, Other
VICTORIA
North West Victoria - Murray-Darling, Swan Hill, Other
North East Victoria - Alpine Valleys, Beechworth, Rutherglen, Other
Central Victoria - Bendigo, Goulburn Valley, Strathbogie Ranges, Heathcote, Other
Western Victoria - Grampians, Henty, Pyrenees, Other
Port Phillip - Geelong, Mornington Peninsula, Sunbury, Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Other
Gippsland
QUEENSLAND
Queensland - Granite Belt, South Burnett, Other
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Mount Lofty Ranges - Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains, Clare Valley, Other
Barossa - Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Other
Fleurieu - Currency Creek, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Southern Fleurieu, Other
Limestone Coast - Mount Benson, Padthaway, Coonawarra, Other
Lower Murray - Riverland, Other
The Peninsulas
Far North
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Greater Perth - Perth Hills, Swan District, Peel, Other
Central Western Australia
South West Australia - Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Great Southern, Margaret River, Other
West Australian South East Coastal
Eastern Plains, Inland and North of Western Australia
TASMANIA
Tasmania
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Northern Territory
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Australian Capital Territory

SCOPE AND COVERAGE OF WINE SURVEYS

11 Winemakers who crush more than 400 tonnes of grapes are included in the Wine and Spirit Production Survey. Wine production data are collected from these winemakers on a winery (location) basis to allow for state and regional data output. The grapes crushed by these wineries includes grapes owned by others and crushed on a commission or contract basis, often for wine producers who do not have their own crushing facilities. These wineries account for approximately 98% of total crushings by all winemakers crushing 50 or more tonnes of fresh grapes. Limited information on the quantity of grapes crushed and domestic wine sales are also obtained from winemakers crushing between 50 and 400 tonnes. These data are collected on a winery (location) basis in the Wine Statistics Survey. The main purpose for this supplementary collection is to establish the scope and coverage of both the main production collection and the monthly wine sales collection.

12 Details on inventories of Australian beverage wine by wine type are collected at 30 June only from winemakers who crush more than 400 tonnes annually and have domestic wine sales of 250,000 litres or more in either of the two previous years. Therefore, inventories owned by winemakers with lower crush or lower domestic sales and who predominantly have wine export sales or who mainly undertake contract crushing are not included.

13 All inventories data are collected on an Australia-wide basis only and state figures are therefore not available. Inventories data collected from 1996 include all Australian-produced wines owned by these winemakers and held anywhere in Australia. In years previous to 1996, inventories included only those Australian-produced wines held by winemakers on any of their own premises, regardless of ownership. This change in the measurement of inventories means that data for 1996 and later are not directly comparable with earlier years.

14 The number of winemakers who fall within the scope of the wine inventories collection may vary from year to year as sales vary and individual wineries are included in, or excluded from, the wine sales collection. It is possible that inventories data may vary slightly each year as new wineries, with either large or small inventories, come into the scope of the collection. In particular, the published (i.e. closing) inventories figures for any one year may not equate with the opening inventories for the following year.

15 The wine content of products consisting of a mixture of wine and fruit juice, commonly known as ‘coolers’, is included in the appropriate wine category of the wine from which it is made, which is generally table wine.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

16 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

ABS PUBLICATIONS

17 Current publications and other products released by the ABS are listed in the Catalogue of Publications and Products (cat. no. 1101.0). The Catalogue is available from any ABS office or on this site. The ABS also issues a daily Release Advice on the web site which details products to be released in the week ahead.