If you still think white wine is merely a supporting act to red wine in China’s wine scene, you might be missing out on the rise of a new market favorite. Over the past two years, white wine has rapidly gained traction in China, becoming one of the few bright spots in the country’s wine industry. Whether in supermarkets or on e-commerce platforms, white wine is charging ahead with surprising momentum and steadily moving into the spotlight.
At the China Food & Drinks Fair in Chengdu, white wine is also enjoying its moment in the sun. A senior representative from Longting Winery in Shandong told Vino Joy News, “About one-third of the buyers coming for wine specifically ask to taste white wine only, not red. They know exactly what they want.”
In a sign of rising international attention, Wines of Germany and New Zealand Winegrowers co-hosted a forum titled “Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc: How Germany and New Zealand Are Leading China’s White Wine Market.” This marked the first time these two major white wine regions joined forces, drawing strong interest from across the industry. Representatives from wineries, restaurants, supermarkets, and online platforms shared the latest data and opportunities surrounding German Riesling, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and China’s white wine market—offering valuable insights for the trade.
How Riesling Became the Best-Selling White Wine at Sam’s Club and Aldi China
Jeuce Huang, Director of Wines of Germany China Office, shared some milestone achievements for German Riesling in 2025: “In retail channels, Riesling is now the No. 1 selling white wine at Sam’s Club and also the top-selling white at Aldi. On e-commerce, Riesling was the most searched wine keyword on JD.com in summer 2024.”
Riesling is also gaining serious traction on content platforms. “The keyword ‘Riesling’ has racked up 15 million impressions on China’s popular social media platform Xiaohongshu (Red Note), while ‘German Riesling’ has reached 11 million—far surpassing Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir,” said Jeuce.
She attributes Riesling’s success to its light sweetness and fresh acidity, which resonates with young Chinese consumers and women. “It ranges from entry-level to premium, from dry to sweet styles—Riesling can satisfy nearly every palate.”
Its rise hasn’t been accidental. Wines of Germany has made continuous investments in promotion from campaigns like ‘Summer Riesling’ to hundreds of nationwide tastings with importers. “Our partnerships with Xiaohongshu influencers have turned Riesling into an iconic choice among younger drinkers. The campaign hashtag alone has now reached 2.5 million views,” Huang added.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: Building on Brand and Quality
Vanessa Wu, China Representative for New Zealand Winegrowers, noted that in 2024, both the volume and value of New Zealand wine imports into China posted double-digit growth. “Besides its unique terroir and quality, brand building has been essential to this success,” she said.
“Marlborough has become a well-known brand region in China—almost synonymous with New Zealand wine. Meanwhile, brands like Cloudy Bay, Oyster Bay, and Villa Maria have built strong global reputations.”
Wu also introduced a new positioning concept: “pure desire,” describing Sauvignon Blanc’s clean and crisp profile that matches Chinese female consumers’ taste for fresh drinks. “Its premium positioning also aligns with China’s ongoing consumer upgrade trend.”
White Wine Accounts for Only 4% of Imports, But 10–20% of Actual Consumption
Despite white wine making up only 4% of China’s wine imports in 2024, actual consumption is significantly higher—between 10% and 20%, according to Gu Yuping, China representative for Henkell Freixenet Group, who has long championed German whites in the market.
“The influx of Australian red wines in 2024 pushed red wine imports higher, but a lot of that wine is sitting in inventory. White wine, on the other hand, needs to be consumed fresh—so it doesn’t sit around. Once it’s imported, it’s being drunk,” he explained.
In Shanghai’s upscale restaurants and wine bars, white wine now makes up a notable portion of sales. “By-the-glass sales of German Riesling and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc together account for 82%,” Gu said.
Still, Gu emphasized that China’s white wine market is in its infancy. “Globally, white wine accounts for 43% of consumption. In the U.S. and U.K., it’s even surpassed red. In China, we’re still at a 9-to-1 ratio of red to white. But I believe we’ll hit a 6-to-4 balance within five to ten years—maybe sooner.”
He sees especially strong potential for Riesling: “Both Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc will be growth engines. Riesling might grow three to fivefold, especially given the local preference for a hint of sweetness. Sauvignon Blanc could grow three to fourfold.”
Metro: Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc Sales Rise 11.42% and 6.62%
White wine’s momentum is clear in modern trade as well. According to Duan Jin, Head of Wine, Metro China, data from the China Chain-Store & Franchise Association (CCFA) shows that red wine accounted for 60% of supermarket wine sales in 2023, while white wine made up 25%—posting an 8.5% growth rate, the fastest among all wine categories.
Metro’s white wine sales bucked broader retail trends, growing 5% year-on-year in 2024. Riesling sales rose 11.42%, and Sauvignon Blanc grew 6.62%, Duan revealed.
In terms of price segmentation, white wines priced between RMB 100–300 made up 45% of sales, with budget wines under RMB 100 accounting for 40%, and premium wines over RMB 300 making up 15%. The strongest growth came in the budget tier, showing strong consumer demand for quality wines at accessible prices.
Of Metro’s top 15 direct-sourced wines, six are white. Three are German Rieslings, all showing sales growth above 30%, and two are Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs—one of which grew by 40%. “All three Rieslings are sweet or semi-sweet, indicating this style’s strong appeal in retail,” Duan noted.
White Wine Gains Ground in Business Dining
Master Sommelier Lu Yang, a veteran of China’s food and beverage scene, sees white wine’s resurgence as more than just a passing trend. “Before 1997, white wine actually had a larger market share than red. By 2009, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc were already fixtures on hotel wine lists.”
“A semi-sweet white is essential on any wine list, and German Riesling fits perfectly,” he said. “Once, we ran out of Sauvignon Blanc and used a French dry white instead. But customers insisted on Sauvignon Blanc. That’s how popular and entrenched these two grapes are.”
Lu also credits the rise of female consumers for boosting white wine’s popularity. “It’s not just women drinking white wine—men are buying it for them too. Their preferences are being respected more.” In premium dining venues, men may bring Maotai for themselves, while women who don’t drink spirits often choose Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.
As a pairing expert, Lu shared a few favorites: Kabinett Riesling with salted fish patties and Sauvignon Blanc with sweet and sour pork. But he encouraged experimentation. “Pairing wine and food is like marriage—perfect matches are rare. But in general, the cuisines of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Chaozhou, and Fujian go beautifully with white wine.”
RMB 100 White Wines Are E-Commerce Sweet Spot
Online retail is another powerful driver of white wine’s growth. Xu Xinrong, the e-commerce operator of the Germany and New Zealand Wine National Pavilions, shared insights into the digital wine space.
From 2017 to 2023, Xu’s Tmall-based New Zealand Wine Pavilion grew steadily, surpassing RMB 10 million in sales in 2023. But in 2024, sales dipped—highlighting that while white wine is promising, the market is still competitive and evolving.
According to Xu, wines priced around RMB 100 remain the sweet spot for most buyers, and German Riesling and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc fit this range well.
Still, he cautioned that while e-commerce offers opportunities, platform-led pricing poses risks for brands. “On Tmall and JD.com, the mark-up on self-operated white wines is often minimal, which can squeeze margins for brand owners.”
He suggests mature brands join platforms, while developing ones proceed cautiously. Emerging content platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu offer potential—but require high-quality content output.
It’s clear that white wine—led by German Riesling and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc—is no longer just a trend in China. It’s the start of a broader consumer shift. For wine producers and distributors, the question now is how best to position their products and channels to ride this wave—and come out on top.
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