Russian wine shipments to China surged dramatically at the start of 2025, driven by a newfound thirst for sparkling wine and a boost from Chinese social media influencers.
In the first three months of this year, Russia exported nearly 700 tons of wine to China, worth around US$1 million—more than triple the value recorded a year earlier, according to Russia’s Agriculture Ministry, as reported by local news agency Sputnik. The volume was up more than twofold.
Over the same three months, Russia shipped roughly 1,000 metric tons of wine abroad, with China accounting for 72% and Turkey 18% of total exports.
Chinese customs data reviewed by Vino Joy News show that China imported 237,359 liters of Russian wine in the first quarter, worth US$642,069 — up 192% in volume and 235% in value year over year.
Differences between Russian export figures and Chinese import records, which are normal, result from reporting time lags and wines temporarily held in bonded warehouses before being officially cleared by customs.
Sparkling wine was the standout performer, making up nearly two-thirds of China’s Russian wine imports. The bubbly influx peaked in March, a sharp contrast to the previous year, when no Russian sparkling wines entered the market.
Earlier the country’s leading sparkling wine producer Abrau-Durso Group attended China’s biggest wine and spirits fair CFDF in Chengdu.
Russian wines are gaining popularity in China thanks partly to savvy online marketing. The Russian brand Moon Land, championed by the influencer “Jiuyue de Fu,” ranked third among top-selling wines on Douyin, China’s popular TikTok counterpart. With over half a million followers, the influencer imports around 1.3 million bottles of Moon Land wine annually.
Russia is actively pushing its wines into the Chinese market as part of broader efforts to counteract Western sanctions imposed over the Ukraine conflict, which have cut off key financial routes, including access to the SWIFT banking network. China, already Russia’s biggest trading partner, has become an essential market for expanding sales and securing foreign currency.
To boost visibility further, Russian Vinegrowers and Winemakers Association hosted a “Russian Wine Road” event in Beijing on March 28, showcasing its premium offerings to Chinese hotel, restaurant, and retail executives.
Despite the eye-catching growth, Russia still holds just a tiny share of China’s vast imported wine market. In the first quarter, it ranked 14th, sandwiched between Moldova and Austria, accounting for only 0.19% of China’s wine imports by value.
But with sparkling wine bubbling up and influencers leading the way, Russian producers hope their wines have only begun to flow into China’s glasses.
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