| Exports of French wine and spirits were up a record 12.9% in 2006. The results announced last week by the FEVS (Federation des Exportateurs de vins et spiritueux de France), show the total value of exports was €8.74bn, equivalent of 147 airbus planes, an increase of about 13% over 2005.
'It has been a record year thanks to exceptional results from our star products Champagne and Cognac,' said Philippe Casteja of Borie-Manoux, Bodeaux, the current President of FEVW . Champagne was up by 14.7% on 2005, with sales of €2.1bn. Spirits exports were up 16.4% on 2005 in value. Sales were dominated by Cognac , which contributed €1.5bn to the total.
FEVS also noted a continuing recovery in wine exports, up 9.9% with sales of €3.9bn.
AOC wines did particularly well, showing an increase in export value of 13.5%. The exceptions were the regions of Languedoc Roussillon, which was down 9.6%, and Beaujolais, down 3%.
Burgundy and Bordeaux came first and second as the AOC wines, with increases in export values of 9% and 5.8% respectively.
The US was the number one consumer in value overall for wine and spirits, importing €2.4bn of wine and spirits, a 22.2% increase on 2005. The UK was number two, importing €1.5bn, up 8.2%.
"Post 9/11 anti French sentiment has been receding since 2003," said U.S.-based Patrick Merrill of Merrill Research. "Up to then you could hear people saying, 'I¹ll buy anything but French.'"
The French appear to be gaining ground at the expense of the Australians. Twelve years ago, France had 26% of the U.S. market, by volume, and the Australians only 6%.
The figures in 2005, post 9/11 and the Iraq invasion, changed significantly to show France holding only 12% of the market, and Australia falling back to 31%.
The 2006 figures show France creeping back up to a 14%, and Australia falling back to 29%.
Driving the 1.3 billion euro of wine exports to the U.S. in 2006 was Bordeaux , which showed a 49.6% increase thanks to sales of the 2003 vintage.
Spirits exports to the U.S. , France¹s number one market, were just over one billion euro, up 26%, with Cognac accounting for half of this.
For wine only the UK remained the top importer of French wines by value - but with a slower growth rate than the US . American imports by value grew by 17.9% compared to the UK 's growth by value of 9.7%.
Exports to China showed the biggest single increase at 44.8%, a total of €101m.
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