China’s wine imports saw a significant rebound in October, with both volume and value surging year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC). The import volume reached about 19.7 million liters, up 40.3% from the previous year, while the import value soared by 67.7% to USD115 million. From January to October, total wine imports amounted to 234 million liters, marking a year-on-year increase of 13.3%, with an import value of USD1.25 billion, up 31.7%. The resurgence was fueled by robust growth in bottled wine imports and a strong performance by Australian wine, alongside a rising consumer preference for white wines, according to Wine Business Observer (WBO), a wine industry portal. Bottled wine imports (in containers of 2 liters or less) were the main growth driver in October, as the import volume rose by 29.03% year-on-year to 11.34 million liters, while the value nearly doubled, increasing 97.47% to USD108 million, WBO said.
Australian bottled wine stood out, with imports skyrocketing to 4.02 million liters in October compared to just 16,000 liters in the same period last year. This recovery followed the reentry of several Australian wine brands into the Chinese market, supported by long-term contracts and strong demand ahead of the Spring Festival season. For example, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) said in August that it aims to re-establish the Penfolds portfolio in China. From January to October, bottled wine imports totaled 136 million liters – up 5.7% year-on-year, valued at USD1.146 billion – up 35.14%, with an average price of USD8.42 per liter – up 27.86%, a report by WBO has said.
In contrast, sparkling wine imports faced challenges. While the volume increased by 27.42% year-on-year to 377,500 liters, the value dropped by 49.88% to USD4.2 million due to a sharp 60.67% decline in the average import price to USD11.14 per liter, the report said. By country, France remained the top wine exporter to China from January to October, with bottled wine imports totaling 40.16 million liters – down 17.62% year-on-year, valued at USD412 million – down 11.16%. Despite the decline, France maintained its premium positioning, with an average import price of USD10.25 per liter. Australia emerged as a formidable competitor, with bottled wine imports increasing 119-fold in volume and 254-fold in value year-on-year over the same period. New Zealand and Germany also saw stable growth, supported by rising demand for white wines, the China Daily reports.
