There's more good news for Australian wines. For the first time, they have edged out their Italian competition from the top spot in the US market, after growing by 13.7%, reports the news agency AGI, quoting figures released for January 2006 by the Italian Food & Wine Institute. Italy has a considerable market share of 29.1%, but Australian wines have raced forward, powered by competitive prices.
Italy's wine industry produces 48.1 million hectolitres in 2005 and exports provided a third of its national turnover of 9 billion euros. |