By Ian Neubauer
Champagne imports to Australia exceeded 3.6 million bottles in 2008, an increase of over 10 per cent on 2007.
The figure ranks Australia as the ninth largest export market for Champagne in the world and identifies Australia as a region of consistent growth for the category, according to the Champagne Information Centre Australia (CICA), which represents the Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne based in Epernay, France.
The UK still represents the largest market with 36 million bottles followed by the US with 17.2 million bottles, Germany with 11.6 million bottles, Italy with 9 million bottles, Belgium with 10 million bottles, Japan with 8.3 million bottles, Switzerland with 5.4 million bottles, Spain with 4 million bottles, the Netherlands with 3.5 million bottles and Australia with 3,648,022 bottles.
“Australian consumers have developed greater Champagne knowledge in the last ten years,” CICA said in a statement addressing the latest figures. “Education and appreciation initiatives such as the 2008 Vin de Champagne Awards has led to increased consumption and demand for Champagne in Australia.”
Australia’s love affair with Champagne has been reinforced in the 2008 import figures, with a record number of bottles imported.