Asia Defies the Global Wine Slump: 9 Markets Ranked by Import Growth

No. 2: Mainland China

Import volume: 101,350,100 liters, down 10.98%
Import value: US$716.06 million, up 0.83%
Imports per capita: US$0.51

Mainland China was once one of the global wine industry’s most eagerly anticipated growth markets.

From the fine-wine boom around 2009, to the rapid expansion of imported wine consumption around 2014 and the surge in demand for premium Australian wine around 2017, countless international wineries benefited from the market’s extraordinary growth.

But mainland China’s wine imports began to peak around 2018, ushering in a prolonged period of adjustment. Restrictions on consumption occasions during the pandemic, followed by weaker investment and consumer confidence and broader economic pressures, contributed to years of declining wine imports.

China’s wine market, however, is far from stagnant.

As traditional consumption occasions such as business banquets and corporate gifting have contracted sharply, more personal, pleasure-driven consumption has emerged as a potential source of growth. This has helped drive continued increases in white wine imports from countries including New Zealand and Germany.

At the same time, large supermarkets and on-demand retail platforms targeting mainstream consumers have gained importance, allowing a number of well-known brands, regions and wine styles to build new consumer bases.

After years of decline, the first half of 2026 brought a notable shift in mainland China’s import figures. Volume continued to fall, but import value edged higher.

The divergence between value and volume suggests greater emphasis on quality and value. Yet mainland China’s per capita income remains significantly below that of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, while the broader consumer market has faced intense price pressure in recent years.

Consumers may be seeking better quality, but they remain highly price-conscious. As a result, many wines previously positioned at premium price points have undergone price corrections, with the market gradually shifting away from high markups toward a more rational focus on value.

On a per capita basis, mainland China remains far behind Asia’s mature wine markets and even trails Thailand and Malaysia. This indicates that despite the size of the overall market, wine penetration among the wider population remains limited.

If mainstream, pleasure-driven wine consumption continues to develop, China could therefore still have substantial room for expansion.

After years of adjustment, mainland China nevertheless remained Asia’s second-largest wine import market by value among the economies covered in this analysis. Its enormous population and economic scale remain its most important advantages.

If Hong Kong, itself a major wine trading and consumption market, is considered alongside the mainland, the overall scale and influence of the Chinese market in Asia becomes even more pronounced.

For international wineries, mainland China may no longer be the high-growth market it once was. But the sheer size of its potential consumer base means it remains a market the global wine industry cannot afford to ignore.

For full analysis of China’s wine market, click here.