Argentina’s wine sales fell 4.7% in September

Argentina’s wine market fell in September even as white wine continued to gain share, pointing to a shift in consumer demand in one of the world’s major wine-producing countries.

According to figures from Argentina’s National Vitiviniculture Institute, cited by Los Andes, the country marketed 707,145 hectoliters of wine in September 2026, down 4.7% from the same month a year earlier. Within that total, white wine sales rose 8%, while red and rosé wines fell 9.3%. For the year to date, the overall market was down 0.2%.

The data show a market that is weakening in aggregate but changing in composition. Red wine remains a core category in Argentina, but white wines are expanding at a time when total volumes are under pressure. That trend is drawing attention across the industry because it suggests that demand is not simply shrinking, but moving toward different styles.

In Mendoza, the country’s main wine-producing province, shipments have remained stable in 2026 despite the broader national decline, according to the report. That relative stability sets Mendoza apart from the wider market and highlights the province’s weight in Argentina’s wine business. The source did not provide a separate shipment volume for Mendoza, but said the province has held its dispatch levels even as national sales softened.

Los Andes said industry specialists link the growth in white wine to consumer interest in fresher and softer flavor profiles, as well as to drinking occasions tied to warm weather and aperitifs. The report also said the range of white grape varieties adapted to local growing conditions has supported the segment’s expansion. Those factors, taken together, are helping white wines gain ground against the traditional dominance of reds.

For wineries and grape growers, the numbers add to the case for reviewing production plans, inventories and sales strategies. A rise in white wine demand in Argentina can affect decisions on varietal mix, packaging, promotions and distribution, especially for producers that have been more exposed to red wines. For the broader beverage sector, the change is also a useful signal as retailers, wholesalers and on-premise operators adjust assortments in response to evolving consumption patterns in a large domestic market.

The September figures do not point to a broad recovery in wine consumption. Instead, they indicate a more selective market in which some categories are performing better than others. In that setting, the resilience of Mendoza’s shipments and the stronger showing by white wines stand out as the clearest developments in Argentina’s wine trade in 2026.