Australian winemakers squeezed by Chinese tariffs leave tonnes of grapes to rot

Thanks to a mild summer, 2022 was a good vintage for Australian wine. But the ongoing trade dispute between Australia and China has led to millions of grapes being left to rot at vineyards across the country. The mainland Chinese market used to total more than AUS$1 billion (US$700 million) before China more than doubled import duties, over allegations that Australian winemakers were dumping cheap products that hurt Chinese grape growers. Now, the Chinese market has shrunk by some 97 per cent, leaving Australian winemakers with a lot of grapes but fewer customers.