Chinese winemaker Weilong has harvested and crushed the first batch of grapes made exclusively for wine export purposes. Around 25,000 tonnes of red varieties are expected to be crushed before year-end.
According to ABC Australia, the $75 million facilities in Yatpool, Victoria is looking to supply its wine for the coming new year. Weilong Australia's Operations General Manager, Bruno Zappia said, "We planned to have the wine bottled by the end of the year, and on sale for Chinese New Year in January 2020."
Zappia added that the Chinese winemaker trusts the Australian region in that it made an investment in the millions. The local Sunraysia region is reputed for its high-quality produce amid climbing temperatures.
When asked about why Chinese winemakers are starting to get interested in building their facilities in Australia, Zappia pointed out that the country is known "as a place of green and clean." He said the country is attracting Chinese entrepreneurs and consumers due to its reputation in safety and cleanliness.
Aside from Australia's good reputation in the global wine market, Chinese consumers are now more affluent, Zappia noted. The people of China are able to afford quality, clean wine that comes with price tags.
Executive Officer of Murray Valley Wine Growers, Mike Stone stressed the significance of Weilong's investment in the country. "It's extremely significant for Australia, there hasn't been a winery development of this magnitude for many years," he said.
Stone also said that Weilong's decision to apply for a permit to process grapes in Australia is a great opportunity for the region to showcase its services and workforce to interested investors across the globe.
Weilong has plans to expand further following delays triggered by construction problems. $120 million has been raised for the project that aims to crush 3,000 tonnes worth of red variety grapes.
Sunraysia Daily reported that Weilong's first crushing on Thursday was made possible with 28 local permanent employees and 10 casual workers. The team is made up of maintenance and lab staff as well as expert winemakers who are aiming to produce about five million wine bottles for just this season.
Weilong Grape Wine Company is recognized as China's third-biggest winemaker and purchased three vineyards covering a total of 484 hectares in the Swan Hill and Mildura regions. Another vineyard was purchased in New South Wales as recorded by the winemaker's posting for the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Expansion plans for the future include 605 hectares of vineyard locations that should satisfy Chinese demand.
