Ministerial Statement

WINE INDUSTRY

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN (Mount Gambier—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests) (15:22): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN: 50, 60, 70. These are the key numbers that represent the great success of the South Australian wine industry.

50—50 per cent of Australia's industry by volume:

60—60 per cent by value: and

70—70 per cent by exports.

Our wine industry is a key wealth generator, a key component of both our food plan and the South Australian Strategic Plan. The recent success of four great South Australian wines in the London International Wine Challenge can only add to this success. South Australian varieties Majella 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Killakanoon 2005 Oracle Shiraz, Tim Adams 2007 Clare Valley Semillon and Yalumba 2007 The Virgilius Eden Valley Voignier—

Mr Williams: Voignier.

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN: I thank the shadow minister for helping with the pronunciation, because my family has a tradition: we only drink white when the red runs out, so I am not familiar with all the white wines. Nonetheless, these four great wines have been judged as the best in the world.

This achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider the stringent judging criteria and quality international competition that the wines faced. The 2008 London International Wine Challenge conducted multiple tastings of each wine over two weeks and included entrants from 40 different countries. The success of these wines is an indicator of the dynamic and resilient wine industry that has developed in South Australia. It is no small feat that a state with 8 per cent of the nation's population accounts for, as I said, 50 per cent of wine production by volume, 60 per cent of wine production by value, and 70 per cent of exports.

One of the winners, Majella Wines, is owned and operated by the Lynn family in the world renowned Coonawarra wine district. The Lynn family has been resident in the Penola-Coonawarra district for over four generations. I recently had the great fortune to travel with Brian Lynn from Majella to Canada to help advance the case of South Australian wine exports into the very demanding, but rewarding, Canadian wine market.

South Australia exports nearly 400 million litres of wine annually. The United Kingdom is Australia's largest wine export destination, and South Australia supplies 70 per cent of the UK market. The 2008 London International Wine Challenge awarded a total of 114 trophies over the course of the event, mostly awarding individual wines single trophies. Remarkably, the 2005 Majella cabernet sauvignon was one of only three wines in the world to receive four trophies, the maximum possible number.

All these wineries have added to the proud history of the South Australian wine industry as world leaders in quality wine production. I know this house congratulates these winning wineries for this wonderful achievement.