France's new Vin de France wines selling well

Two years after the first market releases, Anivin de France (the French trade organisation for Vin de France) announced improving results. The organisation targeted one million hectolitres (hl) by 2012 and 130 million bottles were sold - which equates to 0.975 million hl, just short of their target.

In essence, Vin de France is a catch-all category incorporating vin de table and producers of vins de pays who don't want to be tied down by geographical boundaries. It allows the name of the grape variety on the label, previously a no-no for vin de table under French law. It also gives producers the flexibility to blend wines from different regions. In short, it creates a new affordable wine category that makes it easier for French wine to compete with the New World.

Overall, exports increased by 25% with the biggest export market still Europe, in particular the UK and Germany which together equated to 47% of all exports. There was strong growth in China, where it seems every wine producer wants to be, with exports of Vin de France up 63% in the last 2 years.