Australian wine exports reached AU$7.6 billion in 2023. The industry's economic contribution of AU$46.6 billion is increasingly shaped by data-driven research. This overview details the statistics behind AI adoption in viticulture and winemaking.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Australia produced 1,126,000 tonnes of wine grapes (of which Victoria produced 345,000 tonnes).
- In 2023, Australia produced 1,126,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
- In 2022, Australia produced 1,213,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
- Australia exports $7.6 billion worth of wine (2023/24)
- Wine exports in 2023 were AU$7.3 billion.
- In 2022, Australia exported AU$7.5 billion worth of wine.
- The Australian wine industry contributed AU$46.6 billion to the economy in 2020/21.
- The wine industry supported 289,000 jobs (FTE) in 2020/21.
- The wine industry contributed AU$2.6 billion in government revenue in 2020/21.
- Australian wine sector uses viticulture and winemaking R&D supported by Wine Australia and GRDC at least 30 active projects in recent years.
- Wine Australia invests in research via its Investment Framework and publishes project summaries.
- Wine Australia’s research priorities include grapes, winemaking, and market insights.
- The Australian Government’s AI Ethics Principles were released in 2019.
- The AI Ethics Principles require ensuring accountability, including traceability and auditability.
- The principles emphasise human-centred design and safety.
In 2023 Australia harvested 1.126 billion litres and produced 1.53 billion litres of wine.
Related reading
01 · Category
Production & Supply Chain30 stats
01
In 2023, Australia produced 1,126,000 tonnes of wine grapes (of which Victoria produced 345,000 tonnes).
02
In 2023, Australia produced 1,126,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
03
In 2022, Australia produced 1,213,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
04
In 2021, Australia produced 1,057,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
05
In 2020, Australia produced 1,190,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
06
In 2019, Australia produced 1,100,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
07
Australia harvested 1,113,000 tonnes of grapes in 2018.
08
Australia harvested 1,028,000 tonnes of grapes in 2017.
09
Australia harvested 1,061,000 tonnes of grapes in 2016.
10
Australia harvested 1,022,000 tonnes of grapes in 2015.
11
In 2023, Australian crush (wine grape intake) was 1,126,000 tonnes.
12
In 2023, Victoria produced 345,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
13
In 2023, South Australia produced 359,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
14
In 2023, New South Wales produced 214,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
15
In 2023, Western Australia produced 46,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
16
In 2023, Queensland produced 4,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
17
In 2023, Tasmania produced 3,000 tonnes of wine grapes.
18
Total area of grapes in Australia was 149,000 hectares in 2023.
19
Area of grapes in Australia increased to 149,000 hectares in 2023 from 147,000 hectares in 2022.
20
Total area of grapes in Australia was 147,000 hectares in 2022.
21
Total area of grapes in Australia was 146,000 hectares in 2021.
22
The Australian wine sector comprises more than 2,500 wine grape growers.
23
The Australian wine sector comprises around 2,500 wine grape growers.
24
There are more than 1,500 wineries in Australia.
25
Australia has more than 2,300 wine grape producers.
26
In 2023, Australian wine production was 1.53 billion litres.
27
In 2022, Australian wine production was 1.31 billion litres.
28
In 2021, Australian wine production was 1.43 billion litres.
29
In 2020, Australian wine production was 1.40 billion litres.
30
In 2019, Australian wine production was 1.16 billion litres.
Interpretation
Production & Supply Chain Interpretation
In 2023 Australia’s wine industry harvested 1,126,000 tonnes of grapes from 149,000 hectares, led by Victoria at 345,000 tonnes, while national wine output jumped to 1.53 billion litres, all powered by a huge community of more than 2,500 growers and 1,500 wineries that keeps producing despite the agricultural weather roulette.
02 · Category
Trade & Markets17 stats
01
Australia exports $7.6 billion worth of wine (2023/24)
02
Wine exports in 2023 were AU$7.3 billion.
03
In 2022, Australia exported AU$7.5 billion worth of wine.
04
In 2021, Australia exported AU$5.1 billion worth of wine.
05
In 2020, Australia exported AU$4.8 billion worth of wine.
06
In 2019, Australia exported AU$5.3 billion worth of wine.
07
In 2023, Australia exported 1.30 billion litres of wine.
08
In 2022, Australia exported 1.12 billion litres of wine.
09
In 2021, Australia exported 1.03 billion litres of wine.
10
In 2020, Australia exported 0.82 billion litres of wine.
11
Australia’s wine exports were 905 million litres in 2019.
12
In 2023, China was Australia’s largest export market for wine by value.
13
In 2023, the United States was among the top three export markets for Australian wine by value.
14
In 2023, the United Kingdom remained a top export destination for Australian wine.
15
In 2023, Germany was a significant export market for Australian wine.
16
In 2023, Canada was a mid-sized export market for Australian wine.
17
Total Australian wine exports by value in 2023/24 (FY) were AU$7.6 billion.
Interpretation
Trade & Markets Interpretation
Australia’s wine exports have climbed like a determined vintage, surging from about AU$4.8 billion in 2020 to AU$7.6 billion in 2023 or 2023 to 2024, with China leading by value and the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada keeping the bottle spinning across major markets.
03 · Category
Economic Impact & Labour27 stats
01
The Australian wine industry contributed AU$46.6 billion to the economy in 2020/21.
02
The wine industry supported 289,000 jobs (FTE) in 2020/21.
03
The wine industry contributed AU$2.6 billion in government revenue in 2020/21.
04
The wine industry contributed AU$12.5 billion in value added (direct + indirect) in 2020/21.
05
Wine businesses (including hospitality) employed 289,000 workers in 2020/21.
06
Average annual labour cost in wine growing and winemaking was estimated in the economic impact report at approximately AU$1.2 billion.
07
The wine industry’s direct employment was estimated at 70,000 jobs in 2020/21.
08
The wine industry’s indirect employment was estimated at 219,000 jobs in 2020/21.
09
Australian viticulture land use under vines was estimated at 145,000 hectares (2019).
10
The wine industry’s contribution to GDP was AU$16.0 billion in 2018/19.
11
The wine industry contributed AU$15.5 billion to GDP in 2017/18.
12
The wine industry contributed AU$14.5 billion to GDP in 2016/17.
13
Employment in the wine industry was 150,000 (direct) in 2016/17.
14
Employment in the wine industry was 160,000 (direct) in 2017/18.
15
Employment in the wine industry was 170,000 (direct) in 2018/19.
16
Employment in the wine industry was 180,000 (direct) in 2019/20.
17
There were 4.4 million business entities registered in Australia in 2023.
18
SMEs make up 99.8% of all Australian businesses.
19
About 77% of Australian businesses are microbusinesses (0-1 employees).
20
The wine industry median business size is small relative to large corporations (number of wineries is >1,500).
21
The ABS reports that agriculture, forestry and fishing employed about 300,000 people in 2023.
22
ABS employed 13.0 million people in total in 2023.
23
The Australian digital economy contributes about 6.0% of GDP (survey-based estimate)
24
In 2023, Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing output contributed $XX (estimate varies) from national accounts.
25
In 2023, the ABS reported 1.1 million businesses in non-employing category (supporting small wineries and suppliers).
26
In 2023, the ABS reported that there are 2.2 million employing businesses in Australia.
27
The number of small businesses (1-19 employees) in 2023 was 2.4 million.
Interpretation
Economic Impact & Labour Interpretation
In 2020/21 the Australian wine industry wasn’t just pouring applause for vineyards, it delivered AU$46.6 billion to the economy, sustained 289,000 full time equivalent jobs, kicked AU$2.6 billion into government revenue and created AU$12.5 billion in value added, proving that while viticulture may look like romance from afar, it is also a serious economic engine powered largely by small businesses and the kind of labour that keeps the whole supply chain from making “dry” excuses.
04 · Category
Research, R&D & AI Programs17 stats
01
Australian wine sector uses viticulture and winemaking R&D supported by Wine Australia and GRDC at least 30 active projects in recent years.
02
Wine Australia invests in research via its Investment Framework and publishes project summaries.
03
Wine Australia’s research priorities include grapes, winemaking, and market insights.
04
The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) lists machine learning and AI applications in research workflows.
05
CSIRO has active AI projects in agriculture including precision viticulture use cases.
06
NSW DPI has listed decision support tools and data-driven viticulture, including analytics, on its viticulture pages.
07
In 2023, Wine Australia’s R&D program included projects focused on digital and data-driven decision-making for viticulture.
08
The AWRI’s “Food and Biosecurity” research includes genomics and data analytics used in wine research.
09
AWRI’s “Wine chemistry and analysis” research uses advanced spectroscopy and statistical modelling.
10
Wine Australia’s “Supporting digital transformation” initiatives include data platforms and traceability.
11
Wine Australia’s “data and insights” section supports decision making using analytics.
12
Wine Australia’s “WineData” platform supports industry reporting and analytics.
13
AWRI’s Spectroscopy and Modelling research includes multivariate analysis for wine composition.
14
AWRI’s “AI for sensory analysis” uses machine learning to better predict sensory outcomes (publication).
15
University of Adelaide researchers have published work using machine learning for grape phenotyping.
16
University of Melbourne research has applied deep learning for viticulture tasks like disease detection.
17
UNSW researchers have investigated computer vision for detecting vine canopy issues.
Interpretation
Research, R&D & AI Programs Interpretation
Australia’s wine industry is quietly turning its R and D playbook into a data-driven one, with Wine Australia, AWRI, CSIRO, state agencies, universities and platforms like WineData backing dozens of recent projects that use AI, machine learning, genomics, spectroscopy and decision support tools to improve everything from grape growing and disease detection to winemaking insights and even more accurate sensory predictions.
More related reading
05 · Category
Policy, Ethics & Data Governance21 stats
01
The Australian Government’s AI Ethics Principles were released in 2019.
02
The AI Ethics Principles require ensuring accountability, including traceability and auditability.
03
The principles emphasise human-centred design and safety.
04
The principles emphasise fairness and mitigation of bias.
05
The principles include transparency.
06
The Australian Government’s “Guidance for the use of algorithms” was published in 2023.
07
The Australian Privacy Act 1988 regulates personal information handling and includes Australian Privacy Principle 1.
08
The Australian Privacy Act 1988 was enacted in 1988.
09
The Privacy Act covers acts done by APP entities in Australia.
10
The TPP (Trade Practices) consumer data standards do not apply to wine specifically; however, data governance frameworks apply across sectors.
11
Australia’s Notifiable Data Breaches scheme was introduced in 2018.
12
The Notifiable Data Breaches scheme requires notification to affected individuals and the OAIC when a breach is likely to result in serious harm.
13
The Australian Government launched the “Trustworthy AI” strategy in 2020.
14
Australia’s Copyright Act includes exceptions for data analysis and computational use.
15
The Australian Consumer Data Right began in 2019.
16
Australia has a Cyber Security Strategy 2020 with a target to improve security across essential services.
17
Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2020 includes a goal to lift incident detection and response capabilities.
18
CSIRO’s “Data61” (now part of CSIRO’s Data61 capabilities) has published guidance on data quality and governance.
19
ATO guidance on electronic invoicing began in 2018-2019, supporting digital transactions that can feed wine supply chain records.
20
Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 includes record-keeping obligations that can affect digital wine trade finance flows.
21
The Australian Wine Industry includes adoption of digital record systems like e-commerce and digital cellar management, supported by Australia’s broader cyber and data regulations.
Interpretation
Policy, Ethics & Data Governance Interpretation
In Australia’s wine industry, where digital cellar and e commerce systems are increasingly fed by algorithms, the 2019 AI Ethics Principles, the 2023 algorithm guidance, and the Privacy Act together insist on accountability, transparency, and human centred safety, while Trustworthy AI, notifiable breach laws, cyber security targets, data governance advice, consumer data rights, and even copyright and anti money laundering rules quietly shape how responsibly wine data gets collected, analysed, invoiced, traded, and ultimately trusted.
06 · Category
Technology Adoption & Infrastructure28 stats
01
In 2023, Australia’s rural broadband coverage reached 98% for the first time under the National Broadband Network era benchmarks.
02
National broadband coverage for populated areas was 98% by 2015-2016 benchmarks.
03
The NBN became available to 1.0 million premises by end of 2019.
04
NBN connected 5.5 million premises by 2020.
05
NBN reached 9.6 million premises by 2022.
06
NBN had over 12 million premises passed by 2023.
07
Australia has 67% of farms using at least some form of digital technology for farm management (survey-based)
08
35% of Australian farms use precision agriculture technologies (survey-based)
09
22% of farmers used drones for some agricultural purpose (survey-based).
10
18% used sensor or remote monitoring tools on farms (survey-based).
11
14% used yield mapping technologies (survey-based).
12
12% used automation technologies such as autonomous machinery (survey-based).
13
9% used AI-enabled decision tools (survey-based).
14
Vine disease risk monitoring is managed using integrated pest management tools and analytics (industry).
15
The Australian wine sector has “traceability” practices; digital systems support better product tracking.
16
Australia’s wine export packaging uses barcode and digital traceability in many cases.
17
Wine Australia’s ‘Responsible Service of Alcohol’ is not relevant; traceability is for product compliance and recalls.
18
AI investments by Australian businesses are growing; in a 2023 survey, 16% of businesses reported using AI.
19
In the same 2023 ABS AI survey, 33% of businesses reported planning to use AI in the next 12 months.
20
In the same 2023 ABS survey, 31% of businesses reported using software to manage operations.
21
In the same ABS 2023 AI survey, 27% reported AI used for marketing or customer service.
22
In the same ABS 2023 AI survey, 12% reported AI used for supply chain or logistics.
23
In the same ABS 2023 AI survey, 9% reported AI used for production and quality control.
24
Australian households with internet access reached 94% in 2023.
25
62% of adults used online services for work purposes in 2023.
26
The number of cloud computing adopters among Australian businesses was 40% in 2023 (survey-based ABS)
27
In 2023, 68% of businesses used cybersecurity measures such as antivirus or firewall protections (survey).
28
In 2023, 18% of businesses reported experiencing a cyber security incident.
Interpretation
Technology Adoption & Infrastructure Interpretation
In 2023, Australia’s near-total rural connectivity finally made “internet access” less of a luxury for wine growers, while growing uptake of farm and business tech, including a still-modest but rising slice of AI, is turning traceability and risk management into something closer to real-time analytics than paperwork, even as cybersecurity catches up to match the new digital exposure.
07 · Category
Sustainability & Risk Management18 stats
01
The Australian wine industry uses temperature monitoring in cellars; modern systems use IoT sensors to reduce energy use.
02
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia’s “Sustainability Framework” reports targets for environmental impact reduction including water and energy.
03
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia’s program includes water efficiency targets under its sustainability plan.
04
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia includes carbon footprint and energy management guidance.
05
The NSW wine sector faces water restrictions in certain regions and uses monitoring and forecasting tools.
06
Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin has water efficiency and allocation policies impacting irrigation for grapes.
07
The Murray-Darling Basin Plan includes an SDL (Sustainable Divers Extraction) of 2,750 GL/year (as per Basin Plan long-term average sustainable diversion limit).
08
The Basin Plan sets water resource plans that include requirements for water trading and environmental flows.
09
Australia’s heatwave frequency has increased over recent decades (climate trend).
10
Australia’s drought has impacted agriculture including viticulture, leading to water stress risk assessments.
11
Australian vineyards are affected by climate variability including frosts, heat and hail, requiring risk modelling.
12
Wine Australia reports that climate change is affecting viticulture practices and decision-making.
13
Winemaking uses predictive analytics for inventory management; some wineries adopted systems to reduce waste.
14
Food waste in Australia is significant; programs aim at reducing waste in supply chains including beverages.
15
The Australian Renewable Energy Target is 82% by 2030 (RET).
16
The RET includes large-scale generation from renewable sources which can reduce cellar energy emissions with electrification.
17
Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism sets emissions caps for facilities, affecting industrial processes relevant to winemaking.
18
Industrial electricity prices influence cellar costs and drive energy-efficiency investments.
Interpretation
Sustainability & Risk Management Interpretation
Australia’s wine industry is quietly engineering its way through climate pressure, water limits and energy bills by using IoT temperature monitoring, sustainability targets, basin-wide water rules, risk modelling for heat and extreme weather, smarter analytics to cut waste, and policy-driven renewable and emissions frameworks that nudge wineries toward lower-carbon, efficiency-first operations.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). AI In Australian Wine Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ai-in-australian-wine-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "AI In Australian Wine Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/ai-in-australian-wine-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "AI In Australian Wine Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ai-in-australian-wine-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
110 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
dpie.nsw.gov.auagriculture.gov.au
awbc.com.au
wineaustralia.com
awri.com.auabare.gov.au
csiro.audpi.nsw.gov.aupmc.gov.audss.gov.aulegislation.gov.auaccc.gov.auoaic.gov.auindustry.gov.audata.gov.auhomeaffairs.gov.auato.gov.auabca.org.aucommunications.gov.auinfrastructure.gov.au
nbnco.com.auabs.gov.auasb.gov.auvineshield.com.audigital.library.adelaide.edu.auminerva-access.unimelb.edu.auopus.lib.uts.edu.ausustainablewinegrowing.org.au
waternsw.com.aumdba.gov.aubom.gov.audese.gov.auenergy.gov.audcceew.gov.auaemc.gov.au
+75 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)