Prices

In September, after the Wine Industry Market Study, ACCC Commissioner Mick Keough said “Wine grape sector contracts and price transparency must improve. Kingston Estate Wines prices were released last week and management have agreed these may be published in the interests of all stakeholders. Managing Director Bill Moularadellis said his team had anguished over the intelligence from overseas markets with consistent messages of downward pressure on grape prices. They also acknowledged the water-price burden, predominantly being carried by the grower sector. “If we want our growers to continue growing grapes through these difficult times and to be able to maintain supply to our long standing customers, we believe it is only fair to wear some increased market risk”.

The Kingston prices are:

Variety	2020 KEW $/t
Chardonnay	$420
Colombard	$300
Pinot gris	$550
Riesling	$350
Sauvignon blanc	$430
Semillon	$340
Traminer	$350
Viognier	$320
Cabernet sauvignon	$700
Durif	$700
Grenache	$600
Mataro	$600
Merlot	$680
Pinot noir (dry red)	$680
Petit Verdot	$600
Ruby Cabernet	$600
Shiraz	$700

Riverland Wine Executive Chair Chris Byrne welcomed the decision by KEW management to publish the 2020 price list. Referencing his pre-Christmas call for more emphasis on long-term sustainable cooperation between growers and buyers, Mr Byrne said “This advice from Kingston is encouraging. We understand how challenged our industry is, particularly around the price competition for water. In the absence of firm price indicators more growers are inclined towards trading out some of their water and this is not good for the industry in the long run. It’s important to heed the warnings from Commissioner Keough and do what we can together to avoid the negative imposition of a mandatory code of conduct. This move by Kingston will hopefully set the scene for more buyers to be inclined to value growers as partners in a value chain; keen to be the very top of the grower class”.