A partnership between Australian and Chinese wine industry associations has led to the establishment of the Australia-China Winemaker Immersion Program, which held its inaugural opening ceremony this week at the Shanghai office of Penfolds brand, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE).
Australia’s trade and tourism minister, Senator Don Farrell, and several other government officials visited the office in November to discuss ways to build greater cooperation between Australian and Chinese wine industries, following the dropping of heavy tariffs imposed in 2020.
The result was the Australia-China Winemaker Immersion Program, in which four Chinese participants will travel to South Australia to spend a month gaining hands-on experience in local viticultural practices, winemaking operations, sustainability projects, and a range of academic and industry activities, while visiting producing areas and wineries around the state.
South Australia is one of the country’s most significant wine-producing regions, home to the National Wine Centre of Australia, as well as industry and research bodies, including Wine Australia and the Australian Wine Research Institute – all participating in the program.
South Australian Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven, said the state recognises the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in fostering innovation and excellence.
“The launch of this program through our government’s investment into the China Re-engagement Support Program, underscores our commitment to strengthening global partnerships and contributing to the success of the wine industries in Australia and China,” said Scriven.
The program was pioneered by Australian Grape & Wine and the China Alcoholic Drinks Association (CADA) and supported by government, industry and academic institutions across both countries.
Source: Treasury Wine Estates
TWE established a strategic cooperation agreement with CADA in 2022, with the two organisations working together to advance China’s wine industry on the global stage through technical knowledge, expertise exchange, wine education and culture programs.
The Chinese wine professionals will engage directly with TWE’s production teams during the vintage period in South Australia’s vineyards in the Barossa Valley, Magill and McLaren Vale regions.
The four successful participants were assessed against a range of criteria including technical and theoretical expertise, career experience and areas of professional interest.
The inaugural 2025 cohort – consisting of Ding Weikang of leading agricultural institution Northwest A&F University in Shaanxi, Gao Yujie of September Helan in Ningxia, Miao Chengpeng of Château Rongzi in Shaanxi, and Xue Churan of China Great Wall Wine Company in Hebei – is a diverse and engaged group with winemaking and R&D skills.
Speaking at the Shanghai launch event, Penfolds Managing Director Tom King said TWE was proud of its history with China’s wine industry, beginning when the first bottle of Penfolds was exported from South Australia to Shanghai in 1893.
“This program cements our commitment to the long-term future and success of the Australian and Chinese wine industries – we have much to learn from each other and we’re delighted to be playing a role in fostering knowledge exchange and cross-cultural collaboration,” said King.
The second component of the 2025 program will take place in China later in the year, when four Australian wine industry professionals will engage with industry and academic institutions during the Chinese vintage period.
