Australian 2010 Wine Output Fell 8.9% to 1.53 Million Tons On Year - ABS

CANBERRA -(Dow Jones)- Total wine grape production in 2010 of 1.53 million metric tons fell 8.9% from 1.68 million tons in 2009, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday.

Growers cultivated 157,000 hectares of vines for the 2010 season of which the total bearing area was 152,000 hectares down from 163,000 hectares and 157,000 hectares, respectively, in 2009, the bureau reported in its annual vineyard estimates publication.

The fall in production could stem the build-up or erode wine inventory levels, which expanded during what many analysts regard as a wine glut in recent years.

In 2010, red wine grape production of 845,000 tons fell 4.8% on year, while white wine grape production of 688,000 tons fell 14%.

Three varieties of grapes accounted for 60% of all wine grape production in 2010 with Shiraz variety production totaling 403,000 tons, chardonnay 298,000 tons and cabernet sauvignon 214,000 tons.

Shiraz accounted for 48% of all red wine grape production in 2010, compared to 44% in 2009 while Chardonnay accounted for 43% of all white wine production in 2010, compared to 48% in 2009.