Bulk wine exports decline

Romanian winemakers have started reducing exports of bulk wine in favour of bottled wine sales abroad following recent investments in winemaking facilities in order to maximise profits. “We used to export about one million litres of bulk wine to Germany each year. Our German partner has agreed, however, to take delivery of wine already bottled as of next year,” said Virgil Mandru, majority shareholder in the Domeniile Tohani company. He explained that the increase in bottled wine exports was made possible by the investment of over 2 million euros in a new winemaking centre with an annual capacity of two million litres. The company makes about 4.5 million litres of wine a year, 50% of which goes to Germany, US, Canada and the northern countries. Prices per litre of bulk wine can be between 0.5 and 0.8 euros, while the price per bottle ranges between 1.2 and 1.8 euros. At the same time, Vinia Iasi, the leading Romanian exporter of bulk wine, says exports of bulk wine fell to 4.8 million litres from a level of around 6 million in 2003. This trend will continue into 2005, according to company manager Vasile Babusanu. ZF