THE 2023 South African Wine Industry Statistics (for the year 2022) include few surprises, given the state of the country’s economy, the weak rand and various political factors. Still, it never ceases to amaze on being reminded of how much more SA wine is exported in bulk / on the cheap (over 60%) compared to bottled brands… and how France, the world’s second-biggest producer after Italy, imports as much wine as it does.

France is the fifth-biggest export market for Cape wine, mostly in bulk, and the fourth biggest importer of wine overall after the USA, Germany and the UK. In terms of domestic wine sales, France (population 68m) at 25mhl is second only to the USA (population 332m) at 33mhl, whereas in terms of annual per capita consumption the French and Italians (46L) are second only to the Portuguese (52L). The USA? 12L. South Africans? 7L.

In South Africa, for the year 2022, domestic wine sales were up again, yet production was down, exports were down, and the number of farms together with the area under vines continued to contract. For more details, click here.