Germany is building up its wine exports to Russia

By 2005 German wine exports to the Russian market will double to constitute 9 million euros, the Head of the German Wines Institute, Armin Hering, said in a an interview to RIA Novosti.

Germany exports make up 20% of the total national wine production. Hering said that the world volume of wine exports from the FRG is estimated at 350 million euros.

German wine producers plan to increase their top-grade wine supply to Russia. The present-day Russian market deals mostly with German table wines. Hering stressed that German wine makers realized that they would face serious competition in this field with their French colleagues, especially in regard to red wines.

Exporting wine to Russia Germany stakes mostly on white wines, in particular on the Ice Wine trademark. It is produced on the basis of late vintage (mid-December) and it has a sweet taste, resembling liquor. According to Hering, Ice Wine is a traditional German brand, though it is also produced in Austria and Canada.