Growth in value accompanied by an increase of 14% in volume and 5% in the average price per liter of exported wine.

In the first half of the year, exports of Alentejo wine grew 20% in value, with 32 million euros in revenue generated. INE data, revealed this Wednesday by the Alentejo Regional Wine Commission (CVRA), also announce about 12 million bottles sold to the foreign market, which translates into more than 9 million liters exported ( +14%) compared to the same period last year.

The average price per liter of wine also followed the upward trend, with an increase of 5%, to €3.48 per liter. Export values ​​for the first half of 2021 thus surpass the results achieved by the region in the pre-pandemic period, with the Brazilian (+34% in value and +27% in liters), Swiss (+16% in value and +8% in liters), North American (+7% in value and -0.2% in liters) and the United Kingdom (+123% in value and +85% in liters) boosting the positive results.

Asian markets also grew between January and June, with China closing the semester at pre-pandemic levels and an increase in purchases of Alentejo wine compared to 2020 (+15% in value and +13% in litres) and Macau surpassing the total results achieved in the last two years (+227% in value and +192% in liters).

If they maintain the growth trend registered so far, in the second half of 2021 the Asian markets may boost improvements in the export results of Alentejo wines. “This growth in the first half of the year is a very positive sign of the values ​​that we can obtain this year, since, usually, the second semesters are stronger in terms of exports. We are confident that 2021 can turn out to be the year with the best results, since there is a record”, anticipates Francisco Mateus, president of CVRA.

Francisco Mateus also highlights the fact that the value of exported wine has risen more than the quantity, which results in an appreciation of the average price, stressing that “in the TOP 10 of the 89 markets to which it was exported, all registered an increase in the average price, which demonstrates that the quality of Alentejo wines is recognized by importers and consumers, who are willing to pay more for the region's wines.”

Until June, Alentejo Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC) wine was sold at an average price of €5.04 per liter and Regional Alentejano at €3.06 per liter, contrasting with national averages of €3.02 respectively. and €2.44. The values ​​achieved translate into an increase of 6.4% in the average price per liter of DOC Alentejo and 2.3% in Regional Alentejano, compared to the same period last year.

The CVRA president also highlighted “the exceptional reaction of Alentejo producers who are managing to work very well in international markets despite the difficulties imposed by the pandemic that has lasted for a year and a half and which makes it more difficult to monitor the markets and the work of importers and retail.”

It should be remembered that, in 2020, in the first semester, the Alentejo exported 8.1 million liters, corresponding to 27 million euros, to foreign markets, at an average price per liter of €3.32.