VITeff Veille

Germany

• Hesse-Rhineland: 25,000 hectares
• Palatinate: 22,000 hectares
• Mosel Saar Ruwer: 10,000 hectares
• Baden: 15,500 hectares
• Wurtenberg: 11,000 hectares
• Franconia: 6,000 hectares
• 68% of the vineyards are planted with white grapes (mainly Riesling and Muller-Thurgau).
• 69,000 producers, three-quarters of whom cultivate less than one hectare.
  
  The principal entities involved in the process:
  
  
• The Institute of German Wines (Deutsches Weininstitut GmbH) which coordinates research, quality control and the promotion of German wines.
• The Association of German Wine Producers (Deutschen Weinbauverband eV) which defends the interests of wine makers.
  
  Wine imports
  
  
• Leading importing country.
• 12 million hectolitres imported per year, 80% of still wines (including 60% of red wines). 800,000 hectolitres of sparkling wines and 500,000 hectolitres of “pearling” wines are also imported.
• Principal supplying countries: Italy (5.2 million hectolitres), France (2.6 million) and Spain (1.4 million).
  
  Wine exports
  
  
• About 2.3 million hectolitres, mainly to Great Britain and the Netherlands.
  
  Wine consumption
  
  
• 20 million hectolitres per year. Wine is the most widely consumed alcoholic drink: 24.3 litres per person in 2002. Consumption of red wines is increasing strongly while rosé wines are stabilising. Drastic reduction in consumption of white wines.
• 45% of the wines consumed are German.
  
  The market for sparkling wines
  
  
• The world’s second biggest consumer of sparkling wines and its leading importer.
• About 1,362 companies / cooperatives produce sparkling wine.
  
  German sparkling wines are classified into three categories distinguished by the “minimum weight of must” in the blend.
  
  
• Schaumwein, literally “foaming wine”. Its special feature is that it is a wine-based product which emits carbon dioxide when uncorked. It is obtained through the first or second alcoholic fermentation of grapes, grape must, basic wine or quality wine. Its minimum alcohol content must be 9.5% and the CO2 pressure must be greater than 2 bars.
  
  
• Qualitätsschauwein or Sekt: “quality foaming wine”: This is foaming wine prepared using the closed vat, transfer or traditional method. It must have undergone two fermentations and must titrate at least 10% of alcohol and have a pressure of 3.5 bars.
  
  
• Qualitätsschauwein bestimmter Anbaugebiete: “quality foaming wine originating from a determined region”: To obtain this label, the wine must undergo special inspections. A panel of at least three specialists determines whether the colour, limpidity, effervescence, grape variety and origin criteria are fulfilled.
  
  Perlwein can be added to these categories, a sparkling wine also called “Secco”. It is distinguished from Schaumwein by its smaller bubbles (like pearls) which give it its name. It is obtained through fermentation in a closed vat. Its lightness and moderate price have enabled it to gain ground to the detriment of traditional sparkling wine.
  
  There are different types of Schaumwein: brut nature, brut, extra-dry, dry, semi-dry [demi-sec] and sweet. For Perlwein, the types are dry, semi-dry and sweet.
  
  
• German Sekt production of is essentially industrial. It is made from musts and locally produced or imported wines, depending on requirements and raw material prices. Sekt can generally be prepared with all the grape varieties admitted for wine production in the countries of the European Union.
  
  
• The words “Deutscher Sekt” can only be attributed to Sekts made of German wines. b.A Sekts originate from a determined region.
  
  Wintersekts are prepared from grapes until bottling in the wine-maker’s establishment.
  
  Regions producing grapes for Sekt
  
  
• Mittelrhein: This region is a large grape-producing centre for making Sekt. The vineyards are highly dependent on the progress of the demand for Sekt.
  
  
• Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: Ebling is the leading grape variety. It produces dry, acidic and lively wines that are a real blessing for the Sekt industry.
  
  
• German Sekt production: 350 million bottles in 2004. In constant decline.
  
  The leading German Sekt producer is Wachenheim (market share of 22.5%) which is continuing to progress abroad, particularly in eastern countries.
  
  Concentration on German Sekt producers is continuing. Three groups dominate the market: Rotkappchen-Mum, Schloss Wachenheim and Henkell-Söhnlein.
  
  Germany is the third most important outlet for French sparkling wines with 139,000 hectolitres in 2003.
  
  The German sparkling wine market is still the biggest in the world, accounting for nearly half the sparkling wines consumed in Europe and a quarter of world consumption. 81.3% of the sparkling wine consumed in Germany is produced locally.
  
  
• Imports account for about 19% of the sparkling wines consumed, or about 81 million bottles.
• Exports of German sparkling wines account for about 14 million bottles (2004).
  
• Domestic consumption of sparkling wines has fallen: 3.7 litres per head per year (compared with 5 litres in 1989). However, the Germans are world champions in the consumption of this type of wine. Sales of Italian Prosecco stabilised at about 70 million bottles in 2004. Sparkling wines are especially appreciated as both a refreshment and an aperitif.
  
• As regards sales of champagne, 2004 ended with a new downturn: 11,546,321 bottles, a 4% reduction. This was essentially because of the decline in the number of press advertisements and the rise in the average price per bottle (from 11.6 to 11.9 euros). Champagne is increasingly viewed as a luxury product.
  
  Development potential
  
  
• The German Sekt industry seems to be concentrating on continued consolidations and the restructuring of its principal production sites.
• Equipment requirements will represent only a potential for renewal in the next few years.
  
  Language for correspondence: German, English.
  
  Source: CIVC - Information Bulletin - First quarter of 2005. Emailed newsletter from Vinimarket 20/2/04 + Economic mission to Germany March 2006 / Technical document of CCI, champagne-related industries, October 2006.