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Drink
Italian
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"Who
does not love wine, women and song. Remains a fool
his whole life long." (Martin Luther)
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TOP
TIPPLERS
 Wine
consumption in Europe is finally on the increase after
years of decline (223.8 billion hl last year alone).
Luxembourg is top of Europe's tipplers
with 64.5 litres being imbibed per capita each year.
The French come a close second with 58.8 litres
and the Italians are down to third place with
55.6 litres while the average German drinks
a mere 18.1 litres (of wine).
(From Weinbauverband Wurttemberg, the wine-producers
association from Baden-Wurttemberg, 2001)
WINE FOR EVERYONE
Italy is exporting more wine than ever before.
Indeed from 1995 to 2000 the quantity of Italian wine
sold abroad has gone up from 3.348 to 4.712 million
hl. There is an even greater increase in the
amount of wine bottled over the same period: from
58.1% in 1995 to 77.2% in 2000.
(From Istat)
WINE BARS ARE IN
The number of wine bars in Italy has
gone up by 40% in the last 5 years.
(From the "Vino & Giovani" Conference,
Siena 2000)
A WEALTH OF WINE
Italian wine-producers profits have risen by
37% over the last five-year period, which production
is up by 5%. The wine industry is now a fundamental
part of the economy for a total value of 16,000 billion
lire each year, 4500 of which are from the export
market and 4150 are net profits.
(From Istat)
AND THE WINNER IS . . .
What four Italian regions account for half of
the country's wine production? Easy! Veneto
(8.8 million hl), Apulia (7.8), Sicily
(7.1) and Emilia Romagna (6.9). Weather conditions
in 2000 caused a drop of up to 10% in grape production
in some 8 regions.
(From Istat)
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MARCELLO
PARMEGGIANI |
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March
2001
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THE SURVIVOR'S 
