The sales of wine on the local market in Bulgaria are up 40% in the first half of 2011, compared to the same period of last year.

The data was released Wednesday by the Bulgarian Executive Vine and Wine Agency.

The 40% mean Bulgarians drank 11.5 millions more liters of wine in the first six months this year, compared to 2010.

Meanwhile, wine exports are up by only 1%, with half of the exported quantities going to the Russian market. There is a slight increase in exports to Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary.