(Decanter) - Around 308m bottles of Champagne were sold around the world in 2014, according to provisional figures, while the new head of regional body Comite Champagne expects exports to overtake domestic sales this year.

The Comite Champagne  - formerly known as the CIVC - also estimated that worldwide Champagne sales reached 4.5bn euros in value terms, up from 4.3bn euros in 2013 and the second highest annual total on record, behind 2007.

That suggests consumers have traded up to higher priced Champagne, despite fierce discounting in several markets over the key Christmas selling period.

Exports drove the increases in volume and value in 2014, with Champagne consumption in France continuing to decline, the Comite Champagne said. Its new managing director, Vincent Perrin, said he expects more Champagne to be sent abroad than sold in France in 2015.

It confirmed that it would allow Champagne houses and growers to release wines from their reserves - to the equivalent of 500kg of grapes per hectare - in order to boost supplies from the last year's harvest.