It's official! France is no longer the wine world's numero uno. Confirmation of this fact has come not from France's trade rivals, but from OIV, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.

An OIV report, quoted by BeverageDaily.com, says Americans will replace the French as the world's biggest wine drinkers within three years, putting greater pressure on France's shrinking share of wine exports.

Wine consumption in Britain rose by 5% in 2005 over 2004, in contrast to the 2% drop recorded by France in the same time period, making the two nations on both sides of the Atlantic the world's two fastest growing wine markets.

The bad news doesn't stop here for France. French wine exports fell back into third place in volume after dropping by 11% between 2002 and 2005, the OIV reports. Italy dropped by 1%, but remained top, while Spanish wine exports soared by 47%; Australia and New Zealand were up by 50%.

France is number two behind Australia in its biggest export market, the UK. It has also again applied for European Union crisis funds to distill more quality wine into undrinkable, industrial alcohol this year.

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http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=67284&m=1FNU426&c=dylxkkkahlqsrjx)