Bordeaux reflects on 2010 exports

Last year ended positively for Bordeaux exports, with significant rises in both volume and value. Unsurprisingly, Asia delivered particularly good figures, as did certain Baltic countries.

Overall export figures to the end of October 2010 saw a 10% rise in volume to 1.68 million hectolitres and a 7% rise in value to €1.39 billion.

The report into these findings stated that the return to better sales was “slowest and most modest in the European Union”.

The UK apparently saw a volume rise of 4% but a corresponding drop of 8% in value to €221m.

Meanwhile Belgium, usually a major market for French wines, saw volume fall by 8% to 218,000hl and a loss of 10% in value, down to €116m.

On the other hand, the success of Asia continued unabated. Volume exports to China rose by 71% to 190,000hl and value was up by 98% to €125m.

Hong Kong’s position as the Asian hub for all things fine wine meant that exports rose by 65% to 61,000hl.

Although this is significantly less than mainland Chinese figures, the value of Hong Kong’s imports – double that of China at €208m, a rise of 126% – show that it is playing little part in the draining of the wine lake.

Building from small bases, Russia and Lithuania were surprising success stories last year.

Imports rose by 37% to Russia and 120% to Lithuania leaving them with 16,000hl and 18,000hl respectively, worth €7m and €6m apiece.

Rupert Millar, 13.01.2011