Wine exports for South Africa in 2013 have topped the previous record with a 26% increase.

Exports from the African country rose from 417 million litres to 525.7m litres between 2012 and 2013 with the UK remaining the largest export market.

Just over a fifth of South African exports go to the UK now, rising 21% over 2013 to 111.2m litres.

German is the second export market and also saw a rise of 24% to 96.5m litres. White wine exports rose by nearly 18% and reds 22%.

New CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), Siobhan Thompson, said that the success was the result of a bumper harvest in 2013 which allowed South Africa to fill the gap left by smaller harvests in Europe in recent years as well as a growing awareness of the quality of South African wines.