“Over 90% of the wines sold in restaurants at over EUR100 per piece are from import. Annually, over 20,000 wine bottles that cost more than EUR100 per piece are being sold in the Romanian restaurants,” Ciocoveanu told Mediafax Thursday.
Ciocoveanu forecasts import wine market at EUR10 million.
Most of the wines worth over EUR100 per piece are being sold in the independent luxurious restaurants or in the restaurants of the four or five stars hotels. More than a half of the expensive wines are being sold in Bucharest restaurants.
“The customers are generally foreign tourists accommodating in four or five star hotels. The wines mainly come from France, USA and Chile. The French wines are the most expensive,” said Ciocoveanu.
Most of the customers preferring wines over EUR100 per piece choose red and dry ones between three to ten years of age.
“The expensive wines market is gradually growing every year. Despite of the crisis, people who had financial resources further have it. People become more curious to find out new things,” said Ciocoveanu.