Taking advantage of the strong demand for sparkling wines, sales of Asti Spumante rose by 11% in 2007 to reach 78, 8 M bottles. Nearly 80% of that volume is sold off-shore. Germany with 15, 6 M bottles (+5,2%) remains Asti’s largest market, followed by the United States with 12, 4 M bottles. But the most impressive growth was registered in Russia, where sales were up 48% to 7 M bottles. (Source: Wine Business International)

Analysts estimate that the recent discontinuation of customs duty on wine in Hong Kong should generate US$500 million of wine-related business. One of the activities that shows promise in the future Asian wine trading hub is auctions. Several merchants have just announced that they were soon going to organise sales in the former British colony. (Source: VSB)

Half bottles (37 cl) of Champagne are rarely drunk in the Champagne appellation area, let alone in France, but they appeal to some foreign markets, even if the format only represents 3.05% of all exports. The Japanese, who buy 11% of this type of export, and the Swiss, who order 8.6%, are the biggest fans. (Source: VITI

305 million euros, in other words a 25% increase over the same period in the preceding year. (Source: EuroWine)

South Africa wine exports, which have exceed 3 million hl in 2007, have increased at least 6%. South Africa can also congratulate itself on the diversification of its export customers. Five years ago, 72% of bottles wines were exported to Great Britain and the Netherlands. Today, 70% of the exports of wines from South Africa come from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and the United States. The volumes exported to Germany have jumped 40%, and Sweden has become the number two export market for bottled wines from South Africa. (Source: EuroWine)

Sales of aniseed-based aperitifs in 2-litre formats grew by 514% up to the end of 2007. The trend is similar for whisky and vodka, where 1.5 and 2-litre bottles are boosting the market because of their lower prices per litre. (Source: TNS Worldpanel / LSA)

Having taken over the entire Swedish group Vin & Spirit, Pernod Ricard is preparing to sell off Plymouth gin and Fris vodka in the next 6 months. The Italian Campari has already indicated its interest in acquiring them. Campari, the sixth largest wine and spirits producer in the world, has pursued rampant external growth for more than ten years, having notably acquired the whisky brands Glen Grant, Old Smuggler and Braemer in 2005 for €130 million, again from Pernod Ricard. (Source: Les Echos)

In order to strengthen sales growth abroad and the positive evolution in the image of German wines, the Deutsches Weininstitut (DWI) has announced that it is modifying its promotional strategy: “wine lovers must know that German wines are among the finest wines in the word and are unique. It’s important that Germany be perceived as a viticultural country where wine is an important cultural asset and an integral part of modern life”. The DWI is going to focus its promotional actions on event-based marketing, and traditional advertising is going to be reduced in favour of press relations and Internet information. (Source: EuroWine)