Although domestic wineries account for almost one in every three bottles sold, Abi Duhr knows that the wealth and thirst of the average consumer in Luxembourg make it an attractive market for producers everywhere.
Beyond the Manekin Pis, most foreigners remember Belgium primarily for its excellent Trappist ales. That leads many to believe that Belgium is primarily a beer drinking country, but as Hervé Lalau notes, wine plays a predominant role in the market - and its influence is on the rise, while that of beer is waning.
French wines lost the top spot in the Dutch market to South Africa a decade ago. Today, the market is wide open but while good value still rules, consumers are showing more willingness to dig deep.
Sweden might look like a land of beer drinkers, but wine is actually the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the country. While it's already a thriving market, further changes are afoot, believes Thomas Ilkjaer.
Brazil's emerging economy, the world's tenth largest, is an exciting place to be. While many European producers see the country's 190 million inhabitants as a potential market, the country has the potential to become a major player in its own right.
Denmark, the world's oldest kindgom, is a highly competitive market, where wines are sold at low prices by three big chains plus hundreds of boutique importers. Together the big and small operators have formed a structure that has created a large, but extremely price sensitive market for wine.
Compared to the mature markets of Western Europe, the Polish wine scene is still relatively young. After years under the state monopoly, the market is developing modern distribution channels.
Since Norway signed the European Economic Agreement in 1994, the number of brands available has risen from just 500 to over 10,000. At the same time, Norwegians are trading up.
With nine monopolies and one free market, thanks to the hangovers of Prohibition, doing business in Canada can feel a lot like working in ten countries. But as they all begin to move together in a consistent fashion, are consumers’ interests being served?
For a generation, Germans have been known for their bargain hunting approach to wine. But now it seems consumers are looking for better quality. Combine that with Germany’s status as the world’s largest importer of wine and you have a wine market that’s worth a closer look.
