Early wine grape market signals promising for 2017 vintage

Prices offered in a number of major wine regions this year were not enough to cover the cost of growing the crop and vines have since been removed. The Riverina Winegrapes Marketing Board in (RWGMB) southern New South Wales represents more than 300 growers in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and surrounding districts. RWMG CEO Brian Simpson said many of its members were stretched financially from years of low prices. However, he is encouraged by early price signals. “The domestic focused wineries, once one moves, they’re all going to jump and they’re all going to push to increase,” he said.