China has bought lesser overseas wines in June this year compared to the same month a year ago.
Data from China’s Customs showed the country’s importation of wines fell by 10% year on year to a total value of US$144.8 million.
Following its imposition of over 200% tariffs on Australian wines, its former top wine partner was booted out of the top 10 list of China’s preferred exporters, where it used to placed first last year.
This year June, French wines topped its imports at US$58 million, rising by 38% over last year’s value.
China continued to buy more wines from Chile, Italy and Spain, increasing by 40%, 72% and 77%, respectively.
It is worth noting that the value of South African wines that entered China in June grew by six folds to US$4.7 million from below US$800,000 in the same month last year.
Wines from America, which was its ninth preferred import source last year June, became China’s 6th fancied wine exporter in June this year after doubling its importation to US$2.8 million.
Its increased importation of wines from New Zealand at US$1.5 million brought Georgia wines out of the June top 10 list.
In terms of bottle categories, China’s imported bottled wines of 2 liters and below declined by 15% in value to US$112 million. But its importations of sparkling wines and bottled wines of over 2 liters improved by 46% and 57%, respectively.
China’s Wine Imports June 2021 vs 2020
| Rank | Country | Value in 2021 | Value in 2020 | % Change |
| 1 | France | 57,881,212 | 41,854,217 | +38% |
| 2 | Chile | 20,521,219 | 14,627,388 | +40% |
| 3 | Italy | 16,705,140 | 9,687,724 | +72% |
| 4 | Spain | 13,533,335 | 7,646,422 | +77% |
| 5 | South Africa | 4,741,732 | 764,507 | +520% |
| 6 | United States | 2,838,293 | 1,257,951 | +126% |
| 7 | Germany | 2,796,229 | 1,700,250 | +65% |
| 8 | Argentina | 2,744,958 | 2,323,718 | +18% |
| 9 | Portugal | 1,634,340 | 1,579,765 | +4% |
| 10 | New Zealand | 1,514,320 | 992,507 | +53% |
| Total | 130,922,384 | 144,847,709 | -10% |
Bottled wines June 2021 vs 2020
| Bottled Wine Size | Value in 2021 | Value in 2020 | % Change |
| 2L or less | 112,013,121 | 132,415,446 | -15% |
| Over 2L | 10,914,592 | 6,970,693 | +57% |
| Sparkling | 7,992,310 | 5,458,916 | +46% |
