Austrian Wine 2002: Another Positive Year

According to Fessel-GfK, the market share of Austrian wine for domestic consumption has been stabile at 80%, during the first half of 2002. “Over the gate” sales by producers are still decreasing, and the importance of food retail outlets for wine shopping is correspondingly increasing.
Austrian wine is doing well on the supermarket shelves. The newest Nielsen data (3rd quarter 02) show a healthy market share of 55.7%, compared to 54.4%, one year earlier. Already now, 55% of all wines bought in supermarkets are red. The lower market share of Austrian red wines (41.2% compared to 71.5% for whites) is explained by the fact that only about a quarter of the area under vines in Austria planted with red varietals such as Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch.
In the near future, the fruits of EU subsidies for vineyard restructuring will make themselves felt. “A strong position at home is precondition for successful exports,” says Michael Thurner, who is looking confidently towards his second year in his position as AWM Chairman, “we will fight for every percentage point of the market.”

Austrian wine growers can be satisfied with their performance in the year 2002. According to first data from the AWM, some 54 million litres of Austrian wine were exported during the year. “Finally, our positive image is echoed by export numbers, and we have exported more wine than ever before,” says a proud Michael Thurner. While barrel wine exports increased by 6% during the first nine months of the year, bottled wines surged by 20%, and according to AWM figures, the total of value of wines exported in 2002 will reach 57 million Euro.

The most important export markets are Germany, the USA, and Switzerland, with increasing chances being realized also in Eastern Europe. “With the Czech Republic and Poland joining the EU, two important markets are being opened up for Austrian wine exports,” says Wine Grower President Josef Pleil. “Austria’s wine growers have already done much to gain presence in these markets, and apart from the current barrel exports, we will have to push the higher-end bottled wines increasingly in this market segment,” states Michael Thurner.

“The establishment of regional Wine Committees has been successfully finished in almost all wine growing areas,” tells Wine Grower President Pleil, who is also Chairman of the National Wine Committee. “The committees in the Donauland and Styria are expected to be set up over the next few months. The autonomy of our wine growing areas will do much to reinforce the structure of our wine production.” The committees are already working intensively on a stronger profile for their areas of origin, aided and advised by the AWM in questions of strategy and market placement, with the Weinviertel taking a lead in this development. “The first DAC wines will be on the market in Austria in early March,” says AWM Director Michael Thurner delightedly.