International demand for German quality wine grows

In 2010, Germany once again exported mroe quality wine than in the previous year. According to the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut -DWI) the volume of quality wine from German growing regions exported grew to a total of 1.25 million hectolitres, which represents an increase of eight per cent compared to the previous year. Value sales increased by six per cent to 285 million Euros. „In the overseas markets, in particular, we have recovered from the economic crisis. Sales of quality wines last year were back on the level they were in 2007“, sais DWI chief executive Monika Reule.

The USA is the most important wine export market for Germany, accounting for sales valued at 94 million Euros in the quality wine sector (volume growth 19 per cent, value growth 17 per cent), followed by the Netherlands at 30 million Euros (volume growth six per cent, value decline three per cent). Exports to Great Britain, the thiord most important market for German wines, showed a decline, down six per cent in volume terms and down 16 per cent in value sales in the quality wine sector. Ranked fourth in this statistic is Norway, where every third bottle of white wine sold came from Germany (volume sales growth twelve per cent, value sales plus 18 per cent). (CS/DWI)