China accounts for 10% of Burgundy wine export

The value of Burgundy sold in China has doubled in a year and by the end of 2011 the region will represent 10% of all of Burgundian export revenues.

When the value of the Japanese market is included then Asia will account for 21% of all revenue. In 2005 Asia counted for only 2% of revenue for the French appellation.

Although Japan remained a mature and important market for Burgundy, a market report from the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) noted that it was now China and Hong Kong that represented the main buying power in the region.

The report stated: “The People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong are constantly increasing their imports of Burgundy.

“These two markets, linked by import flows, are soon to become, within a few months, Burgundy’s sixth largest market in terms of value.”

Singapore and Taiwan had also registered substantial growth, particularly as – like Hong Kong – they act as export platforms to Asia in general.

The report was sure to note the importance of other Asian countries too such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, which, while not having high import volumes, often source their wines from Singapore and Hong Kong instead.

For now Japan remains the third largest market for Burgundy by value (behind the US and UK) with 12.2% of all revenue.