SAN FRANCISCO - U.S. winemakers can be happy world consumers are buying their products in a tight economy, though exports were down in 2009 from 2008's record-setting year. Wine exports dropped nearly 15 percent last year. The largest decrease -- 21 percent -- was in shipments to the European Union, the biggest importer of U.S. wines. According to figures released Friday by the Wine Institute, increased shipments to Hong Kong and China helped offset the loss last year. The U.S. also overtook Chile as the largest bulk wine exporter to Japan, where exports increased 42 percent.