German wine exports remain on the path to success.

MAINZ. The 12-month period from May 2006 through April 2007 shows growth that exceeds the record reached in 2006. In the course of its annual export workshop in early July, the German Wine Institute in Mainz reported that the value of German wine exports has exceeded the 600-million Euro mark and, For the first time, the quantity of wine exported has exceeded 3 million hectoliters.

German Riesling at Vinexpo 07, Bordeaux

According to Steffen Schindler, director of export marketing at the wine institute: “It is especially encouraging that exports have increased in terms of value (+22%) and volume (+14%) and that the average price per liter has risen to €1,96. However, the numbers above include foreign wines re-exported by German commercial wineries, equal to ca. 25%.

Portfolio Change in Great Britain

During the past few years, there has been a continual change in the German wines on offer in the British market. In conjunction with repositioning, there has been a slow but steady increase in the middle price segment. Sales of German wines in the €4–5 price range increased during the past year by 720,000 bottles (+46%) to 2.3 million bottles, whereby German wines under €3 decreased by 1.8 million bottles to 14.7 million bottles.

This trend is also reflected in export figures. As such, during the 12-month period through April 2007, some 840,000 hl at an average price of €1.63 were exported; in 2003, it was nearly a million hl at an average price of €1.29/liter. Nevertheless, with this overall export volume, Great Britain remains the most import export market.

USA is the Most Dynamic Wine Market in the World

Dynamic development in the USA in recent years has led to a 10 percent increase in consumption between 2004 and 2005 – to 2.2 billion liters. It is the the fastest growing wine market in the world. German wines (through April 2007) showed above-average growth of 27% (in terms of volulme...31 million liters) valued at 107 million Euro, with an average price of €3.45/liter. “Riesling – followed by Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) – is the varietal with the greatest sales growth in the grocery trade. German wine-growers, in particular, profit from the fact that they cultivate some 60% of the world’s Riesling vineyards. In addition, we’ll use this trend to promote Riesling as well as the Pinots grown in Germany,” says Steffen Schindler.