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Confirmed Growth For The Sparkling Wine Market

The segment is extremely healthy: the global market for sparkling wines proved to be bullish once again in 2015, as confirmed by research by FranceAgriMer. Production, consumption and trade are all showing growth.

Production continues to rise

Production of sparkling wine reached 19 million hectolitres in 2015, equivalent to 2.5 billion bottles, according to data by Agrex Consulting. It accounts for 7% of global wine production, compared with 5% in 2000.

Leading producer countries

France	Germany	Italy	Spain
4.38 million hl	2.9 million hl	2.9 million hl	1.6 million hl

Consumption is also on the rise

Global consumption totals 17.6 million hl, up 4.1% on 2005/2014. It is growing faster than consumption of still wines which rose 1.3% over the same period.

Leading consumer countries

Germany	Russia	USA	France
2.9 million hl	2.4 million hl	1.9 million hl	1.8 million hl

Per capita consumption

Germany	France	USA	Russia
4.7 bottles/yr	3.7 bottles/yr	0.8 bottles/yr	2.2 bottles/yr

Exports approach 50 billion euros

7.2 million hectolitres of sparkling wines (> 3 bar) were exported in 2015, equating to 7% of global wine exports. Over ten years, export volumes have almost doubled. Sparkling wines posted 48.6 billion euros in turnover with bottle prices averaging at 6.7 euros/litre, three times the price tag for still wines. Three countries dominate exports: Italy, France and Spain. Italy ranks first by volume with growth of 216% between 2005 and 2015. France leads the way by value thanks to its top end offering Champagne with 55% of turnover for French sparkling wines ascribed to this one appellation. Conversely, French sparkling wines lost ground by volume (-9 points) and value (-10 points) in 2005-2015.

Share of the three leading countries of global sparkling wine exports

	Italy	France	Spain
Volume	38%	24%	23%
Value	20%	61%	9%

Great Britain leads the way for imports

The United Kingdom ranks first by volume with an 18% share but is outstripped by the United States in value terms (19% of imports). 59% of British imports by value come from France. The United States have witnessed soaring sparkling wine imports which have surged by 80% in ten years. The average price tag in the States is high at 9.2 euros compared with 5.8 euros in the UK.

Germany is the second largest importer country by volume, followed by the United States. Prices are low in Germany with the market generating only 10% of the value of global imports. Semi-sparkling wines are the most popular which explains why the average price per litre is just 2 euros.

Source: FranceAgriMer

Top Figures for ProWein 2016

The success of ProWein continues unabated. Once again, from 13 to 15 March 2016 more exhibitors and visitors from throughout the world came to the leading international fair for wines and spirits in Düsseldorf. Over 55,000 trade visitors came here to gather information at the stands of the 6,200 exhibitors, to place their orders and take advantage of the varied supporting programme. As many as half the visitors now come to Düsseldorf from abroad. Now in its 10^th year ProWein goes City was once again held in and around Düsseldorf with numerous wine events for all wine lovers.

The variety of ProWein is unique worldwide. At no other event is there such a wide and international range on offer. At ProWein 2016 all relevant wine regions of the world gathered in Düsseldorf, including numerous market leaders from Europe and abroad. The largest exhibitor nations this year included Italy (1,500), France (1,300), Germany (1,000), Spain (550), Austria (320), Portugal (300) and Overseas (600). Added to this were some 420 exhibitors from 30 countries with their special spirits. Exhibitors from a total of 59 nations attended the event.

This line-up attracted over 55,000 trade visitors from throughout the world to Düsseldorf – corresponding to some 6% over last year (2015: 52,000 trade visitors from 123 countries). Here ProWein is increasingly becoming a top global event: this year visitors travelled from 126 different countries. One in two visitors came to Düsseldorf from abroad. The highest rise outside Europe was posted by visitors from Overseas, mainly from Asia. Overall, we are seeing a trend where ProWein is primarily attracting decision-makers with great purchasing responsibility: over 70% of visitors came from top or middle management. The success of the trade fair was also highly rated: one in two visitors confirmed that they found new suppliers and two-thirds were able to go home with useful info on trends and innovations. Just under 96% stated they had entirely reached the goals of their trade fair visit. “Figures clearly show that ProWein is the world’s most important business platform for the entire sector. This is where the trade fair budgets are spent. And also for the major, prizewinning wine estates ProWein has now become the absolute must-attending event,” says Hans Werner Reinhard summing up the success of ProWein 2016.

Siobhan Thompson, CEO at Wines of South Africa (WOSA), echoed this sentiment: “ProWein is the most important trade fair for our South African producers – primarily due to its great global relevance. ProWein gives us the opportunity to come into contact with all key contacts from throughout the world. This was also confirmed again this year.”

Monika Reule, Managing Director at the German Wine Institute (DWI) explains: “ProWein has once again shown that it is the world’s leading wine trade fair. Receiving special praise was the quality of the national and international trade visitors.”

Programme of Supporting Events

Once again this year ProWein was accompanied by a varied supporting programme. Over 300 events were on offer either at the exhibitors’ stands themselves or at the central ProWein Forum. Added to this were other tasting opportunities – for instance, in the Champagne Lounge or at the MUNDUS VINI selection. Now in its second edition the “same but different” special show showcased new and unusual paths in wine production or marketing. In the FIZZZ Lounge light yet also very tasty Shim Cocktails were mixed and presented as new trend drinks. Here, too, visitors gave top marks and proved extremely satisfied with the line-up at ProWein.

ProWein goes City

After the fair closed for the evening all wine friends were also catered to fully in and around Düsseldorf. The ProWein goes City feature celebrated its 10^th anniversary attracting visitors with its many exciting events. Whether wine menus, cookery course, bottle parties or art exhibitions – there was something for all wine lovers here.

ProWein Worldwide

Immediately following ProWein in Düsseldorf is the premiere of ProWine Asia from 12 to 15 April 2016 in Singapore. Now in its fourth edition ProWine China in Shanghai will run from 7 to 9 November 2016. The next ProWein in Düsseldorf will be held from 19 to 21 March 2017. And the dates for ProWein 2018 have already been fixed, running in Düsseldorf from 18 to 20 March 2018.

Source: Presseabteilung ProWein

Photo by Messe Duesseldorf

CHAMPAGNE SALES SET FOR RECORD YEAR

Champagne sales reached a record high in 2015. Sales were driven by a strong demand from export markets, favorable exchange rates and sales in France.

According to estimates from news service Reuters, 312 million bottles were sold last year, up 2-3% on 2014, while value sales were up 4.4% to €4.7 billion.

A flurry of prestige cuvée releases such as Dom Pérignon 2006 helped drive sales last year, along with a growing demand for rosé Champagne in Japan and the US.

A return to pre-recession decadence boosted Champagne sales in the UK, while Spain and Italy both showed a slight growth. Champagne sales are also creeping up at hypermarkets and specialist stores in its homeland after years of being on the slide.

“France is on a recovery path. Consumers need to enjoy life,” Bruno Paillard, CEO of Lanson BCC, told Reuters.
Official figures for 2015 will be published February 2016 by the CIVC.

Dom Pérignon 2006

The release of the 2006 marks the first time in the grand cuvée’s nearly-90 year history that five consecutive vintages have been made.

Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave says –

“I am a lucky man! The first decade of the new millenium has been prodigious for Dom Pérignon. I feel it might attain the golden eras of the 1920’s or 1960’s. This is why I am blessed to introduce Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006. The ambition of Dom Pérignon has always been to witness the vintages in Champagne. The reward of our commitment and dedication to the vintage is to be able to celebrate the release of our fifth vintage in a row, for the first time in the history of Dom Pérignon.

Out of these five vintages, four have been harvested at a stage of intense ripeness. Such frequency has never been seen in 300 years of Champagne harvests… yet each of these Vintages is unique. It is almost impossible to characterize full ripeness, as it can stem from a variety of weather conditions. I observed that there are two ways for the associated richness to express itself in the wine: either solemn, such as 2003 or 2005; or generous, such as 2002 or 2006.”

Dom Pérignon 2006 is best typified by its superlative generosity: a pure, airy and bright bouquet on the nose; a distinctive opulence, contained and succulent, on the palate. In essence, a luminous and glorious Champagne.

360° Champagne Experience

The Comité Champagne has launched a global communications campaign which focuses on a 360° film. This immersive film offers the viewer a virtual reality tour of the Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars.

It was announced on July 4th 2015 that the Champagne region was granted world heritage status by UNESCO:

“hillsides, houses, and cellars” of the Champagne wine region in northeastern France deserve recognition. “The property encompasses sites where the method of producing sparkling wines was developed on the principle of secondary fermentation in the bottle since the early 17th century to its early industrialization in the 19th century.”

Enjoy this 360° or virtual reality experience by visiting www.360.champagne.fr.

Three ways to experience this 360° unique experience is by smartphone, tablet or PC, or 3D using Google Cardboard goggles or virtual reality headset.

Liz Palmer
www.liz-palmer.com