WINE IMPORTS TO THE U.S. INCREASE IN THE FIRST SEMESTER OF 2007. ITALIAN WINE & FOOD INSTITUTE: ITALY INCREASES 10.1% IN QUANTITY AND 9.7% IN VALULE. A BOOM FOR SPARKLING WINE BOOM WITH +23.7% IN VOLUME AND +24.7% IN VALUE

The June sun was definitely smiling upon Italian wine imports to the United States, which, according to Lucio Caputo (President of the Italian Wine & Food Institute), has registered an overall increase of 10.1% in quantity and 9.7% in value for the first six months of 2007 when compared to the same period in 2006.
Italian sparkling wines in particular had a true boom, with an increase in quantity of 23.7% and a 24.7% increase in value. This means that Italy has now taken a 30.1% quota of the total U.S. sparkling wine market, second only to France which, regardless of its fall in quantity of 7.8% and 1.5% in value, continues to hold the first place position for champagne and sparkling wine exports to the U.S. with a quota of 42.1%
Italian wine imports, for the period between January and June 2007, reached a total volume of 1,103,280 hectoliters with a total worth of 537.1 million dollars, as opposed to 1,002,170 hectoliters for a total value of 489.67 million dollars for the same period in 2006.

Australia is also doing well, with a 4% increase in volume and 1.9% increase in value, reaching 965,990 hectoliters for a value of 334.24 million dollars versus 929,190 hectoliters worth 328.03 million dollars in 2006.

And, overall, things are looking up for France as well with a 6.1% increase in quantity and 3.2% increase in value for a total of 494,430 hectoliters worth 393.37 million dollars compared to 466,190 hectoliters and 381.01 million dollars in 2006.