France’s wine exports fell 2.2% in value in the first half of 2026

France’s wine exports fell in both value and volume in the first half of 2026, according to French customs data compiled by Trade Data Monitor and analyzed by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organization, OIVE. From January through June, France exported €5.41 billion worth of wine, down 2.2% from the same period a year earlier, while shipment volumes slipped 1.5% to 618.9 million liters. The average export price also edged lower, falling 0.7% to €8.74 per liter.

The decline was driven mainly by packaged wines, which account for almost all French wine exports. Exports of packaged wines, including sparkling wine, bottled still wine and bag-in-box products, totaled €5.32 billion in the first six months of the year, down 2.1% from the first half of 2025. Volume in that segment fell 0.7% to 558.9 million liters. The average price for packaged wine dropped 1.3% to €9.52 per liter.

Bulk wine exports also weakened, though from a much smaller base. France exported €88.9 million in bulk wine in the first half, down 7.9% from a year earlier, while volume declined 8% to 59.9 million liters. Unlike packaged wine, the average bulk price was nearly unchanged, rising 0.1% to €1.48 per liter.

Within the packaged category, results were mixed by product type. Sparkling wine was the strongest major segment. Export value for sparkling wine rose 2.6% to €1.91 billion, while volumes increased 6% to 99.4 million liters. Even so, the average price for sparkling wine declined 3.2% to €19.19 per liter. Bottled wine in containers smaller than 2 liters moved in the opposite direction. That category posted €3.32 billion in exports, down 4.7%, with volume off 2.1% to 432.4 million liters. Its average price fell 2.7% to €7.68 per liter. Bag-in-box wine, sold in containers of 2 to 10 liters, recorded modest growth in value, rising 5.6% to €90.8 million, even as volume slipped 2.3% to 27.1 million liters. The average price in that category increased 8.1% to €3.35 per liter.

The United States remained France’s largest wine export market by both value and volume, despite a drop in revenue. Exports to the U.S. were worth €1.01 billion in the first half of 2026, down 9.8% from the same period of 2025. At the same time, shipments to the U.S. rose 4.3% in volume to 95.3 million liters. That kept the U.S. in first place among all destinations.

The United Kingdom ranked second by value and third by volume. French wine exports to the U.K. rose 3.8% in value to €704.6 million and climbed 8.5% in volume to 76.7 million liters. Germany was the third-largest market by value at €333.8 million, down 11.3%, and the second-largest by volume at 78.8 million liters, down 6.1%.

Japan held fourth place by value with €292.5 million, unchanged from a year earlier. Belgium followed with €290.4 million, down 4.7%, then Canada at €239.3 million, down 4.5%, and Switzerland at €233 million, down 12%. Singapore was one of the brighter spots among higher-value markets, with exports rising 8.4% to €229 million. The Netherlands also posted a small gain, up 0.9% to €207.3 million, while Hong Kong increased 17.8% to €179.1 million.

By volume, after the U.S., Germany and the U.K., Belgium was the fourth-largest destination at 56.8 million liters, down 6.9%. The Netherlands received 48.7 million liters, down 6.7%, and Canada imported 31.6 million liters, down 2.4%. Sweden took 24.3 million liters, down 4%, while Japan imported 21.4 million liters, down 2.4%. Switzerland bought 18.2 million liters, down 6%, and China received 14.1 million liters, down 11.1%.

The new figures show a continued easing in French wine export performance after stronger years earlier in the decade. Packaged wine export value reached €5.97 billion in the first half of 2023, then fell to €5.38 billion in the first half of 2024, recovered slightly to €5.43 billion in the first half of 2025 and slipped again to €5.32 billion in the first half of 2026. Packaged wine volumes have also moved steadily lower over that period, dropping from 631.8 million liters in the first half of 2021 to 558.9 million liters this year.

Bulk wine exports show a similar longer-term contraction. Bulk shipments stood at 95.1 million liters in the first half of 2021 and have fallen to 59.9 million liters in the first half of 2026. In value terms, bulk wine exports dropped from €141.7 million in the first half of 2021 to €88.9 million this year. The latest data indicate that while France’s export business remains heavily supported by packaged wines and by key markets such as the U.S. and the U.K., overall foreign sales softened in the first six months of 2026, with lower average prices weighing on total export value.