by Hervé Lalau
After consecutive losses on the export market since 2001, Bordeaux has regained ground in both value (+4%) and volume (+24%) during the fiscal campaign ending in July 2006. This was largely the result of high demand for the 2003 Médoc, Graves,
Saint-Émilion, Pomerol and Fronsac. During the period from August 1st 2005 to July 31st 2006, 1.81 million hectolitres - or approximately 241 million bottles - were exported. According to the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), the total value of exports during that period was 1.24 billion Euros.
Belgium remains the largest export market number with a volume of 339,000 hectolitres and 138 million Euros in value, a growth of ten percent. While the second strongest market, Germany, took a slight loss of two percent in volume to 318,000 hectolitres, value remained stable at 129 million Euros. The United Kingdom was number three in terms of volume with 255,000 hectolitres (+2%). However, in value the British are the most important market with 212 million Euros (+45%) in turnover.
The United States of America are in fourth place in volume with 150,000 hectolitres; but in value they skyrocketed 70 percent to 212 million Euros, tying the British for first place. In Canada, volumes declined by 5% to 69,000 hectolitres. The Asian markets, on the other hand, all show double digit gains: Japan at 139,000 hectolitres (+9%) and 113 million Euros (+14%), Hong-Kong at 18,000 hectolitres (+24%), South Korea at 21,000 hectolitres (+23%) and China at 15,200 hectolitres (+62%).
The value per bottle in the major markets, however, tells another story. Here the Americans are by far the biggest spenders, shelling out an average of 18.85 Euro ex Bordeaux. The British follow at 11.08, with the Japanese only slightly behind at 10.84. The two largest markets, Belgium and Germany, are more miserly, paying only 5.43 and 5.41 Euros per bottle respectively.
