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)

Having sold 61,700 cases of still light wines in Japan in 2007, the Spanish wines group Felix Solis Avantis is in second position on this market, just after Freixenet group. Last year, all the Spanish exporters together sold more than a million cases on the Japanese market, which represents an increase of 17.2%. Spain comes fifth  in this market just behind Chile. (Source: VSB)

Makers of vintage for France’s Beaujolais region have launched a campaign to improve their image and step out the shadow of Beaujolais Nouveau for which the area is best known. But a handful of winemakers producing top-of-the-range wine want to shake off the region’s reputation for poor quality.

“We are the only appellation in the world known for plonk and not for its top quality”, said Jean Bourjade, president of the local trade body.

Consequently some producers will organize three top-end wine tastings a year, in France, Europe and one big export market. In 2009 this will be in the eastern United States with stops in New York, Philadelphia and Florida. (Source: Reuters)

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)

Diageo has bought the world's largest collection of whiskies from a Brazilian whisky enthusiast and shipped them to Scotland.

Featuring 3,384 bottles, the record-breaking collection was built up over 35 years by Claive Vidiz, who scoured the world for whiskies to create the collection.

The bottles, which Diageo purchased for an undisclosed sum, are currently being stored at a high security location in Scotland. (Source: Harpers.com)

Hong Kong has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Wine-related Businesses with Bordeaux. This follows the memorandum agreed with France in August to promote trade in wine. The agreement covers cooperation in wine-related tourism, trade and investment promotion, the transfer of technologies relating to wine storage and manpower training.

Wine imports from France are up 116% in value since Hong Kong abolished wine duty in February. (Source: TheDrinksBusiness.com)