White Burgundian sales jump in Hong Kong "unusual for Asia"
White Burgundian wine exports to Hong Kong experienced a marked rise in volumes in the first 11 months of 2017, according to the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB), a trend which it described as “unusual in Asia” where red wines normally dominate.
Overall Burgundian wine exports to Hong Kong, which is the French region’s fifth biggest market in revenue terms, dropped by 4.1% in volumes to 972,070 bottles, though export value jumped by almost 18% (17.8%) year on year to 44.6m euros following two years of healthy growth, a new record according to BIVB.
The decline in volumes was attributed to declining red wine exports, which tumbled by 11.8%. However, these wines commanded higher prices, resulting in a growth in revenue of almost a quarter (23%) for the first 11 months of last year.
Meanwhile, white wine sales were strong, enjoying a 6.2% increase in volume and 2% in value. During the period, the proportion of white wines increased from 45% to 50% by volume, the equivalent of 481,230 bottles, worth 9.35 million euros.
“This is unusual in Asia, where markets traditionally tend towards red wines,” reported the BIVB, which remarked that two groups of appellations performed particularly well in both volume and value terms, namely Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.
The Village and Village Premier Cru appellations of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits grew 45% by volume (accounting for 16.7% of white wines) and 37.8% in terms of revenue.
The regional Mâcon appellations set two records - they were up 167% by volume (accounting for 11.4% of white wines) and up 157% in terms of revenue. However, the Chablis and Petit Chablis appellations’ volume sales dipped by 1.8%.
Due to the lack of available wine, white Grand Cru wines tumbled by nearly a third ( 33.2%) by volume and 31.7% in terms of revenue.
Less familiar appellations such as Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Fuissé in Mâconnais, and Montagny and Rully in Côte Chalonnaise are making inroads in the Hong Kong market as well, according to the BIVB.
Red wines’ export value still accounted for the lion’s share of the total export value at 79%, despite accounting for only half the export volume, worth over 35m euros.
And as with the whites, Grand Cru red wines slipped back, down 32.7% by volume for the first 11 months of 2017, due to a shortage of available wine.
However, Hong Kong consumers' love of premium wines resulted in revenues from these appellations jumping by almost 10% (9.8%).
Regional Bourgogne red wines dominated the market, making up nearly half (49%) of exports. The Village and Village Premier Cru appellations of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits came in second place, with 30% of export volumes and 27% of the revenue (up 42%) for the first 11 months of 2017 over the same period in 2016.