China’s Wine Market Continues Long Decline Despite Higher Import Prices

China reduced its total wine imports in 2025, both in value and volume, according to data from Chinese customs analyzed by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organization (OIVE). The country imported €1.2579 billion worth of wine, a decrease of 14.6% compared to the previous year. The volume also dropped sharply by 26.7%, reaching 207.2 million liters. Despite this decline, the average price per liter increased by 16.5%, rising to €6.07.

Compared to 2024, China imported €215.8 million less wine and 75.6 million fewer liters. The reduction affected all major product categories. Imports of bottled wines, which include sparkling, still bottled, and bag-in-box wines, fell by 14% in value and 18.8% in volume, totaling €1.2034 billion and 141.7 million liters respectively. The average price for bottled wine rose by 5.9% to €8.49 per liter.

Bulk wine imports suffered even greater losses, with a 27.1% drop in value and a 39.6% decrease in volume, ending the year at €54.4 million and 65.4 million liters. However, the average price for bulk wine increased significantly by 20.6%, reaching €0.83 per liter.

The annual trend shows that Chinese wine imports grew rapidly until 2017, when they peaked at €2.326 billion and 570 million liters. Since then, the market has been contracting steadily, with only a brief technical rebound in 2024 that did not continue into 2025.

Australia regained its position as China’s leading wine supplier after China lifted its punitive tariffs of up to 200% on Australian wine in March 2024. In 2025, Australia exported €515.6 million worth of wine to China (down 5.4%) and shipped 71.3 million liters (down 9.2%). Australian wine accounted for 41% of the value and 34% of the volume of China’s total wine imports.

France remained the second-largest supplier by value with €370.1 million (down 18.8%), while Chile was second by volume with 52.9 million liters (down a steep 43.7%). Spain ranked sixth in value (€34.7 million, down 26.8%) and fifth in volume (9.9 million liters, down 28.7%).

Among major suppliers, only New Zealand and Georgia recorded growth in both value and volume in the Chinese market during 2025. New Zealand’s exports rose by 25% in value and an impressive 58.5% in volume, while Georgia saw increases of 3% in value and 15.9% in volume.

The main suppliers of wine to China by value in 2025 were Australia, France, Chile, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, the United States, Germany and Georgia.

The data reflect a clear contraction in aggregate demand for imported wine in China during the year, but also show rising average prices across all categories—a sign that either cost inflation at origin or a shift toward higher-priced products is influencing the market.

Looking at historical trends from 2020 to 2025, bottled wine imports started at €1.5146 billion and 325.3 million liters in 2020 but declined steadily until a temporary rebound in 2024 (€1.399 billion and 174.4 million liters). In 2025, imports fell again to €1.2034 billion and just over 141 million liters.

Bulk wine imports have shown more volatility but reached their lowest point of the period in both value (€54.4 million) and volume (65.44 million liters) in 2025.

The overall picture is one of structural decline rather than a temporary downturn: China’s imported wine market is now less than half the size it was five years ago in terms of volume absorbed.

Industry analysts point to changing consumer preferences within China as well as broader economic factors affecting demand for imported wines across all price segments and origins.