Details

The latest German wine export figures for the period Dec. 2017 to Nov. 2018 show that Norway is now the fourth most important foreign market for Riesling & Co., followed by Sweden (7^th), Finland (10^th) and Denmark (15^th). Monika Reule, managing director of the German Wine Institute, is convinced that German wine has a great future in the Nordic countries: “A recent worldwide survey from Geisenheim University of people in the wine trade confirms our optimism: Scandinavia is perceived as the fourth most interesting wine market at the moment, just behind China, Japan and Hongkong.”

Steady growth in Finland

This is even more remarkable in Finland in view of the fact that the market for all white wines even decreased slightly in 2018 (- 0.3%). Sales of German whites however, after the strong previous year (+9.9 %), increased by 12.3 % in 2018. As a result, German white wine ranks third in Finland with a market share of 15.9 %.

Sweden favours German and organic wines

In Sweden, sales of German wines grew by another 2.1% to 7.2 million litres last year. White wines from Germany now have a market share of 10.3 %. What is noteworthy in Sweden is the strong demand for organic wines. About 22 % of all wine sold in Sweden is certified organic.

Norway is and remains Riesling Paradise

Sales of German white wine in Norway - which comprise mostly Riesling - have grown by yet another 5.1 % in 2018. Germany remains market leader in the white wine segment with a market share of 27.7 %. Of note is the number of "trocken" (dry) Riesling wines, which increases from year to year.

On a much smaller scale, German rosé wine sales almost doubled with an increase of 92.4 %, whereas German red wine sales grew by a remarkable 245.9 %, albeit from a very small base.

Notes to the editors
The latest German export statistics confirm that Finland now ranks as ninth most important destination for German wines world wide - just behind Sweden and Japan.

Best selling wines

The most sold German wines in Finland were Devil's Rock (367.281 litres) and Black Tower Rivaner (294 260) - numbers seven and thirteen of bestselling white wines in Finland.

The bestselling German wine is also the sixth most popular white wine in Sweden: a semi-dry white wine called Tr3 Apor ("Three Apes"), available in a 3 litre bag-in-box. In Norway the bestselling German wine is Dr. L Riesling.

*source: Finland: alcohol monopoly ALKO
Sweden: alcohol monopoly Systembolaget 
Norway: alcohol monopoly Vinmonopolet,

More Wines of Germany News