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Exports of German wines developed positively in the first quarter of this year. As the German Wine Institute (DWI) announced at its Export Forum in Oppenheim, the value of exported wines rose by three percent to 67 million euros and the volume by one percent to 230,000 hectolitres compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
Last year, the export figures had still shown a five percent drop in sales due to the small 2017 harvest, with a constant value development. According to the DWI, a total of around one million hectolitres of German wine were sold abroad in 2018.
The DWI also notes "a growing interest in exports by the industry". This was also demonstrated by the very well attended DWI Forum. "Wine exports are becoming a lucrative and important economic mainstay for more and more wine producers, not least thanks to the rise in average prices in recent years, and represent an interesting alternative to the highly competitive German market," explained DWI Managing Director Monika Reule.
The Scandinavian countries are particularly strong growth markets for German wine exporters. The positive trend of last year continued there until March 2019.
"The DWI is eagerly awaiting the development of wine exports to Great Britain. In the first quarter of 2019 there had been increases in quantity and value, but this was "due to the precautionary procurement of wines in the run-up to the brexit". Rob Ivory of the British Wine & Spirit Trade Association explained the expected impact of a possible brexite on German wine exports: According to him, in his opinion, a disorderly brexite would lead to a sharp slump in trade from the EU, which is why companies should build up additional stocks of around 20 percent of their goods in the UK.
In the opinion of the Wine Institute, the up-and-coming Russian wine market is "on the verge of a comeback for German wines after very sharp slumps in recent years". As the head of the newly opened DWI office in Moscow, Tatiana Böhm, explained, Russian consumers' interest in Riesling in particular is growing.
(uka / Photo: German Wine Institute)