What China’s Top Wine Importers Are Saying About CNY Demand - Page 2 of 5

Wajiu Group

Wajiu Group operates a full-channel alcohol ecosystem spanning more than 400 cities across China. It is also the parent company of boutique wine specialist Summergate and Torres China, and ranks among the country’s largest wine importers by scale.

Jin Song, general manager of Wajiu China, said the shift toward more everyday and younger wine consumption was particularly visible during the Lunar New Year period. On the channel side, the strongest growth came from formats offering convenience and clear consumption scenarios. These included instant-delivery e-commerce platforms, membership-based warehouse stores such as Sam’s Club that cater to household and personal consumption, and retail outlets in lower-tier markets focused on daily drinking occasions.

On the product side, Jin said commercially established brands with high consumer awareness continued to attract younger drinkers, supported by brand recognition and value-for-money positioning. At the same time, categories such as brandy, white wine and sweet wine saw rapid volume growth, driven by their approachable styles and lower barriers to entry, particularly in self-indulgence and everyday food-pairing scenarios.

“These characteristics are both a continuation of 2025 and the most defining features of the 2026 Lunar New Year season,” Jin said.

EMW Fine Wines

Founded in 2003, EMW Fine Wines is a long-established importer with operations across hotels, restaurants, retail and distributor channels. The company has clearly felt the impact of shifting personal consumption preferences on the Lunar New Year sales mix.

Marketing director Juanita Yu said end consumers now show a clear preference for sparkling wine and white wine, followed by red wine. Within the red wine category, lighter, more approachable styles are increasingly favoured.

In terms of pricing, wines priced below RMB 200 show the strongest sell-through. Across sparkling, red and white wines alike, products from traditional, well-known regions remain easier for consumers to accept.