The Victorian Wine Industry Strategic Plan held two industry forums in late January, along with online submissions to review the preliminary draft. The steering committee (including Steph Duboudin and Dan Sims) and Agriculture Victoria are working with Atticus Now on the final draft of the strategy, which is expected to be released mid-year

Thanks to our partnership with Global Victoria, we’ve had a fantastic few days at Wine Paris, featuring 16 Victorian wineries on the Victorian stand and 10 wineries in the two Victorian masterclasses. Additionally, 7 more Victorian wineries had their own booths at the event. The trade was busy and of high quality, with significant interest in Victorian wines from global buyers. It was an excellent opportunity to showcase the diverse and exceptional offerings from Victoria’s wine industry.

Wine Australia is calling for Expressions of Interest to participate in its Japan Roadshow. This roadshow presents an exciting opportunity for wineries to showcase their brands to wholesalers, distributors, key trade professionals, and media across four major Japanese cities.

Wine Victoria is offering a 50% subsidy on participation costs, along with four masterclasses—one in each city.

EOI closes Monday, 17 February. 

We've officially launched our Little Red Book and WeChat channels. Follow Wine Victoria to stay up to date on our activities across China and more!

Earlier this month, in collaboration with Wine Australia, a demonstration of UV-C light trials was held at Bests' Wine. The vineyard utilised UV light panels mounted on an autonomous vehicle to combat powdery mildew. This innovative approach aims to reduce chemical use, improve vine health, and ultimately produce better fruit with fewer inputs. UV-C light has been employed in farming for many years, and early results from the trial have been promising.

Watch the video here and read the article below.

Feedback is being sought on two key proposals aimed at strengthening the state’s biosecurity system:

1. Introducing a General Biosecurity Duty for animals and plants (excluding invasive species).
   
2. Improving the data quality of livestock Property Identification Codes (PICs).

These proposals reflect the goals and priorities outlined in Victoria's Biosecurity Strategy, including making biosecurity everyone's responsibility (Strategic Goal 2), improving traceability systems (Key Priority 9), and clarifying legislative roles and responsibilities (Key Priority 19).The consultation is now open until Friday 28 February 2025.

Wine Victoria will be making a submission.

Recent fire events in western Victoria have raised concerns among growers and winemakers about smoke damage, with smoke drifting as far as South Australia. In response, Wine Australia’s Research and Innovation team has developed a one-page summary of resources to help address confusion around smoke monitoring, risk assessment tools, and testing options for smoke taint in grapes and wine.

Read the quick reference fire and smoke resources here or visit the Wine Australia fire and smoke portal. 

There are useful resources and applications available on our website to help you prepare for bushfire season. As the weather heats up, it’s essential for you and your team to be equipped with the necessary tools to respond effectively. With conditions changing rapidly, be sure to download our resources in the lead-up to summer.

The search is on for the next generation of change-makers in the Australian grape and wine sector, with applications now open for Future Leaders 2025, the sector’s peak leadership development program

Applications close 24 March.

This initiative offers mentorship across various sectors, including wine business, marketing, media, education, winemaking, viticulture, and supply management. It aims to support and inspire future wine industry professionals by connecting them with experienced mentors.

In case you missed it, watch the recording of the Wine Australia: Insights Unfiltered webinar hosted by Katie Spain. It covers key findings from the latest Export Report and Australian Wine Production, Sales, and Inventory Report, plus expert insights into trends and growth opportunities. 

• 27–29 May, 2025, Vinexpo Asia, Singapore, 2025, EOI here