Wine Australia has announced the cancellation of its annual largest Australian grand tasting roadshow this year, with the next edition scheduled in May 2021.

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the Wine Australia China Roadshow 2020, initially planned to take place this May then rescheduled to September, has been called off due to “the international travel restrictions and quarantine requirements”. The organiser is in the process of refunding the activity fee to all exhibitors in full.

Coming to its ninth year, Wine Australia’s annual China Roadshow is one of the most important industry events to showcase some of the Australia’s finest wines and stimulate export sales. The roadshow event covers four Chinese cities, namely Nanjing, Qingdao, Xiamen and Guangzhou.

Having invested heavily in China over the past few years with the support of the Australian Government’s AU$50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package, Australia, having surpassed France, is currently the top imported wine country in China by value.

In the year ending September 2019, Australia’s wine exports to China (including Hong Kong and Macau) reached a record value of AU$1.13 billion, an increase of 18% on the year before. With the total value of Australian wine exports increasing by 7% to AU$2.89 billion, the China market occupies a large portion.

However, the good times may not last this year. As Australia puts forward an independent inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 outbreak, China is “punishing” Australia by slapping an 80% tariff on barley imports and also banning beef imports from a few major meat processors in the country. There are fears that Australian wine might be the next victim in the “trade war” due to political tension.