Bourgogne wine exports to Hong Kong reached a new high last year, driven by robust demand for the region’s white wines. This surge occurred despite a decline in the city’s overall French wine imports, according to data from the BIVB.
The region’s wines saw a record €96.5 million in sales and a volume of 1.27 million bottles, marking a 3% increase over the five-year average. This success contrasts sharply with a broader downturn in Hong Kong’s wine market, where total wine imports dropped 10.7% to 41.6 million bottles in 2023, a decrease from the previous year. Sales also fell by 8% to €895 million, with French wines making up 62% of these imports.
In 2023, Bourgogne wine sales in Hong Kong rose 3.4% year-over-year to €96.5 million, setting a new record in value after a strong 2022, which saw a 9.6% increase from 2021. The market benefited from the availability of volumes following the exceptional vintages of 2022 and 2023, with a slight 0.9% increase in export volume over the previous year.
Interestingly, Hong Kong’s market shows a balanced preference for both red and white Bourgogne wines, a rare trend in Asia where red wines typically dominate. In 2023, red wines accounted for 48% of Bourgogne imports, slightly less than whites at 51%. Despite a steady demand for both, red wines saw a slowdown due to a shortage from the 2021 vintage.
The volume of Bourgogne white wines exported to Hong Kong continued to rise, reaching over 653,000 bottles and €26.9 million in sales in 2023, up 2.9% from 2022. Following the 2022 vintage, two groups of appellations—the Bourgogne Régionale and Chablis and Petit Chablis—led the growth in the white wine segment. The former saw a 5% volume increase and a 9.1% rise in sales, while the latter soared 39.4% in sales and 47.5% in volume compared to 2022.
Red wines remain significant in Bourgogne’s performance in Hong Kong, making up 72% of sales (€69.4 million) in 2023, although they represent less than half of the export volume.
The Bourgogne red Régionale AOCs dominated, comprising 41% of the red wine market and showing a 7.6% increase in volume compared to the five-year average.
Meanwhile, Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits Village, along with Village Premier Cru appellations, constituted 19% of export volumes and 25% of sales, a 31% increase in sales from the previous year. However, the volume of red Grand Crus dropped in 2023, despite accounting for 15% of Bourgogne red wine volumes and 36% of sales in Hong Kong.
