China could overtake Australia in wine production within three years, a new industry report has shown.

Soaring growth in the number of Chinese vineyards is likely to help the country leap from tenth to sixth place by 2014 – representing a staggering 77 percent rise in output.

Experts say the vast majority of its wine – which is mostly red - will continue to be drunk within the country as increasing prosperity there raises demand for what is still seen as a luxury.

But wine exhibition organizers Vinexpo, which produced the report, said that within a decade Chinese bottles could be sold in British supermarkets – and even in France.

In 2009 China produced 72 million cases – or 960,000 tons - of wine after raising output by 28 percent on the previous year.

The new bottle of red army: China's wine production set to overtake Australia within three years