Wine imports on road to recovery

China's wine imports in the first quarter show signs of stabilization after a period of adjustment, said the General Administration of Customs.

In March, wine imports reached 16.64 million liters, up 16.78 percent from a year earlier, with a value of $78.35 million, a 3.68 percent increase. However, cumulative figures for the first quarter show the market remains in transition.

Total wine imports in the first quarter fell 10.56 percent year-on-year to 49.41 million liters, while the value edged up slightly to $333 million. Average import prices rose 11.83 percent to $6.75 per liter, signaling a shift toward higher-quality, profit-focused operations. It also indicates that the market is moving away from scale-driven growth toward efficiency and structural optimization, said Wine Business Observation, a wine industry portal.

Australia led imports of bottled wine at $20.13 million, reflecting stable demand for mid-range brands like Penfolds after early 2026 prestock orders were cleared. Treasury Wine Estates reported that sales momentum rebounded across key markets during the third quarter of fiscal year 2026. Its flagship Penfolds brand enjoyed robust growth in China, with point-of-sale revenue surging 40 percent year-on-year during the Spring Festival period.

March imports of French wine reached 1.6 million liters, up 4.63 percent year-on-year, valued at $19.89 million, up 10.12 percent. Recovery was driven by rational replenishment for mid-tier food and beverage stocks, gifting and daily premium consumption.

Imports of white wine from New Zealand and Germany grew outside the usual peak season. New Zealand volumes surged 64.36 percent to 550,000 liters, while Germany rose 18.84 percent to 390,000 liters. The trend indicates white wine is increasingly becoming a daily staple in casual and family drinking scenarios.

March imports of sparkling wine totaled 390,000 liters, down 14.84 percent year-on-year, but saw a value increase of 7.85 percent to $4.57 million. Italy led in volume with 220,000 liters, up 45.06 percent year-on-year. France led in value at $3.13 million, up 11.09 percent. Analysts said consumption is moving beyond festive gifting toward social and personal occasions.

The rising imports of sparkling wine from Italy were shown in last year's data as well. According to the Asti DOCG Consortium, in 2025, sales of Moscato d'Asti — an Italian sweet sparkling wine — surged 55 percent year-on-year in China.

"In a year full of challenges, there were also positive notes, starting with the clear growth in Asian demand, especially from China, which is taking on significant proportions and is encouraging," said the president of the consortium Stefano Ricagno.

Meanwhile, driven by markets such as China, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, Asia has leaped to become the third-largest export region for Moscato d'Asti, accounting for 18 percent of its total international sales volume.

Data for the first quarter indicate that the wine market is gradually recovering. Industry experts expect competition to focus less on scale and more on category structure, consumption scenarios and inventory efficiency.

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn