2026-08-31
China’s wine exports brought in much more money in the first half of 2026 even though shipment volumes rose only modestly, according to Chinese customs data cited by Wine Business Observation and later highlighted by The Wall Street Journal.
From January through June, China exported 2.281 million liters of wine worth US$75.10 million. That was an increase of 293,000 liters, or 14.76%, from about 1.987 million liters a year earlier. Export value rose by US$48.92 million, or 186.79%, from roughly US$26.19 million. The average declared customs value climbed to US$32.93 per liter from about US$13.18, a jump of 149.9%.
The gap between the rise in volume and the rise in value is the central feature of the data. It points to a sharp change in the mix of wine leaving China, with exports moving toward more expensive products, higher-value destinations, or both. The customs figures made public in early August do not provide a full public breakdown between wine produced in China and any possible reexports, so the exact source of the increase cannot be verified from the open data alone.
Most of the trade was in bottled still wine. Wine shipped in containers of 2 liters or less accounted for 1.886 million liters in the first half, up 17.42% from a year earlier. The value of those exports reached US$71.70 million, up 192.37%. The average declared value for bottled wine rose to US$38.02 per liter, up 149%. That works out to about US$28.5 for a standard 750-milliliter bottle.
The figures suggest that China’s export growth is being led by premium and fine wine rather than bulk product. Sparkling wine exports also increased, but at far lower values. China exported 126,800 liters of sparkling wine, up 37.87%, for US$1.30 million, up 22.48%. The average value of sparkling wine fell 11.17% to US$10.27 per liter, indicating that this segment remained concentrated in lower-priced products. Bulk wine exports were minimal and fell sharply. Shipments of wine in containers larger than 10 liters dropped 27.15% to 47,400 liters, while value fell 54.65% to US$41,900. The average value in that category declined 37.75% to US$0.88 per liter.
The biggest change came in destination markets. Singapore became the top market for Chinese wine exports in the first half of the year. Exports to Singapore reached 252,900 liters worth US$43.92 million. That represented a 1805.16% increase in volume and a 1699.16% increase in value from a year earlier. The average declared value of those shipments was US$173.68 per liter, down slightly by 5.56% but still far above the overall average. Singapore alone accounted for 58.5% of China’s total wine export value in the period.
Trade publication WBO reported that the surge was largely driven by a concentrated shipment in April, when 200,000 bottles of Chinese wine with an average price above 1,000 yuan per bottle were exported from Guangdong province to Singapore. Industry participants quoted by the publication said the jump appeared to reflect the actions of a single brand and may have been influenced by specific business or policy considerations. That means the first-half totals may include a one-off element rather than a broad increase across many producers and markets.
Hong Kong ranked second by export value and remained the largest destination by volume among the better-known markets. China exported 1.019 million liters to Hong Kong, down 2.62% from a year earlier, but the value of those shipments rose 45.58% to US$25.94 million. The average declared value increased 49.49% to US$25.45 per liter. The data point to stable demand with a shift toward more expensive bottles.
Macau ranked third, though on a much smaller scale. Shipments there totaled 61,300 liters, down 5.36%, worth US$1.14 million, down 14.26%. The average declared value was US$18.66 per liter, down 9.40%.
North Korea was also one of the larger markets by volume, taking about 440,000 liters, according to WBO, mostly lower-priced wine from northeastern China. By export value, other leading destinations included Australia, New Zealand, Japan, France, and South Korea, each in a range of roughly US$200,000 to US$600,000.
The customs data were first released publicly in early August and were later revisited in a Wall Street Journal report from Ningxia, one of China’s best-known wine regions. The Journal described how Chinese wineries that once focused mainly on the domestic market are trying to build sales overseas. It highlighted Silver Heights, founded by winemaker Emma Gao in Ningxia in 2007. The winery’s Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and Chardonnay have been served at restaurants including Gramercy Tavern in New York, Ba in Milan, and The Cinnamon Club in London. Silver Heights has said exports now account for about one-third of its business.
That company example fits the broader pattern suggested by the customs numbers. The strongest growth appears to be coming from boutique and premium producers trying to sell into fine dining, specialty retail, and high-end gift markets rather than from mass-market volume growth. The average value of bottled exports, about US$38.02 per liter, places much of the trade in a price range associated with premium wine.
The port data also show how concentrated the first-half surge was. Guangdong was the leading export gateway by a wide margin, with 1.245 million liters shipped for US$64.88 million. Export value through the province rose 436.17% from a year earlier, and the average declared value climbed 196.29% to US$52.10 per liter. Guangdong’s role was helped by its proximity to Hong Kong and Macau and by its established trade infrastructure, but the Singapore shipment also appears to have run through the province.
Tianjin handled a much smaller volume, only 13,700 liters, but a high value of US$2.61 million. That meant an average declared value of US$190.94 per liter, the highest among major export gateways, suggesting that very expensive wines moved through that port. Shanghai moved in the opposite direction. Exports through Shanghai fell 65.17% by volume to 182,200 liters and 68% by value to US$2.55 million. The average declared value there declined 8.11% to US$14.02 per liter.
Chinese producers do not always ship through the nearest port. Industry executives cited by WBO said exporters choose customs routes based on importer preferences, mixed-container logistics, and the final market. One winery executive said shipments for Singapore cleared through Qingdao, while exports to Britain and Switzerland went through Shanghai and those for Hong Kong went through Guangdong. That variation makes it harder to read the data as a simple map of where China’s wine is produced.
The trade figures arrive as Chinese wineries face a difficult home market marked by intense competition and weaker growth than in earlier years. Export volumes remain small by global standards, and China’s outward wine trade is still far below its import volumes. But the first-half data show that the country’s export profile is changing quickly, with high-value bottled wine driving almost all of the increase and with a small number of destinations and shipments carrying much of the gain.