Spain’s wine exports fell 18.1% as bulk shipments drove a sharp early-year decline

Spain’s wine exports fell sharply in the first four months of 2026, extending the weaker pattern seen over the previous year as both sales value and shipment volumes declined across most categories.

From January through April, Spain exported wine worth €858 million, down 8.3% from the same period in 2025, while volumes dropped 18.1% to nearly 548 million liters, according to Spanish Tax Agency data analyzed by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organisation. In absolute terms, that meant 121 million fewer liters sold and €77.3 million less in revenue than a year earlier.

The downturn also showed up in the rolling 12-month period from May 2025 to April 2026. Over that span, Spanish wine exports totaled €2.823 billion, down 4.6% from the previous annual period, while volume fell 6.5% to 1.787 billion liters. That pushed exports below the 1.8 billion-liter mark and represented a loss of €135.6 million and 124.4 million liters.

Packaged wines held up better than bulk shipments, though both segments contracted. Exports of packaged wine, including sparkling, still, fortified, semi-sparkling and bag-in-box products, reached 243.1 million liters, down 5.9%, with revenue of €689.9 million, down 5.5%. The average price edged up to €2.84 a liter.

Sparkling wine exports brought in €129.6 million, down 7.3%, on volumes of 38.6 million liters, down 6.6%. Cava remained the dominant product in that category, accounting for 64% of volume and 70% of value. Spain exported 24.5 million liters of Cava worth €90.9 million, while other sparkling wines accounted for 14 million liters and €38.7 million.

The United States remained the largest market for Spanish sparkling wine, but purchases fell steeply. Sales to the U.S. totaled €17.8 million, down 19.8%, with volume at nearly five million liters, down 19.2%. Belgium moved in the opposite direction, increasing purchases to €15.15 million and 4.2 million liters.

Still bottled wines generated €507.8 million from 172.3 million liters, declines of 5.2% in value and 6.6% in volume. Wines with Protected Designation of Origin remained the leading segment within that category, but exports fell 7.8% in value to €353 million and 11.1% in volume to 65.8 million liters. Their average price rose 3.7% to €5.36 a liter.

Varietal bottled wines were among the few bright spots. Revenue rose 13.2% to €54.1 million and volume increased 6.2% to 29.2 million liters. Wines with Protected Geographical Indication declined 5.9% in value and 5.4% in volume, while bottled wines without geographical or varietal indication also fell, reaching €62.7 million and 44.1 million liters.

Fortified wines posted one of the steepest declines, with revenue down 23% to €13.25 million and volume down 27.7% to 2.6 million liters. Semi-sparkling wines managed a small gain in value, rising 0.7% to €9.75 million even as volume fell 7.2%.

Bag-in-box was another area of growth. Exports increased 5.2% in value to €29.4 million and 5.7% in volume to 23.1 million liters. France became the largest destination for that format after raising purchases by 37.3% in value to €4.7 million and by 53.5% in volume to 4.5 million liters.

Bulk wine recorded the weakest performance of all major categories. Exports fell 18% in value to €168.1 million and 25.8% in volume to 304.9 million liters, although the average price rose 10.5% to €0.55 a liter.

Bulk wine without any indication remained the largest segment within that group at 195.4 million liters and €107 million, but it lost 84.2 million liters in just four months.

Germany remained the leading buyer of Spanish bulk wine with 91.6 million liters worth €48.9 million. France followed with 85.5 million liters and €43.8 million, while Portugal moved into third place after increasing purchases to 27 million liters and €16 million.

Italy and Ivory Coast both cut imports sharply, adding to the broad weakness across Spain’s wine export business at the start of 2026.