Spanish wine exports: UK now leading market by value

The Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) yesterday released export sales data for the period January to October 2007 versus the same period in 2006.

In nearly every category, the value and volume of Spanish export shipments increased during the period.

The highlights:
The UK is now the most valuable market for Spanish wine exports, passing traditional leader Germany.
The total value of Spanish wine exports rose by 12% to 1.47 billion euros on volumes of 1.2 billion liters (up 4.3%).

Details on value and volumes shipped:

• Shipments of white bulk wines (both D.O. and non-D.O.) rose by roughly 30% in value and volume to 102 million € and 333 million liters.
• Cava was up by 25% in value to 263 million euros on 91.6 million liters (up nearly 12%).
• Bulk sales of red and rosado wines (which the FEV lumps in the same statistical caterogy), slipped by 6% value to 128 M € on volume of 305 M liters (down 16%).
• Red and rosado bottled wines from D.O.s, the single most important value category, comprising 37% of the value of all Spanish wine exports) was up by more than 11% in value to 545.4 M € on volume of 171.4 M liters (up 7%).

Destination markets:

• The UK surpassed Germany to become the most important market by value for Spanish wines, spending 240.6 M €, or 16.4% of all spending on Spanish wine exports. This is an increase of 13%. The majority of UK purchases were on D.O. wines (142.4 M €) and Cava (50.4 M €).
  
• Germany's spending rose by a less amount (5.3%) to 234.9 M € or 16% of spending.
  
• This was followed by the USA, up 15%, to 174.1 M €.

By volume:

• Germany took the top spot with 16.7% of shipments to 206.7 M liters (up 13.7%).
• France was number 2 at 202.6 M liters: 16.3% of shipments, up 0.8%.
• Russia continued its buying, mostly of bulk wines, to take the third position with 134.8 M liters, or nearly 11% of all volume, up .2%. Bulk volumes to Russia accounted for 87% of shipments to that market.

The only market in the top 10 that declined was the Netherlands (down 0.2% in value; down 6.5% in volume). The largest increases were in Italy: up 127.7% in value to 47.7 M €, and in the US: up 26% in volume, mainly on D.O. wines (46% of exports by volume to the US and Cava 19% of export volume to the US).