The ‘Vinhos do Alentejo’ (Alentejo Wines) brand set new export records in 2021, with sales growing 17.5% in value to a total of €69.4 million and 11.6% in volume to 19.7 million litres.
In a statement to the press, the Alentejo Wine Commission (CVRA) has highlighted the “important increase” in the average price per litre (+5.3%), with DOC (protected designation of origin) wines increasing 9.3% and regional wines +3%.
“We can only applaud Alentejo winemakers for their exporting capacity, with international markets happy to pay more for our wines,” CVRA president Francisco Mateus said.
While the region’s exports of wine to Angola, one of its main markets, has decreased considerably since 2017, the tendency is now slowly being reverted while the Alentejo has been able to increase sales to 11 out of 15 of its main markets.
In 2021, the Alentejo saw wine exports increase significantly to countries like Brazil (+9% in value and 4% volume), Switzerland (+14% value; +8% volume), the UK (+69% value; +54% volume), Poland (+25% value; +18% volume) and Germany (+41% value; +24% volume).
Some of the largest increases were registered in Spain (+127% value; +134% volume) and Australia (+252% value; +290% volume), two wine-producing countries which “normally sell more wine than they purchase”.
