China Market, World Opportunity: China becomes Australia's fastest-growing market for wine

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One of the companies taking part in this year's China International Import Expo has been making wine in Australia for 5 generations. "Wines by Geoff Hardy" may be deeply rooted in Australian soil, but it is developing an increasing focus on China. Greg Navarro has more.

Australia's lush McLaren Vale region has cultivated a reputation for the wines it produces. A varied landscape dotted by countless vineyards that can be traced back to one man.

"So that is Thomas Hardy who started Thomas Hardy and Sons in 1853."

His entrance into the industry started a long line of wine making in the Hardy family, a career that Bec Hardy…"24:58 So where am I, down there, Rebecca."… seeming destined for. The latest family venture - Wines By Geoff Hardy - began in the 1980's.

BEC HARDY BRAND MANAGER, WINES BY GEOFF HARDY "In the 90's people would come to our door to buy the wines so you really didn't have to go out and sell but as the domestic market has become more and more difficult we looked outside of Australia and we were getting a lot of inquiries."

GREG NAVARRO McLAREN VALE "Today exports account for about 80% of the business, and 6 out of every ten bottles of wine produces from vines like these - end up in China."

China has become one of Australia's fastest growing and most valuable export markets for wine.

ANDREAS CLARK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, WINE AUSTRALIA "So in Australian dollar terms it's over a billion dollars now into China and you look back only a decade ago and we sent 2 million cases there at around a hundred million dollars, we are now sending 20 million cases and it is over a billion dollars so it gives you a sense of that rise that we have enjoyed over the last decade."

That's a big reason why Wines By Geoff Hardy, along with Wine Australia and more than a dozen other Australian wine makers, is taking part in this year's China International Import Expo.

BEC HARDY BRAND MANAGER, WINES BY GEOFF HARDY "For us, it is finding new distributors - we have told number of our current distributors that we know will be there and it is a good way to catch up with them."

ANDREAS CLARK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, WINE AUSTRALIA "It's just critically important to be at this expo. The China government putting a lot of support behind it and it is part of demonstrating to the world, obviously the title tells the story - it is about imports and it is demonstrating to the world that China is such a critical market."

And for Bec Hardy, it's a market that continues to play an increasing role for a business - so deeply rooted to the region where it all began more than 160 years ago. Greg Navarro, CGTN, McLaren Vale.