In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 countries that import the most wine. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global wine market, the trends of global wine consumption, and the recent acquisitions in the wine industry, and go directly to 5 Countries that Import the Most Wine.
Up until three decades ago, the international wine industry was highly fragmented. Producers in different countries were isolated from each other, and most of the world’s wine drinkers consumed either local wines or imports from nearby producers, such as the United Kingdom’s historical penchant for French wine. As winemakers had minimal cross-border interaction, they followed their own traditions.
However, the industry has changed dramatically in recent years. Decreases in tariffs, logistical cost reductions, and the lowering of other barriers to international trade have provided producers the opportunity to sell their products outside of a limited region, as well as face competition from distant suppliers. Wines from around the world are desired and sought after by consumers. This new international access is reshaping how wines are produced and consumed alike, and those able to adapt to this wider playing field will gain significant competitive advantage.
Global Wine Market:
As we mentioned in our article – Top 20 Wine Exporting Countries in the World– , the global wine market size was valued at $441.6 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach a value of $698.54 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 5.9% over the forecast period.
Wine is gaining huge popularity among millennials and youngsters, owing to its refreshing appeal and low ABV offerings. The rising demand for premium and luxury wines, increasing consumer awareness about the health benefits of wine, and growing popularity of wine tourism are some of the key factors driving the growth of the wine market.
From a continental perspective, European countries bought the highest dollar worth of imported wine during 2022, valued at $20.4 billion or 49.9% of the global total. In second place were North American importers at 25.3%, while another 18.1% of worldwide wine imports was delivered to customers in Asia.
Trends of Global Wine Consumption:
The global wine consumption in 2022 was estimated to be at 232 million hectoliters, marking a decrease of 1% compared to the previous year. Since 2018, wine consumption around the world has decreased at a regular rate. This negative trend can be mainly attributed to the decline in China’s consumption, which has lost an average 2 million hectoliters per year since 2018. This downward trend was accentuated in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic, which negatively affected many large wine markets.
In 2022, the war in Ukraine and the associated energy crisis, together with the global supply chain disruptions, led to a spike in costs in production and distribution. This has resulted in a significant increase in wine prices for the consumers.
Recent Acquisitions in the Wine Industry:
Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) is a leading premium wine company with a widely admired portfolio that includes Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Blackstone, Estancia, Ravenswood etc. The company has followed its divestment of the Funky Buddha Brewery with the acquisition of a Californian wine brand in June this year.
Domaine Curry, described by the group as a ‘luxury Napa Valley wine brand’, joined the Constellation portfolio this summer. The brand, which has been purchased for an undisclosed amount from Coup de Foudre, will join Constellation’s The Prisoner Wine Co unit.
Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) also made headlines this summer when its Mexican beer brand, Modelo Especial, became the Top-Selling Beer in America after dethroning Bud Light. Stocks of STZ were held by 48 out of 910 hedge funds in the Insider Monkey database at the end of Q2, with Holocene Advisors holding the largest stake of 796,935 shares, valued at $196.15 million. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) ranks among the 12 Best Alcohol Stocks to Own According to Hedge Funds.
Based in California, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NYSE:NAPA) makes wines and calls itself a manufacturing company, agricultural company, and marketing company all rolled into one. The winemaker announced in May that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a production winery and planted vineyards in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, CA.
This acquisition will bolster The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NYSE:NAPA)’s production capacity and provide the company with a fully operational and modern facility, with state-of-the-art winemaking equipment appropriate for premium wines. In addition to the production facility, the property also includes over seven acres of planted Cabernet Sauvignon. The transaction – estimated to be around $55 million – is subject to certain customary closing conditions, expected to close in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2023.
Alex Ryan, the President and CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NYSE:NAPA), said in the company’s Q3 Earnings Call Transcript:
“We view this acquisition as an investment in our future growth and in our winery brands, a continuation of our long-term strategy of expanding and diversifying our luxury wine production capabilities. Production wineries of this scale are rarely available in this area, and this acquisition reduces our reliance on third-party custom processing, storage and bottling, and further optimizes our production processes, supporting the stability of the company’s growth.”
With that said, here are the Largest Wine Importers in the World.
20 Countries that Import the Most Wine
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Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the UN Comtrade Database, looking for Countries that Import the Most Wine in the World. The following countries have been ranked by the dollar value of their total wine imports in 2022:
20. Poland
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $402.05 million
The Polish wine market is currently dominated by European suppliers and up to 75% of imported wine is brought to Poland from European countries, mainly from Italy. However, the lack of a strong wine culture lowers entry barriers for new entrants from less traditional wine sources, as consumers are less prejudiced towards wine qualities from traditional and New World origins.
19. Brazil
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $485.6 million
Brazil is the largest market for imported wines in Latin America. Chile is, by far, the leading country of origin of wine imported in Brazil. In 2022, over 40% of Brazil's wine imports came from the Andean country, whereas another 20% came from neighboring Argentina. Portugal ranked third, with an import value share of 14.2%.
18. Norway
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $507.47 million
Norway does not produce wine and therefore completely relies on imports. Wines from Old World countries are more popular than those from New World countries. Almost two-thirds of all imported wines in Norway come from Italy and France alone.
17. Italy
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $539.97 million
Despite being one of the Top Wine Producing Countries in the World, Italy still ranks among the Largest Wine Importers. Italy imports wine primarily from France ($307M), Spain ($114M), and Germany ($15.2M).
16. Republic of Korea
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $581.28 million
In 2022, South Korea imported the largest amount of wine from Chile, amounting to around 14.3 million liters. The South American country has been the main importer of wine to South Korea in terms of volume for some years, especially since imports have risen since after the Korea-Chile Free Trade Agreement.
15. Australia
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $776.94 million
Australian wine dominates the local market in the Land Down Under, with imported wine from all sources having less than a 20% share. Australia imports around 95 million liters of wine per year, of which two-thirds comes from New Zealand. Australia ranks among the Top Wine Drinking Countries in the World.
14. Sweden
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $818.68 million
Sweden has a reasonably high wine engagement and just under half the country’s population are classified as regular wine drinkers. Most wine imported into Sweden comes from France, while Italy comes in second. Sweden also ranks among the Top Vodka Drinking Countries in the World.
13. Singapore
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $851.36 million
The port of Singapore is the second-busiest in the world, and considered the hub of entrepôt trade and a gateway to other Asian markets. The country is competing with Hong Kong for the status of Asia’s wine hub as growing numbers of wine collectors and connoisseurs spur the market.
Singapore imported 32.3 million liters of wine in 2021 and it is estimated that around 16.9 million liters of that imported wine was then re-exported, mainly to Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Thailand, and Malaysia.
12. Denmark
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $870.48 million
Denmark, known as a mature and consolidated market in the wine industry, witnessed a decline in its wine imports in 2022, according to recent data from the Danish Customs. As compared to 2021, the volume of imports decreased by 8.4% to 181.6 million liters, while the value fell by 10.9% in dollar terms.
Denmark's wine imports have remained relatively stable in terms of volume over the past two decades, with 180.4 million liters being imported in the year 2000 compared to 181.6 million liters in 2022. Denmark ranks 12th in our list of top wine importers.
11. Hong Kong
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $1.02 billion
Since the Hong Kong government has completely abolished import duties on wine (including alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 30%) in 2008, Hong Kong has, therefore, become the only free port among the major economies in the world, thus developing into an international market of primary importance in the wine sector.
Hong Kong is strategically positioned as one of Asia’s leading wine re-export centers, with most of these re-exports headed to mainland China.
10. France
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $1.06 billion
Wine imports into France have more than doubled over the last twenty or so years. While the total value of imports at the beginning of the century was around $437 million, in 2022 this amount equalled $1.06 billion. The curve became steeper from 2010 onwards.
France is counted among the biggest producers of wine in the world.
9. Belgium
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $1.08 billion
The economic stability and high disposable income of Belgian consumers have played an important role in the development of the wine market. Belgians are willing to spend more on quality products, including wine, and are increasingly willing to try new and premium wines. The country’s consumers have access to a wide selection of both local and imported wines, allowing them to explore different flavors and styles.
8. Switzerland
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $1.36 billion
In 2022, the Swiss wine market returned to the pre-Covid levels of 2019. Around two-thirds of the Swiss wine market still consists of imported wines - Italian wines in particular are in vogue. The Swiss franc is also at a historically high level, which makes imports cheaper and keeps inflation at a low level.
Switzerland sits among the top wine importing countries in 2023.
7. China
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $1.43 billion
Along with a sudden decrease in wine consumption since 2018, the import volume of wine into China has also been going down over the past years. Wine is no longer a special occasion or a gift-giving trend, but rather a new emerging norm among the younger, urban population. Most of the young Chinese consumers prefer buying imported wines online, highly prioritizing red French wines. Hence, France is the major wine supplier to China, followed by Chile and Italy.
6. Netherlands
Total Wine Imports in 2022: $1.57 billion
The port of Rotterdam plays a major role in the redistribution of goods through Europe, so foreign wines are first imported into the Netherlands and then re-exported to the rest of the European countries.
The Netherlands ranks among Countries that Import the Most Wine in Europe.
