Analysis of Australia's latest wine export figures brings into question the bullish reports of the last week. Although sales to the US reached a record A$42.6m (US$21.9m) in October, contract winemaking and branding is reducing the value and cutting into prices paid. The average price for Australian wine sold into the US in October was A$5.73 a litre compared with A$6.83 in October 2000 according to Sam Tolley, chief executive of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation.