NEWS
CHINA’S CHILEAN BULK WINE IMPORTS SLUMPED 74.2% IN H1 2026
By Staff Reporter
13-8-2026
Wines of Chile
Chilean wine shipments into China suffered a steep year-on-year drop in the first half of 2026, standing out as the weakest performer among major foreign suppliers, while Australia, New Zealand and premium European origins posted far stronger results, customs-derived trade data shows.
Chile’s wine imports fell roughly 52 percent by volume and 33 percent by value in H1, with bulk wine bearing the brunt of the contraction: bulk volumes slumped 74.2 percent and value sank 66.75 percent as low-cost orders evaporated.
The decline pushed Chile from China’s top wine supplier by volume into second place, overtaken by Australia, which saw wine import volume rise 30 percent and value climb 13 percent in the same period, after the removal of punitive tariffs restored its competitiveness in the bulk and bottled segments.
The contrasting performance underscores a dramatic reshuffle of China’s import wine market. New Zealand delivered the fastest volume growth among key origins at 60 percent, driven by Sauvignon Blanc and white wine demand, while France and Italy held their premium bottled-wine base relatively steady despite modest overall volume falls, supported by fine wine and gifting channels.
Trade analysts point to three interconnected pressures on Chile: fierce price competition from Australian bulk wine, substitution by domestic Chinese wine in mass retail and blending use, and a broader market shift away from low-margin, entry-level bottled wine.
Many importers have restructured portfolios, trimming budget Chilean lines while allocating more shelf space to Australian value wine, New Zealand aromatic whites and upscale Bordeaux and Burgundy offerings.
“Chile built its China business on affordable bulk and everyday bottled wine, exactly the segment now under most pressure,” one Shanghai-based importer said. “Buyers are consolidating sourcing; Australia’s returned tariff advantage is capturing a lot of the blending volume that once went to Chile.”
The wider China market saw total wine imports fall 11 percent by volume in H1, yet average prices rose, confirming a “volume down, value up” trend favouring premium bottled products over commodity bulk wine.
Industry observers say Chilean producers are rethinking their China strategy, with a greater focus on higher-tier single-vineyard and reserve labels rather than competing purely on price.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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