The invisible boom in Spanish white wine exports

The Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) has released the full year export wine data for 2005. In their press release they note the continuing trend of slightly more value (+1.12% from 2004) for less volume (down 1.69% from '04), which highlights the weakening picture for Spanish bulk wine exports. This trend is also consistent with the trend everywhere of consumers opting for better quality (higher price) but less of it.

However, the FEV has COMPLETELY IGNORED the amazing boom in Spanish white wine exports, which are up 100% in value for the year and up 81% in volume, meaning that even though prices have risen (overall 10% higher), there has been a lot of whites wines shipped overseas during 2005. Of course, white wine exports account for only 23% of the value of bottled D.O. origen exports (172 million euros against 563 million euros for red wines), but the omission might also have something to with the opinion in Spain that reds are serious wines, but whites are less so. But an increasing number of extranjeros are finding out about Albariño, Verdejo, Godello, Xarel·lo and even Gwertztraminer from Spain