by Hervé Lalau
Due primarily to a surge in sales of Champagne, Cognac and Bordeaux, French wine and spirits exports reached unprecedented heights in 2006. Value should rise to beyond 8 billion euros, commented Philippe Casteja, president of the French exporters.
These record results were achieved in spite of the high exchange rate of the Euro compared to the Dollar, he added, and stable consumption. Although figures are currently available only until the end of October, the main winners appear to be Bordeaux (+27%), Champagne (+16.6%), Cognac (+12.2%), Armagnac (+18.6%), vodka (+132%) - the Grey Goose effect - and Burgundy (+9.3%). On the down side, other regions are suffering. Beaujolais (-4.3%) and Languedoc-Roussillon (-4.3%), where numerous impoverished winegrowers will find the growth statistics bitter, both saw their sales drop by the same amount. Britain remains France's best customer in value, before the United States, Germany, Belgium and Japan.
