Active in China since 1998, Castel Group, France’s largest wine producer, saw its sales volume reach 5.5m bottles in 2008, double that of 2007. The Company expects a further rise of 18%, or 6.5m bottles, in 2009. "The results have shown a sharp progression over the past two years, but it's a result of  10 years' hard work. We are also well placed to continue our sucess even the fianancial crisis affects China next year", Castel's marketing director said. (Source: Decanter.com)

Exports of French wine by volume have fallen by almost 11% in the first eight months of 2008, according to Ubifrance. The drop is being attributed to the slowing worldwide economy and the strength of the euro against currencies including the dollar and sterling during the eight month period. In value terms exports rose by 5.73% to €4.2 billion. In regional terms Bordeaux volumes fell by 3.15% although the value of those exports rose by 37%, and the worst hit region was Burgundy, which fell by 12% in volume and 8% in value. (Source: Wine Business International.com) 

French wines, especially those from Burgundy, considered to be the ultimate expression of luxury and refinement, have an excellent image with Russian consumers. In 2007, Burgundy wine imports to Russia were estimated to represent 1.5 million bottles, a volume that is 2¹/₂ times larger than that in 2005. Sales turnover in Russia is thought to be at least €6.5 million, which makes Russia the twelfth largest market for Burgundy in terms of volume and value. (Source: Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne)

Les exportations de vin néo-zélandaises continuent leur progression, selon les derniers chiffres annuels publiés par les viticulteurs de Nouvelle-Zélande. Les exportations de vin ont progressé de 14% sur l’année au 30 juin dernier. Les exportations ont atteint les 88,6 millions de litres, rapportant 440 millions d’euros. La valeur des exportations devraient dépasser les 550 millions d’euros d’ici 2010.

Les exportations vers son voisin l’Australie ont progressé de 37%, suffisamment pour dépasser la Grande-Bretagne et devenir le premier marché des vins de Nouvelle-Zélande. (Source : Impact)

Amongst the 56.4 million litres of wine sold in Norway in 2007, an increase of 3.2%, 1.29 million litres or 1.7 million bottles were from Burgundy, a rise of 19%.

With Burgundy wines the Norwegian monopoly achieved sales of €31 million. (Source: Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne)

Because of stronger demand for Cognac in world markets, Charente distillers have produced more of the spirit and less Pineau, namely only 83,636 hectolitres, which is 10.3% less than last year, with sales of 2.1% fewer bottles overall. The foreign markets for Pineau remain stable, showing a slight increase of 1.7% with loyal drinkers in Belgium, up 0.6% and Canada, up 3.9%, but French markets, which account for three quarters of the total volume, drank 3.4% less. (Source: Top Drinks)

In the year between July 2007 and June 2008, Australian exports have lost 13% of volume and 12% in value. The sixth largest wine producing nation in the world, which has 160,000 hectares of vines, exported 7 million hectolitres in the period, worth a total of €1.6 billion.

The three world leading wine exporting nations, France, Spain and Italy sell around 15 million hectolitres each outside their frontiers. (Source: Sud Ouest)

Despite a major promotional campaign, wine sales in Argentina measured by volume fell by 4.14% over the first seven months of the year, according to the National Winegrowing Institute’s figures. Exports, however, continue to increase, up 32% by volume. (Source: VSB)

Koreans drank 320,000 hectolitres of wine in 2007, 40% more than in 2006. These excellent results are a consequence of the growing involvement of Korean super- and hypermarkets in this new market, which are expected to account for more than 50% of all sales in terms of volume in 2008, compared to one third 4 years ago. (Source: VSB)

With deliveries down 5.5%, only just clearing the 150 million bottle mark over the 12 months up to the end of August, the Cognac market’s downward trend is lasting. The only exception to the trend is the Far East with a rise of 7.1% to reach 41.4 million bottles. This growth is principally attributable to increases in China, up 15.1%, in Singapore, up 16.9%, as well as Taiwan, up 31.5% and Malaysia, up 5.6%. (Source: Décision Boissons)

The latest half-year figures for Bulgarian wine exports show a negative trend, almost 48m litres of wine were exported, compared to 58m litres for the six months of 2007.

With a domestic consumption of 47m litres and exports amounting to 116m litres in 2007, Bulgaria is clearly a net wine exporter.

In 2007 Russia took 69% of the wine exports. The second most important market was Poland, which only absorbed 21m litres. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

After a 27-year-old civil war in Angola, imports started growing again.

Now, Angola is the biggest market for wine in Africa after South Africa. The market grew from around €16m in 2002 to over €58m in 2006 – an increase of about 229%.

The key supplier is Portugal at 64%, Spain is number two at 23%, with South Africa at 4%. (Source: Wine Business International)

In 2007, Champagne sales in Australia reached the record-breaking figure of 3.31 million bottles, which amounts to a 12% increase over 2006. Champagne sales growth is due to the enthusiasm for luxury products. (Source: Eurowine)

Spanish wine exports increased 15.9% in value and 16.4% in volume over the first quarter of 2008 reaching 454 million euros for 411 liters. The giood results are due in part to the success of cavas and other sparkling wines, but especially to bulk table wine exports which have grown impressively: +43% in value and +33%  in volume. (Source: Eurowine)

Vodka is the drink of the moment in the Dominican Republic, with sales growing 50% in 2007. Imported brands into the country soared by 60% from 104,400 cases in 2006 to 157,000 cases in 2007. (Source: Dominican Today – IWSR)

French wine merchants fear the world financial crisis could cause their worst end-of-year sales squeeze since the aftermath of the attacks of Sept 11, 2001.

After the attacks, sales of Bordeaux wine to the United States fell by 29 per cent in volume during the final quarter of 2001 – the key Christmas and New Year period, which accounts for half of annual sales. (Source: The StraitsTimes.com)

No other country in the world consumes as much sparkling wine, or “sekt” as Germany. In 2007, that was 3.8 litres per head, but down from over five in the early 1990s. In 2007, total domestic sales of all sparkling wine were more than 413m bottles, 335m of which were “made in Germany”.

2 000 sparkling wine producers in Germany are estimated, and Germany boasts three of the world’s five largest wine producers. (Source: Wine Business International)

South-African wines are taking over markets in the African continent, which has become their fourth largest export destination. According to Wines of South Africa, well-off economies now prefer to seek their supplies in sub-Saharan areas rather than Europe, their traditional supplier. In 2006, South-African wines had less than a 10% market share in Africa. (Source: VSB)

After a collapse in sales to the UK five years ago, exports of medium and higher quality red Bordeaux are prospering – defying the economic crisis.

Sales of Medoc and Haut Medoc appellation wines have more than doubled in quantity in the 12 months. Overall exports of Bordeaux to Britain, red and white, have increased by 13% in volume in the year to July and by 52% by value.

Exports of red Bordeaux to Britain have exploded because of the near-mythical reputation achieved by 2005 claret, regarded as one of the finest years. (Source: The Independent)

With more and more tourists visiting Cambodia and as Cambodian society gradually opens up to wine and spirits drinking, the market is beginning to take off. The leading beneficiary is France, who exported €3.55 million worth of wines and spirits there in 2007. This growth trend was confirmed over the first five months of 2008, when €1.5 million worth of wine and spirits were sent there, bearing in mind that these figures do not include imports from Singapore, where Cambodian importers also source large volumes. (Source: VSB)

Having consumed 9.4 million cases of still light wines in 2006, Uruguay is the fourth largest market in Latin America, and its volumes are 13% lower than in 1998. Uruguay is traditionally a wine producer and is the leading supplier of its own domestic market with a 98% share. (Source: Revue Vinicole Internationale – The IWSR)

Wine consumption per capita more than doubled from 2.5 litres in 1996 to over 5 in 2007. There is a good reason to believe that in the next 15 years, the gap between Russian and European levels of consumption may close entirely. Official figures report that consumption in Russia grew from 500m litres of still wine and 100m litres of sparkling in 2000 to 800m litres of still and 220m of sparkling in 2007. (Source: Wine Business International)

aguay is still a small market, consuming a little less than 3 million cases of still light wines. It is however a vibrant market that has almost doubled in size (94%) in 8 years. Paraguay produces wine, but not enough today to satisfy its local demand. Its leading supplier, Argentina supplied 93% of the wine drunk in 2006, up 134% in 8 years. (Source: Revue Vinicole Internationale – The IWSR)

In the second half of 2007, The United States overtook the UK as the leading wine export market, largely due to the extraordinary popularity of German Rieslings amongst young American drinkers. Export sales to the US account for nearly €100 million, which is one quarter of Germany’s total wine export turnover. (Source: VSB)

Brazilians drank 34.6 million cases of still light wines in 2006, making Brazil the second largest market in South America with 17% of the total, and sales growth of 31% compared to 1998. In the period 1998-2006, Brazil thus moved ahead of Chile, demonstrating its economic strength and the emergence of a middle class, whose standard of living increases regularly. (Source: Revue Vinicole  Internationale – The IWSR)

Peru claims to have increased its production of pisco by 120% between 2003 and 2007. In the first half of 2008, exports mainly to the US are reported to be up 35% reaching a value of about €498,000. Thus Peru appears to be ahead of Chile, while both countries claim that this grape-based spirit is their own national liqueur. (Source: VSB)

In the first half of 2008, imports of Argentine wine into the US exceeded 2.1 million 12-bottle cases, worth more than €48 million, an increase of 44.5% compared to 2007. (Source: VSB)

The improvement of relations between Russia and Moldavia has had a direct influence on exports of French and Bulgarian table wines and other non-AOC wines. In the first half of 2008, French exports lost 18.9% of their volume, while Bulgarian wine exports decreased by 20% in the first three months alone. (Source: VSB)

In 2008, exports of Uruguayan wines, whose production is currently being developed, should break an all-time record at 13 to 14 million litres. The main importer of this small producer is Russia. (Source VSB)

The value of French wine exports in the first half of 2008 increased by 8.2% to reach €3.2 billion. However the volumes exported decreased significantly by 8.7% compared to last year. The main categories to be forsaken by foreign drinkers were table wines and vins de pays. AOC wines, meanwhile, pushed the overall market upwards with exports increasing in value by 18%, despite a slight fall in volume of 1%. (Le Figaro)

The popularity of rosé has been confirmed as new figures show the number of regular wine drinkers who drink rosé has risen by over 60% in the last three years. According to research commissioned by the WSTA, six of ten wine drinkers now drink rosé compared to less than four out ten in 2005.

This growth comes in part at the expense of red, with consumption of red wine falling by 10% over the past tree years. (Source: Decanter.com)

The market share of non-French wines in French super- and hypermarkets has stagnated at around 1.5% to 2% of sales for about ten years. Spanish wines have the lead, accounting for 50% of the volumes. Wines from North Africa come second with 20% of the total volume, followed by Portuguese (8%) and Italian wines (6%). New World wines only represent 14% of the volume of non-French wines sold. (Source: Boissons de France)

Cava, which originates from Catalonia in Spain, has in a short period of time undoubtedly become one the most important sparkling wines in the world, now representing 10.4% of the global sparkling market. In 2007, over 20 m 9-litre cases of Cava were made, of which 56% were exported. Germany, which bought 41 m bottles in 2007, is by far the largest client for Cava, followed by the UK with 32.7 m and the US with 14.4 m. (Source : Wine Business International)

Australian wine exports to Asia showed value growth in the year, increasing by 6% to €149m, according to the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. In particular, growth in China (+17%), Hong Kong (+24%) and South Korea (+10%) was very strong. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

Despite a decline of 1% in volume to 200m litres, exports of German wines rose by 2% in value to €398m in the 12 months through June 2008, according to statistics released by the Deutsches Wine Institute (DWI). Announcing the figures, Monika Reule, the managing director of the DWI, declared herself satisfied with the results, adding: “Turnover of all German wine exports has increased by 43% since 2000. Given the limited size of Germany’s vineyard area, we are more interested in value than volume”. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

Burgundy, the French region that exports the largest percentage of its wine, had a record-breaking year in 2007, but has been hit by dollar weakness in the first part of 2008. Export values for 2007 were up 21% on 2006. The total sales value for the year was €718m, for a volume of 110m bottles. The main buyers of Burgundy are the US and the UK, but there is a growing demand from Sweden, Finland and Norway, as well as Asia, notably Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

International sales of the exceptional Bordeaux 2005 vintage have saved French wine export figures for the first half of 2008. If exports from the more expensive Bordeaux region fell by 1.52% in volume, exports rose by a significant 42.5% in value. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

Canadian Ministry of Industry figures point to a decrease in the market share of French wines in Canada from 32% to 26% between 2002 and 2006. France stills holds on to the lead, but is closely followed by Australia with a 20% share. French wine imports grew by 16% in the period from 2002 to 2006, while Australian imports increased by 209% and Argentinean sales grew by 394%. (Source: Le Figaro.fr)

Italy’s spumante sales for the first six months of 2008 registered a 60% increase in value and a 10% increase in volume over 2007 exports. This equates to €1.3bn and 320m bottles. Consumption of both imported Champagnes and locally produced sparkling wines are rising rapidly in Italy. In 2007, Italy’s champagne imports registered a 11% increase on 2006, selling over 10m bottles. (Wine Business International.com)

Rosé, long dismissed by purists as uncultured plonk, has overtaken white wine in volume of sales in France. While much of France’s wine growers battle lower consumption and persistent overproduction, pink wine is enjoying as never before. It is estimated that more than one in five bottles of wine sold in France is a rosé. (Source: Telegraph.co)

On August, CEO of Diageo, Paul Walsh insisted on the morose economic environment which is triggering changes in consuming patterns that imply major marketing adjustments for Diageo’s products. “We are seeing there is a migration from the on-premise (pubs and bars) to the off-premise. We have to capture that off-premise occasion”, said Paul Walsh. (Source: Times online)

South Africa wine exports have broken all records and are soaring in spite of the international economic slowdown. Over 363 m litres were exported during the 12 months to July 2008, an increase of 27% on the previous year. In particular, exports have been fuelled by rising rosé sales, up 60% on the previous year. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

Compared to 2006 - 2007, cognac deliveries have decreased by 3.8% in volume, but turnover has grown slightly to reach more than 1.6 billion euros (152.8 million bottles), up 0.8%. (Source: Décisions Boissons)

Australia has overtaken the UK as the biggest export market for New Zealand wines, according to the country’s winegrowers’ association. Although exports to the UK increased by 8% last year, Australian market grew by 37%. The increased consumption of New Zealand wines in Australia means the country’s market is now worth €115 million, overtaking Britain, which consumed marginally less - €113 million. (Source: Decanter.com)

Over the past two years, sales of Burgundy have reached new heights in Sweden. For the first time, imports surpassed 3 million bottles in 2007, triple the volume purchased only five years ago. With sales up 35% in the first four months, the progression continues in 2008. (Source: Wine Business International)