FRENCH WINE EXPORTS REACH 3.5 BILLION EUROS TURNOVER IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2015 FOR 7% GROWTH INCREASE COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD IN 2014, REVEAL DATA FROM LVEF - FÉDÉRATION DES EXPORTATEURS DE VINS ET SPIRITUEUX

French wine exports reached 3.5 billion euros turnover in the first half of 2015, registering 7% increase compared to the same period in 2014. Exports were driven, like Italy, by bubbles, which account for 1.1 billion euros (90% thanks to Champagne). Bordeaux and Burgundy also did very well with a market share, respectively, of 889 and 339 million euros, revealed data from LVEF - Fédération des vins et de exportateurs spiritueux (www.fevs.com).
Champagne is the best example of how important it is to work on average price, as it reached 26 euros per liter: volumes stable at 378.000 hectoliters, and values reached 973 million euros. Bordeaux reversed the trend, at shares for 889 million euros (+ 6.3%), despite a 1.6% decline in quantity, but still quite far away - even for 12-month projections -from its 2012 record (2.31 billion euros of wine exported). Burgundy is positive, and did not experience any scaling down in 2013 and 2014. Its + 6.2% for 339 million euros is the "appetizer" for a very probable record 2015 (estimates predict 732 million euros in exports).
“These data are difficult to interpret in a uniform way”, the director of LVEF, Pierre Genest told the French website "Vitisphere" (www.vitisphere.com), “because last year many things changed on individual markets, each with its own particular economic performance and logistical constraints. And it is even more difficult to predict the trend in exports to the end of the year”.
As mentioned above, Champagne still plays a major role, at 9% growth. Still wines increased 6% in value but haven’t been able to reverse the trend that for several years has shown a steady decline in quantities, which fell 3% in the first six months of 2015. Analyzing the different geographical areas, however, reveals a definitely positive picture in North America for French wine producers and 29% growth in export, mainly supported by Champagne and Cognac. Asia did very well with 12% increase in export value (compared to 13% growth in quantity), where China, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan continue to grow.
The trend in the Old World, of the most mature markets, revealed only 2% growth in value, and 7% decrease in volume. And, finally, Africa registered a slight growth in the first half of the year: + 1.4% in value and 0.6% in volume.
Overall, sales of wines and spirits overseas together totaled 5.2 billion euros (+ 10% compared to the first six months of 2014), returning to the same levels as 2013, as the President of LVEF, Cristophe Navarre pointed out: “Recovery in exports is good news, and the results of the first half of 2015 put us line with 2013 levels, but we must be cautious, because the global context is particularly volatile. There is uncertainty on various markets and we have to avoid that price effect, linked to poor availability, does not penalize the positioning of our wines in the coming months”.