CALIFORNIA WINES KEEP CRUISING

IT WASN’T JUST Rioja which had a banner 2O13. US wine exports, 9O% from California, reached a record high $1.55 billion in winery revenues, up 16.4% compared to the previous year. Volume shipments reached 435.2 million liters or 48.4 million cases, up 7.5%. Wine Institute President and CEO Robert Koch remarked, “While the US remains our largest, most important market, California exports a fifth of its wine, and we are on track to reach our goal of $2 billion in exports by 2O2O. Our 2O12 and 2O13 California vintages, heralded for quality as well as quantity, were a record high so we have the ability to expand.” Of the top export markets for California Wines, the European Union’s 28-members are the largest accounting for $617 million, up 31% compared to the previous year; followed by Canada, $454 million, up 12%; Japan, $1O2 million, down 7%; Hong Kong, $78 million, down 12%; China, $77 million, up 6%; Mexico, $22 million, up 21%; South Korea, $18 million, up 16%.