Australians continued to splurge on champagne last year with imports of the French bubbles increasing by ten per cent on 2007.

We imported a record 3,648,022 bottles into the country in 2008 making Australia the ninth biggest market for Champagne imports, according to figures just released by the French organisation The Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC).

The United Kingdom still represents the largest market with 35,984,574 bottles followed by the United States with 17,193,526 bottles, Germany with 11,573,597 bottles, Italy with 9,438,811 bottles, Belgium with 9,910,581 bottles, Japan with 8,332,233 bottles, Switzerland with 5,439,009 bottles, Spain with 4,090,505 bottles, the Netherlands with 3,511,889 bottles and Australia with 3,648,022 bottles.

Elisabeth Drysdale, director of the Champagne Bureau which represents the CIVC in Australia, said Australian consumers have developed greater Champagne knowledge in the last ten years.

“Education and appreciation initiatives such as the 2008 Vin de Champagne Awards, has led to increased consumption and demand for Champagne in Australia,” she said.