
Although statistics seen in isolation may often be deceptive, these latest figures from International Wine and Spirit Research provides a compelling glimpse into the trends shaping the industry in coming months and years.
Some of the interesting statistics include the following:
- Chinese consumption of wine will increase to 126,4 million cases by 2014.
- 90% of wine currently drunk in China is domestically produced.
- France, Italy and Spain remain the world's largest wine producer, accounting for jut half of the 3 billion cases produced annually.
- The UK is currently the word's largest importer both by value and volume.
- Britain consumes more white wine per capita than any other country.
- Consumer markets poised to show the most growth over the next 4 years are China, Russia and and the US.
- Worldwide, one in four bottles is drunk in a country where it was not made.
The last statistic makes one wonder how ecological issues like carbon footprints will affect international wine exports in the near future.