Life is a different Wave moving by Time and ending at Shore: Korean Favorite Wine in 2018

1. Imported Volume of Each Wine from Each Countries

Which wine brand is selling in Korea in 2018 and which brand is the Best Wine Seller? Red wine has been selling 61% and surprisingly sparkling wine 20% which higher than white wine. As we review more closely trend of red wine, its proposition has been still top but gradually decreasing which was taken by sparkling wine. It is common understanding and known to all most everybody red wine is going well with beef or pork due to somewhat stronger acidic while white wine with fishery and seafood menu. We could say red wine is more attractive than white wine to Korean man drinker in relation with Koran man drink style, strong drink while white wine is loved by Korean women who like mild and somewhat sweet. Consumption of sparkling wine has been explosively increasing at Koran Woman recently.

It is an interesting result or trend that imported wine volume has been intimate relation with Korea FTA with any country. Please note import duty generally applicable to imported drink is 15% which is exempted under FTA and actually lower than any imported wine from NO FTA countries. Korea firstly made FTA with Chile in 2004, with Europe in July in 2011, with America on March in 2012 and with Australia on December in 2014. All imported wine from these countries are accordingly not applicable for 15% imported duty. Volume of imported wine had been mainly from Chile until 2010 since no other FTA country till that time. If we look the imported wine proposition according to FTA trend, their volume has been changed and sometime laugh and sad depend on new FTA countries since 2010.

Korea has last year imported wine from France as USD 69 million, best seller which was 14% increase comparing to 2016 and 33% proposition at total imported market in Korea calling as a wine original country. Their proposition at total imported wine market in Korea was 40% in 2008 which was continuously decreasing to 32% in 2010, dropped to 30% in 2014 and 2015. But they were slightly recovered to 31% in 2016 and somewhat better 33% last year.

2^nd position at Korea imported wine market was Chile which was recorded as USD 41 million, 20% at the market and slightly lowered comparing to 2017 by 1%. Their export volume had been continuously increasing thanks for first FTA in 2004. But their export increasing trend had been boggling because of no more sole FTA country in affection with FTA with Europe in 2011 and America in 2012. 3^rd position at Korea imported wine market was Italia which was exporting their wine to Korea as USD 30 million which 11% increase comparing to 2016 and 14% proposition at the market. We believe their wine export increasing trend would be relation with Italian food increase to Korean and all most no need any extra advertisement and effort.

4^th position is America which sold to their wine to Korea by USD 25 million which was 14% increase comparing to 2016 and 12% proposition at Korea imported wine market. They successfully made landmark selling their wine to Korea market thanks for FTA in 2012 but recently standing at hot and sandwich position between best premium wine from France and Italy and price competition wine from other countries like Chile, Australia, Argentina and Spain. Their position had been harder situation under recent new comers like Germany, New Zealand and South Africa which were welcome by various style Korean wine drinker.

5^th position was Spain exporting their wine to Korea by USD 16 million last year which was 2% increasing comparing to 2017 in money wise while 770,000 liter reduction, 26% decrease in volume wise. This was provably reason why reduction of bulk wine imports volume decrease. Proposition of Spain wine was 57% in 2016 bulk wine market but their market share was remarkably dropped to 26% in 2017 at bulk wine. Please note these bulk wine was mainly bottling and selling or using for blending with others. Most wine Korean importers have been turning their eye to other countries than Spain. Next one, 6^th position was Australia which sold their wine to Korea market by USD 12 million which was 24% increase thanks for FTA in 2014 and depreciation of Australia Dollar. All other countries like Germany, Argentina, New Zealand and etc. are classified as minority which was total USD 17 million which was 93% increase comparing to 2017 import, almost double. As see at the summary, Korean wine market has been continuously changing and varied according to political and Korean taste style.

2. Korean Favorite Wine according to Continental

It was first commented from just beginner stepping into winery world what a surprise how I could remember so many different brand name from different countries. There are different brand languages like France, Italia, Spain and so on in addition to English. We could be understandable his comments why.

Whenever we go to restaurant and always get question about which brand you like to take, we have been usually selecting one brand because of this reason, no easy memory. People are always tend to try new wine in general but could not easily select new brand because they know or remember few limited brand and therefore repeatedly order the wine within these limited memory. You may imagine how possibly remember so different kinds of worldwide wines and always keep in your head. Therefore we used to recommend most Koreans you would better clearly remember 3 to 4 wines referring to different continental.

2-1) Baron Philippe de Rothschild / France

2-2) Louis Latour / France

2-3) E. Guigal / France

2-4) Antinori / Italia

2-5) Banfi and Ruffino / Italia

2-6) Robert Gerald Mondavi, Kendall Jackson, Colombia Crest /America

2-7) Robert Mondavi, Kendall Jackson, Colombia Crest / America

2-8) Haras De Pirque, San Pedro, Montes Alpha / Chile