South Africa now 8th biggest wine producer in the world – 2016 update

ACCORDING to statistics announced by the Paris-based International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the world’s area under vine stands at 7.5 million hectares with total wine production at 274.4 million hectolitres. South Africa now ranks eighth among the biggest wine-producing countries in the world: 1 Italy (49.5 million hectolitres), 2 France (47.5 mhl), 3 Spain (37.2 mhl), 4 USA (22.1 mhl), 5 Argentina (13.4 mhl), 6 Chile (12.9 mhl), 7 Australia (11.9 mhl), 8 South Africa (11.2 mhl), 9 China (11 mhl). Spain has the most vineyard plantings (1.021 million hectares), followed by China (0.82 mha) and France (0.78 mha).

Statistics for 2015 published in June 2016 by SA Wine Industry Information & Systems (SAWIS) based in Paarl include the following:

Production and sales

Annual wine production: 968.4 million litres – up from 959 million litres in 2014
Annual sales, domestic: 424.8 million litres – up from 395 million litres in 2014
Annual sales, export: 420 million litres – down from 423 million litres in 2014

Industry structure

Farms where grapes are grown for making wine: 3232 – down from 3314 in 2014
Total number of wineries: 566 – up from 559 in 2014
Wholesalers: 104, i.e. 24 producing wholesalers, 80 bulk wine buyers – down from 109 in 2014
Co-operative wineries: 48 – down from 49 in 2014
Independent wineries: 494 – up from 485 in 2014
Farms registered for ‘Estate Wine’ production: 210 – up from 203 in 2014

Vineyards and cellars

Total area under vine, wine grapes: 98 597 ha (292m vines) vs 99 463 ha (295m vines) in 2014
Stellenbosch: 15 911 hectares (171 wineries) vs 16 037 ha (172 wineries) in 2014
Paarl: 15 678 hectares (128 wineries) vs 15 835 ha (126 wineries) in 2014
Robertson: 14 264 hectares (66 wineries) vs 14 652 ha (63 wineries) in 2014
Swartland: 13 315 hectares (33 wineries) vs 13 591 ha (31 wineries) in 2014
Breedekloof: 13 029 hectares (28 wineries) vs 13 022 ha (28 wineries) in 2014
Olifants River: 10 263 hectares (15 wineries) vs 10 149 ha (15 wineries) in 2014
Worcester: 8 824 hectares (57 wineries) vs 8 858 ha (57 wineries) in 2014
Northern Cape: 4 687 hectares (17 wineries) vs 4 659 ha (13 wineries) in 2014
Klein Karoo: 2 625 hectares (27 wineries) vs 2 660 ha (29 wineries) in 2014

White grapes

Total white grape vineyards: 54.6%
Chenin Blanc: 18.2%
Colombar(d): 12%
Sauvignon Blanc: 9.4%
Chardonnay: 7.2%
Muscat d’Alexandrie: 1.9%
Semillon: 1.2%
Viognier: 0.9%
Muscat de Frontignan: 0.8%

Red grapes

Total red grape vineyards: 45.4%
Cabernet Sauvignon: 11.3%
Shiraz: 10.5%
Pinotage: 7.5%
Merlot: 6%
Ruby Cabernet: 2.4%
Cinsaut: 1.9%
Pinot Noir: 1.1%
Cabernet Franc: 0.9%

Exports over 12 months

Exported to United Kingdom: 107 million litres (71m in bulk) vs 109m (68m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Germany: 79 million litres (61m in bulk) vs 79m (62m bulk) in 2014
Exported to France: 27 million litres (27m in bulk) vs 25m (24m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Sweden: 25 million litres (7m in bulk) vs 25m (6m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Netherlands: 22 million litres (7m in bulk) vs 22m (6m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Russia: 19 million litres (17m in bulk) vs 28m (25m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Denmark: 19 million litres (12m in bulk) vs 20m (11m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Canada: 19 million litres (11m in bulk) vs 18m (10m bulk) in 2014
Exported to USA: 11 million litres (1m in bulk) vs 11m (2m bulk) in 2014
Exported to China: 11 million (2m in bulk) vs 9m (2m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Belgium: 10 million litres (5m in bulk) vs 9m (4m bulk) in 2014
Exported to Finland: 5 million litres (1m in bulk) vs 5m (0.7m bulk in 2014

Imports over 12 months

Imported natural wine: 16 million litres vs 15 million litres in 2014
Imported fortified wine: 7 516 litres vs 6 953 litres in 2014
Imported sparkling wine: 575 906 litres vs 408 385 litres in 2014

 

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