Burgundy loses marketshare

After two years of record growth in 2006 and 2007 and a stabilization in 2008, Burgundy experienced a serious drop in wine sales in 2009. Exports outside of France fell by almost a quarter (-24%). Domestically the decline was limited to one percent. Overall this is nevertheless a decline in Burgundy wine sales of thirteen percent. From July 2008 to July 2009 177 million bottles of Burgundy wines were sold worldwide. Another nine million bottles were distributed to wine tastings and marketing. Yet the wine growers in Burgundy are not sitting on large stocks. The very small harvest in 2008, the smallest in ten years time, resulted in stock levels falling back as low as in 1999. Because 2009 was a good harvest the winemakers expect strong growth again next year.