Since then there has been a huge increase in vineyards planted, in all sorts of diverse areas. And existing areas have expanded beyond belief. In the Hunter Valley in 1960, for example, there were six companies making wine. By contrast, the 1999 Hunter Valley Wine Show attracted entries from 109 local wineries. Domaine Chandon winery.
Wine is increasingly important to Australia because of the value-added factor.
And the wine industry has not stopped growing. Its Strategy 2025, launched in 1996, is not just a plan. It is more a vision of future possibilities and a map of how to get there. To achieve this, it has identified the number of vineyards, the productive capacity and the level of financing required. As we enter 2000, the industry is already well ahead of schedule as far as achieving this goal is concerned.