SOUTH African wine exports are poised to beat their record for last year following high yields and demand for premium vintages from North America and Asia, industry executives and growers said.

Wine exports rose 469-million litres in the year ending April 30, up 25% from the previous 12 months and more than triple the total shipped in 2000, according to data from the Wines of South Africa (Wosa) trade body.

Bulk shipments of wine rose 53% while those of bottled and packaged wines fell 5%, as large producers bottled more in export markets.

Although wine has been grown in South Africa since Dutch settlers arrived in the 17th century, the country was cut off from trade during the apartheid era.

Two decades on, exporters are seeking to consolidate in established markets such as the UK and Germany while boosting sales in Asia and Africa.