WINE IMPORTS IN CHINA GREW EVEN IN 2016, - MORE THAN 638 MILLION LITERS (+ 15.2%) FOR 2.36 BILLION US DOLLARS (+ 16.38%). ITALY DID WELL, BUT STILL AT A DISTANT WITH ITS COMPETITORS, WHILE IT IS THE ONLY COUNTRY OF THE TOP 5 WHOSE AVERAGE PRICE GREW

Wine imports in China have continued to grow by double digits and thanks mainly to better quality. In 2016 wine imports reached 638 million liters (+ 15.2% on 2015), for a value of 2,36 billion US dollars (+16.38%).
This data comes from Chinese customs, as "Decanter China" reported, revealing that growth is due primarily to bottled wines, worth 2.2 billion US dollars (+ 17.2%) and 481 million liters, while bulk wines decreased in volumes imported to 143.8 million liters (1.49%) for a value of 112 million US dollars (+ 14.4%). Sparkling wines, instead, did not do well registering negative figures in volume (12.5 million liters, down 0.59%) as well as value (56.5 million dollars, down 6.14%), in contrast to the rest of the world where sparkling wines are the engine of growth.

Italy performed very well, growing 14.15% in volume over 2015 (25.7 million liters of wine) and more so in value, + 39.17%, to 114 million US dollars. So, Italy confirms its fifth place in wine exports to China, but is still very far away from its main competitors, who also registered double-digit growth.

France is still firmly in the lead, at 191 million liters (14.8% more than 2015) and 965 million dollars in value (11.8% more), followed by Australia which, thanks to favorable trade agreements with China has made a tremendous growth in volume to + 40% for more than 79 million liters, and a robust + 23.4% in value, to 542 million dollars. Spain also did very well and is confirmed as the third largest wine exporter to China in volume, at 72 million liters (+ 32.3%) and 142 million US dollars (+ 26.6%). Chile’s excellent performance confirms its third place in terms of value, with 23% both in quantity, at 60 million liters, and in value at 209 million dollars.

It is also interesting to look at the dynamics of average prices per liter. Data show that among the top 5 wine exporting countries to China, Italy alone has grown consistently in 2016, at a hefty 21.9%, at 4.43 US dollars per liter, which puts Italy in third place of this particular “ranking”.
Australia is in the top position at 6.8 US dollars per liter (but down 11.9%, the biggest decrease), ahead of France, at 5.05 US dollars per liter (down 2.66%). Chile comes in at 3.48 dollars per liter (down 0.18%), and then Spain, at 1.97 per liter, down 4.34%.