There are three main steps you need to follow.

1. You will need an export licence. You can get further information here, or access the online application form here.
2. . Once you have a licence you will need to apply for product approval via WALAS for each product you intend to export
3. When you are ready to ship your products, you will normally need a shipping permit. A shipping application can be submitted via WALAS. Exemptions apply in limited situations. You can find out more here.

Wine Australia considers a range of criteria when determining whether to grant an export licence. You can read them here. A list of the fees associated with exporting is here.

Wine for export must meet Australian regulations relating to labelling and composition. It’s important to familiarise yourself with our Compliance Guide. Some markets have additional regulatory controls. You can find out more in our market-specific Export Market Guides.

You should apply for your Shipping Permit at least 5 working days before the relevant cut-off date to ensure it is processed in time. Import Certificates can be issued at any time after departure and before arrival in the destination port. Please note that we attend to all applications in the order they are received, not the date that they will be shipped/received.

Yes, the export process for bulk and bottled wine is the same, although the import process may vary. However, if an offshore packaging facility does not meet the standards expected by the Australian wine sector, Wine Australia retains the power to prevent shipments to that facility.

Not necessarily. There are more than 3,500 licensed wine exporters. Each can export wine that they have purchased in Australia provided they satisfy our export controls.

Australia’s Label Integrity Program requires all suppliers and receivers of wine (and grapes) to keep records of the transaction for seven years. The records must identify from whom the wine has been received and to whom it is despatched. This is to enable traceability of the wine through the supply chain. So you need to keep a record of receiving the wine from the winery and despatching the wine to the bottler. Similarly the winery needs to keep a record of despatching the wine to you and the bottler must record receiving the wine from you (and despatching it back to you when packaged). Details of the information that must be recorded for each of these transactions can be found on the Label Integrity Program page.

At the moment there are ten FTAs in force between Australia and other countries, and more are being negotiated. Most of these provide for the import tax (the tariff) that is payable on Australian wine to be lower than the tariff applied to wine from other countries. To benefit from the lower tariff it is usually necessary to obtain a certificate demonstrating the wine is of Australian origin. Wine Australia is authorised to issue the certificate that is needed to obtain the preferential tariff in China. You can obtain the certificate through WALAS.

It is the responsibility of exporters to ensure the Certificate of Analysis and VI1 Certificate of Analysis (where applicable) is correct and current for any products that are being exported.

To avoid potential shipment delays, a new Certificate of Analysis and VI1 Certificate analysis (where applicable) should be submitted to Wine Australia every 12 months for active products.

In the case of non-vintage products or bulk shipments – where differences in returned analytical values are as a result of re-blending, or a new blend being put together or purchased – a new Certificate of Analysis or VI1 Certificate of Analysis alone will not be sufficient and a new product registration will be required to be submitted for that blend.  

Yes. Each new 'batch' of wine must be registered, whether the composition remains the same or differs. It’s important to ensure that the blend composition is completed as accurately as possible (and is supported by winery records) when applying for product approval.

In general, you can only use the name of a grape variety, or a synonym, if it is on the “authorised grape varieties” page. If the name you wish to use is not on the list you can apply to Wine Australia for it to be added.

Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (ANZFSC) it is mandatory to have a name and address for the ‘supplier’ on your label at the time the wine is sold or exported. The 'supplier' can be the manufacturer, importer, packer or vendor. The address must be a physical address, PO boxes are not acceptable.

There is no requirement for the term ‘produced by’ to be used in relation to the supplier. In fact, if the supplier did not physically produce the wine, it could be misleading

Yes, under the following conditions. If bottles are to be sold individually, all mandatory information must be on each bottle. If the wine is to be sold in unbroken cartons, allergen statements must be on each bottle but the rest of the information can be on the outer casing.

Certain words and phrases are not permitted in the presentation and description of a wine unless the wine is entitled to use them. The Register of Protected GIs and Other Terms (the Register) has further information. There are four sections: Geographic Indications (GIs), Traditional Expressions (TEs), Additional Terms and Quality Wine Terms.

Both Australian and international GIs are listed on the Register. To use a registered GI on a wine label in any context (including in the address), the labelling must comply with the blending rules.

It is mandatory to include all of the following items on the labels of exported wine goods:

1. indication of the true nature of the product (e.g. ‘Wine’ or ‘Wine Product’)
2. alcohol statement
3. volume statement
4. country of origin statement
5. ‘supplier’ name and address
6. standard drinks
7. allergen statement, and
8. lot identification.

Please see page 8 of our Compliance Guide for information about how these must be displayed. It is important to note that most export markets will have their own labelling requirements in addition to the above mandatory requirements. For further information, refer to the relevant Export Market Guide for your destination.

Wine Australia maintains a list of permitted grape variety names and synonyms for varieties. What is listed on the label must meet the requirements of the Blending Rules. Including a variety in any context (even as part of a 'blurb' on the back label) is taken to be a claim and you must be entitled to make such a claim for that wine.

‘SEA’ is an abbreviation for ‘South Eastern Australia’, a multi-state Geographical Indication (GI) that covers a large part (but not all) of the grape-producing areas in Australia. The Australian GI system comprises states, zones, regions and sub-regions. All GIs and their legal boundaries are listed here. If the fruit for a wine is sourced from different regions, it can only claim a distinct region if the composition complies with the Blending Rules.

Documentation requirements vary between export markets. For specific, up-to-date information refer to our Export Market Guides.

In markets where Australian wines receive preferential tariff treatment (for example, China through the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement), you will generally require a Certificate of Origin to verify that your wine is from Australia.

Other certificates, such as a Certificate of Free Sale, may be required to verify that the wine complies with Australian law. You can find information about what certificates are required for which markets in our Export Market Guides.

 You can apply for most certificates using WALAS.

Our Export Market Guides include information on import procedures, duties and taxes, labelling requirements and wine standards for more than 30 countries. Additionally, you should confirm import export market requirements (for example, packaging) with your importer. 

The Wine Australia Export Market Guides are available to licenced exporters and Wine Grapes Levy Payers at no cost. Online and downloadable options can be accessed by signing in or signing up to the Wine Australia website. 

If you are not a Wine Grapes Levy Payer or not yet an exporter but wish to access the guides, please contact us at exports@wineaustralia.com.

Wine Australia is not involved in this process, but we provide some information in the Chinese Export Market Guide. For assistance with AQSIQ online registration please contact your Chinese agent. 

Yes. The permitted alcohol tolerance varies from one market to another, and may depend on the product itself – for example, the tolerance for fortified wine in Australia is actually 0.5 per cent. You can see a market-by-market break down here, and, for further information, it’s best to check the Export Market Guide for the relevant export market.

Wine standards differ across different markets. The best way to find the limits for additives or other parameters (for example – Sulphur Dioxide, Volatile Acidity, or the sweetness category your wine fits into) is to consult the Export Market Guide for the market you are looking to export to. The guides also cover the labelling requirements. Remember, your wine must first meet Australian (domestic) standards in order to be granted a permit for export. These can be found in the Compliance Guide.