NSW: NSW wine drinkers buying more local plonk
24 Apr 2009 1:14 PM
SYDNEY, April 24 AAP - NSW drinkers are increasingly turning to locally produced plonk, with new figures showing the state's wine industry is enjoying a sales surge.
There was a 12.6 per cent surge in NSW bottled wine sales within the state in 2008, pumping an extra $6.6 million into the industry, Primary Industry Minister Ian Macdonald said on Friday.
Mr Macdonald said NSW wine now accounted for 6.3 per cent of total bottled wine sales in the state, bringing in $59 million for the economy.
He put the growth down to the expansion of the wine industry across NSW.
"There were just 76 wine producers in this state in 1983, now there are more than 450 wineries in 14 recognised wine regions and the industry is still growing," he said in a statement.
The NSW Wine Strategy was launched in 2008, aiming to increase public awareness of the quality and diversity of local wines. It included the establishment of NSW Wine brand and NSW Wine Week.
NSW Wine Strategy chair Tiffany Nugan said the aim was to double sales of local wines in the state in the next five years.
"With the support of this state's wine consumers we can make NSW a wine state, but there is an immense amount of work still to be done," she said.
