US wine exports to the EU increased by 7.6 per cent in terms of value, and 4.1 per cent in terms of volume during 2015, according to the US Wine Institute.
The 461 million litres sold to Europe is a record high for the American wine trade to its most important export market, generating $1.61 billion in 2015. Nine-tenths of this wine comes from California.
In a statement, Paul Molleman, Wine Institute trade director for Continental Europe, said that in spite of "a strong U.S. dollar and fierce competition from Old and New World wine countries, nearly all export markets in Continental Europe showed an increase."
“It is especially encouraging to see that our educational and promotional efforts in Germany, our largest market on the continent, are paying off with an increase of 32 per cent in revenues. The 28-member European Union countries accounted for nearly 40 per cent share of total US wine exports in 2015," he added.
John McLaren, the institute’s United Kingdom trade director, said, "The United Kingdom has always been a receptive market for California wines, and a quarter of all US wine exports by volume come to this country. Value increases are now out-stripping volume growth, with US wine export value to the UK rising by 28 per cent last year.
"The wine trade here has shifted emphasis to restaurants and casual dining, and a burgeoning independent retail sector, leading to increased interest in premium wines from the Golden State. California is better placed here than it has ever been before, and we expect further growth in 2016 and beyond."
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
