EU-27 Annual Wine Report 2009; Consumption to Fall Due to Economic Downturn(10)

Value in million dollars
Country of Origin 2006 2007 2008
Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Australia 3,275 1,093 3,640 1,302 3,107 1,133
Chile 2,237 550 2,898 747 2,738 757
South Africa 2,194 506 2,320 583 2,672 615
U.S. 2,075 445 2,224 475 2,119 467
Argentina 595 145 661 172 706 198
GAIN Report - E49021 Page 10 of 15
UNCLASSIFIED USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Macedonia 443 22 494 41 386 26
New Zealand 254 174 321 243 332 240
Moldova 548 35 105 18 111 21
TOTAL WORLD 11,941 3,077 13,004 3,731 12,441 3,602
Source: Global Trade Atlas
U.S. exports to the European Union, after growing gradually in the recent past, have
remained fairly stable during the last three years. A large share of these U.S. exports
(almost two thirds) are represented by bulk Californian wine, which is bottled in Europe for
local consumption. Beginning in 2004, this bulk trade assisted the competitiveness of
Californian wine by reducing tariff, transportation and bottling costs. In particular, the bulk
exports to Italy in January-November 2008 were over 500,000 hectoliters. Once bottled, this
product is sold within the EU, mainly in the UK market. These sales have tended to result in
a statistical overestimate of Italian imports of US wines and under represent the UK imports.
Also the majority (about three fourth) of the U.S. wine imported into Germany, is shipped as
bulk wine, bottled locally, and sold in leading German supermarket chains and discount food
stores.