Germany cut wine imports 7.8% in the first quarter of 2026

Germany reduced its wine imports in both value and volume in the first quarter of 2026, according to German customs data analyzed by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organization, known as OIVE. From January through March, the country imported 288.4 million liters of wine worth €585.9 million, down 7.8% in volume and 5.3% in value from the same period a year earlier. The average price rose 2.7% to €2.03 per liter.

The decline affected both packaged wines and bulk wine, though prices increased in each category. Imports of packaged wines, which include sparkling wine, bottled wine and bag-in-box formats, fell 5.3% in value and 8.4% in volume to €474.7 million and 127.6 million liters. The average price for packaged wine rose 3.3% to €3.72 per liter.

Bulk wine imports also moved lower. Germany imported 160.8 million liters of bulk wine worth €111.1 million in the first three months of the year, a drop of 7.3% in volume and 5.1% in value. The average price increased 2.4% to €0.69 per liter.

Italy remained Germany’s leading wine supplier overall and kept its lead in both value and volume during the period. Italian shipments reached €241.5 million, down 2.6% from a year earlier, while volumes totaled 105.2 million liters, also down 2.6%.

France ranked second by value, with exports to Germany worth €159.2 million, a decline of 6.9%. In volume, France placed third with 39.6 million liters, down 3.6%.

Spain held a mixed position in the German market, reflecting its strength in bulk wine and a weaker performance in packaged products. In packaged wines, Spain ranked third by value at €53.3 million, down 6%, and third by volume at 22.4 million liters, down 10.8%.

In bulk wine, Spain was Germany’s top supplier by both value and volume. Spanish bulk exports reached €37.37 million and 71.35 million liters from January through March, placing the country first in both measures.

By value across all wine categories, Germany’s main suppliers in the quarter were Italy, France, Spain, Austria, South Africa, Portugal, New Zealand, Chile and Australia.

The figures point to softer German demand at the start of 2026, with importers buying less wine but paying more per liter on average. The pattern was visible across the market, from higher-priced packaged wines to lower-priced bulk shipments, suggesting that price pressure remained present even as total purchases declined.