Local Canberra vigneron Graham Shaw was an interested observer at the address to the National Press Club by Minister for Trade, Steve Ciobo, more particularly as the questions to the minister focused on a bit of a wine problem with China.
There have been meetings, pleading by companies caught up in the current ‘imbroglio’ and earnest calling for the PM to hightail it to China for some head-to-head diplomacy as general frustration at this the seller’s end of the problem gets a bit too hard to negotiate.
For Graham Shaw there’s an order in a warehouse ready to go this very week and while he doesn’t have the Minister on speed dial he’s just a tad apprehensive about reassurances from the Minister asserting that from time to time there will be problems with trade to China.
Meanwhile back at the fabulous Shaw Estate Vineyards, they’ve almost finished a schmick new tasting and cellar door facility and are planning for a new sculpture exhibition in the coming spring.
But all would be happy in the vineyard if trade with China could avoid what Minister Ciobo calls the current “trade irritant”.
