| U.S. wine exports in 2006 were up 30 percent over 2005, with 95 percent of them from California , reports East Bay Business Times.
Wine exports from the United States totalled $876 million and 404.5 million liters in 2006, according to the San Francisco-based Wine Institute, which represents more than 1,000 wineries and affiliated businesses.
In Europe, U.S. wine exports were up 48 percent by value. Exports to Canada grew 29 percent by value
The dramatic sales growth in 2006 must be placed in perspective as it follows a decrease in 2005 compared to the 2004 shipments," Joseph Rollo, director of the Wine Institute's International Department, said in a news release.
"Nonetheless, the long-term trend of California wine exports shows steady expansion in all major markets and growth in new, undeveloped markets. The 2006 number represents a 59 percent increase in exports by value in the last decade," said Rollo.
Other major growth markets included China , where wine exports were up 53 percent by value, Singapore , where they were up 68 percent by value, and Hong Kong , which saw a 19 percent increase by value. |
