China Wine Imports Show Signs of Sustained Recovery

China’s wine imports in the first two months of 2025 point to a sustained recovery in the country’s wine market, with strong rebounds in Australian wine and growing demand for sparkling wine driving the uptick, according to newly released customs data.

From January to February, China imported 41 million liters of wine worth US$258.1 million, up 11.5% in volume and 54.2% in value year-on-year.

The sharpest gains came from Australia. Wine imports from the country soared 1,693% in volume to 14.7 million liters and jumped 6,866% in value to US$129.6 million in the first two months. Australia accounted for more than half of China’s total wine import value during the period.

The surge sustained a growth momentum that Australia has enjoyed following Beijing’s decision last March to lift anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine. Import volumes have remained strong since then, with January 2025 imports alone reaching US$104 million—comparable to the post-tariff peaks in June and July 2024. Penfolds, Treasury Wine Estates’ flagship brand, continues to play a major role in driving Australian wine sales in China.

New Zealand also posted solid gains, with wine imports up 36.6% in volume and 11.6% in value. The growth is attributed to the rising popularity of white wines and strong brand recognition, particularly from Cloudy Bay.

While imports from France, Chile and Spain continued to decline, Italy showed signs of stabilizing, with import value down just 0.14%. Georgian wine, meanwhile, posted triple-digit growth—volume rose 108.8% and value increased 95.9%. 

Sparkling Wines on the Rise

Sparkling wine imports also stood out as a bright spot. Volume rose 16.6% to 949,000 liters and value climbed 13.3% to US$9.4 million, reversing the volume-up, value-down trend seen in 2024.

France, the top supplier of sparkling wine to China, saw imports rise 31.2% in volume and 12.1% in value, buoyed by Champagne sales. Spain posted even stronger gains, with volume up 66.6% and value up 69.5%. Italy, however, saw sparkling wine volumes fall 11.4% and value dip 1.8%.

Sparkling wines are increasingly popular among young and female consumers in China, often enjoyed as everyday indulgences. The growing trend was also evident at the recent China Food and Drinks Fair in Chengdu, where several on-the-spot purchases were reportedly made for sparkling and alcohol-free wines, according to Shenzhen-based wine distributor Devofast.

Qingdao-based importer Long Vision Global International and one of China’s Top 100 Wine Importers, traditionally focused on Italian sparkling wine, introduced Spanish sparkling wine at the fair, citing its greater volume potential.

French sparkling wines continued to command the highest average price at US$31.27 per liter, far exceeding Italy (US$4.22) and Spain (US$2.91). Wu Xianghua, CEO of Chengdu Fine West International Trade Co. and one of China’s Top 100 Wine Importers, said his company has ramped up Champagne imports in recent months.

“There’s consistent demand for Champagne from mature clients,” Wu said. “They’re staying loyal to the brands but looking for better prices.”

He noted that lower-priced Champagnes—either entry-level products or big brands offering discounts—are fueling the increase in volume. “We’ve been purchasing a single brand in large volumes for three consecutive months, and prices have been steadily dropping,” he added.

Still, industry experts caution that the January–February figures offer only a short-term snapshot. Whether the momentum for sparkling wine—especially from France and Spain—can be sustained remains to be seen in the coming months.