Exports of Australian wine surged 30% in 2002, thanks mainly to US drinkers who boosted sales there by two-thirds.

The US now knocks back about a third of all Australia's total wine exports and is its second largest customer after the UK, the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation said.

"The US consumers are discovering wine," said Lawrie Stanford, the AWBC's information and analysis manager.

"Traditionally the US has been a beer and spirits nation, but they are coming to the wine experience."

He added that the figures defy the slowdown in the US and global economies and the recent exchange rate fluctuations by the Australian dollar.

Australian red was a particular favourite of US drinkers, accounting for almost three quarters of the growth.

Top drop

Wine exports totalled A$2.3 billion dollars (�822.9m; $1.3bn) in 2002, an increase of A$531m on the previous year, the AWBC figures showed.

Britain imports about A$902m worth, or about 40% of exports, but the market is beginning to plateau, while Canada is in third place.

"We've got away with it for a few years but competition is hotting up in the UK," Mr Stanford said.

Australia is the world's fourth largest wine exporter, supplying about 7% of the global market behind France, Italy and Spain.

Wine exports by volume in 2002 were 471 million litres, including an all-time monthly high of 52.1 million litres in September.