Building on 10 Years of Double-Digit Growth, Provence Rosé Exports to the U.S. Climb Another 29%

Consumer demand continues for dry rosé wine, with imported rosé sales growing at double-digit rates each year since 2004

New York, NY — For the 11th consecutive year, exports of rosé wines from Provence to the United States have grown at double-digit rates.  In 2014, exports from the world’s rosé capital climbed 29% on volume and increased 38% on value according to the French customs agency and the CIVP/Provence Wine Council. See Figure A in release collateral section at end of document.

The French customs report is backed up by U.S. retail sales data released this month by research firm Nielsen, which shows the entire rosé category to be on a sustained upward trend, with the premium imported rosé segment seeing a 53% increase on dollars in 2014.  See Figure B in release collateral section at end of document.

“While the majority of Provence rosé is still consumed in France, we are very pleased that American wine consumers have discovered and are increasingly enjoying our wines,” said Francois Millo, Director of the CIVP/Provence Wine Council. “With this increasing demand, more Provence rosé producers are bringing their wines to the US. As a result, there are more styles to choose from and greater distribution in the U.S. than ever before.”

Viewed together, the sustained growth of exports along with retail sales figures tell a story of rosé growth that continues to far outpace the U.S. wine market as a whole.

According to Nielsen research, U.S. retail sales of imported rosé wines priced at $12 or more per bottle grew by 41% on volume and 53% on value in 2014, capping ten straight years of documented double-digit growth. This is compared to growth rates of 1.0% on volume and 3.3% on value for the total table wine market. In addition, the average price per bottle in this category increased to $16.83, a sign that “consumers are seeking out premium rosé – a segment in which Provence continues to be the leader,” Millo said.

Provence Spring Trade and Media Tastings Coming to Three Cities in March

Media and wine industry professionals will have the opportunity to sample wines from more than 25 Provence wineries in March as part of the “Provence in the City” 2015 spring tasting tour. Details are at www.winesofprovence.com/events.The schedule is as follows:

Provence, the oldest winegrowing area in France, is the world’s largest rosé specialty region, with rosé making up over 88% of Appellation d’Origine Protégée wine production.

The Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP), known in the United States as the Provence Wine Council, is an organization representing more than 600 wine producers and 40 trade companies from the Provence region of France.  Its mission is to promote and advance the wines of the region’s principal appellations.  The organization’s members together produce 96 percent of Provence’s Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) wines.  More information can be found online at www.winesofprovence.com or on social media: 
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