Australia-Drop in wine sales.

ARGENTINA-DROP IN WINE SALES.

The total volume of wine sold across Argentina in January fell by 15.08 percent on the same month in 2008, the National Viticulture Institute (INV) yesterday said. When the combined volumes of wine and must are considered, however, the drop in January was 20.71 percent year-on-year.

The volume of blend wines slid 14.81 percent while varietals edged down 10.99 and sparkling wines plunged 38.89 percent.

Of the total volume sold, 232,969 hectolitres were export sales and the balance 969,598 hectolitres were national sales. Export volumes nosedived 34.52 percent year-on-year while national sales edged down 6.29 percent.

Bottled wine accounted for 99.78 percent of total sales with the balance being bulk wine.

The total volume of wine bottled decreased 16.15 percent, demijohns were down 12.19 percent while tetra-brik packages posted a rebound of 5.31 percent.

Non-varietal labels accounted for 82.9 percent of the total volume marketed, a 1.35 percent decrease. Varietals in turn took 14.22 percent of the total volume sold with a 17.91 decrease.

The FOB value of wine and must exports meanwhile decreased 17.55 percent year-on-year at 49,851,880 US dollars. Twenty wine producers accounted for 77.05 percent of total production. Exports were shipped to 84 countries.