France’s Wine Sales to Ireland Fell 28.4% in the First Quarter

Ireland imported less wine in the first quarter of 2026, with declines in both value and volume, according to Irish customs data analyzed by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organization, known as OIVE. From January through March, total wine imports fell 4.5% in value to €68.3 million and 3.1% in volume to 17.9 million liters. The average price slipped 1.4% to €3.82 a liter.

The decline was concentrated in packaged wines, which include sparkling wine, bottled still wine and bag-in-box formats. Imports in that group fell 4.8% in value to €67.4 million and 3.2% in volume to 17.7 million liters. The average price for packaged wine dropped 1.6% to €3.81 a liter. Bulk wine, which remains a small part of the market, moved in the opposite direction. Ireland’s bulk wine imports rose 27.8% in value to €0.82 million and 7.5% in volume to 0.19 million liters, while the average price increased 18.8% to €4.36 a liter.

The figures show that the overall contraction was not spread evenly across suppliers. France remained Ireland’s largest wine supplier by value, but its sales fell sharply. French shipments totaled €13.7 million in the quarter, down 28.4%, while volume dropped 37.2% to 2.8 million liters. That decline was large enough to account for more than the entire net fall in Ireland’s wine imports during the period, suggesting that gains by other countries partly offset the French losses.

Italy was the main beneficiary of that shift. It ranked second by value with €12.5 million, up 28.6%, and became the leading supplier by volume with 4 million liters, up 32.9%. Chile also expanded its position, reaching €9.1 million in value, up 15.6%, and 3 million liters in volume, up 16.2%. New Zealand remained ahead of Spain by value despite a decline, with €6.8 million, down 20.3%, and 1.3 million liters, down 19.1%.

Spain ranked fifth among suppliers by value in packaged wines, with €6.1 million, down about 17.5% to 17.8% depending on the section of the OIVE report used as reference. In volume, Spain shipped about 1.1 million liters, down roughly 27.8% to 28.1%. The report contains an inconsistency on Spain’s volume ranking, placing it fifth in one summary and sixth in another section and chart. In bulk wine, Spain exported just €0.02 million to Ireland during the quarter, placing seventh in that category.

Measured by value, Ireland’s main suppliers in the quarter were France, Italy, Chile, New Zealand, Spain, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands. By volume, Italy led the market, followed by Chile and France. France’s share weakened significantly as Italy gained ground.

The product breakdown shows that bottled still wine under two liters was the main source of weakness in the Irish market. That category fell 8.5% in value to €59.4 million and 7.4% in volume to 16 million liters, with an average price of €3.71 a liter, down 1.2%. Sparkling wine posted strong growth, rising 36.4% in value to €7.93 million and 72.3% in volume to 1.63 million liters, though its average price fell 20.9% to €4.86 a liter as volumes grew faster than spending.

Bag-in-box wine also increased, though from a very small base. Imports reached €0.11 million, up 38.5%, and 0.04 million liters, up 23.2%, with an average price of €2.48 a liter.

Over a longer period, Ireland’s packaged wine imports remain above pre-2023 levels despite this year’s decline from recent highs. OIVE’s figures show that first-quarter packaged wine imports rose from €54.9 million in 2021 to €67.4 million in 2026, while volume increased from 12.9 million liters to 17.7 million liters over the same period. The peak came in 2023 at €72 million and 21.1 million liters, leaving this year’s first quarter still below that mark by 6.4% in value and 16.1% in volume.

The data points to a market that is shrinking only on the surface and changing more deeply underneath, with France losing share quickly while Italy and Chile expand their presence and sparkling wine offsets part of the weakness in bottled still wine.”