Export Markets: USA, UK, China, Japan, Brazil – The Global Wine Trade Landscape

These five markets reflect fundamentally different wine cultures shaped by historical trade relationships, consumer demographics, and regulatory frameworks. The USA leads the world in import value at $7.11 billion in 2024, drawing from 73 countries with France and Italy alone accounting for around 70% of spending. The UK, at approximately $5 billion, is heavily oriented toward European suppliers, though Chile is gaining ground rapidly. China posted the fastest year-on-year growth among major importers at 37.2%, recovering from years of contraction after Australian wines re-entered the market. Japan remained a stable and premium-oriented importer at approximately $1.6 billion, while Brazil surpassed $500 million FOB in 2024, cementing its position as Latin America's largest wine import market.

• USA: $7.11 billion in wine imports in 2024 (18.2% of global total); Italy and Spain were among the fastest-growing suppliers, up 6.6% and 7.3% respectively by value year-on-year
• UK: approximately $5 billion in 2024 (down 1% from 2023); Chile was the fastest-growing major supplier (up 13.5% in value); France and Italy remain the dominant origins
• China: up 37.2% year-on-year to approximately €1.5 billion in 2024, the highest growth rate among the top 10 wine-importing countries; Australia's tariff removal in March 2024 was the primary catalyst
• Japan: approximately $1.6 billion in imports in 2024; France commands over 57% of import value; Chile leads in volume; average import price of €6.35 per litre is second-highest globally

A defining trend across all five markets is the divergence between declining volumes and resilient or rising average prices per bottle. In the USA, the average import price reached $5.54 per litre in 2024, up 1.5% year-on-year, with bottled wine value growing 2.6% even as bulk wine fell 12%. Japan's average import price of €6.35 per litre was the second-highest among the world's top 10 importing countries, reflecting a well-established quality orientation, though overall import value fell 8% as premiumisation met yen headwinds. In Brazil, higher-value import segments are growing faster than entry level, with wines priced $25-49.99 per nine-litre case up 14.1% and the $50-99.99 tier up 10.6% in 2024. China, despite overall market challenges, is commanding higher average prices, with Australian packaged wine averaging around AUD 23 per litre at export.

• USA: average import price rose to $5.54 per litre in 2024 (+1.5%); bottled wine value reached $4.79 billion (+2.6%); sparkling wine imports grew 11% in volume, the strongest category
• Japan: average import price of €6.35 per litre in 2024, second-highest globally; total import value fell 8% as the weaker yen raised landed costs, reducing average spending per litre
• Brazil: imports concentrated in wines under $24.99 per nine-litre case (63% of volume) but this share is declining; the $25-$49.99 tier grew 14.1% and the $50-$99.99 tier grew 10.6% in 2024
• China: average export price for Australian packaged wine shipped to China was approximately AUD 23 per litre, reflecting the market's premium positioning for imported wines post-tariff removal

Each of the five markets has distinct stylistic preferences driven by tradition, climate, and consumer sophistication. In the USA, bottled still wine dominates at $4.79 billion in import value, with France and Italy as the top two origins; sparkling wine imports grew strongly in volume in 2024. The UK market is driven by still wines, with Italy the largest supplier by both volume and value. Japan has a well-developed sparkling wine culture, with France's sparkling wines commanding a significant value premium; Chilean wines have overtaken French wines as the largest source by volume. Brazil favours Chilean, Portuguese, and Argentine wines across all formats, with rising interest in sparkling styles. China's import mix has been reshaped by Australia's return, with red wine dominant at around 93% of Australian shipments to the market.

• USA: bottled wine represented $4.79 billion of the $6.79 billion total in 2024; France led by value ($2.51B), Italy led by volume (353.9 million litres); sparkling wine imports rose 11% in volume
• Japan: Chile led import volumes at approximately 62 million litres; France led by value at approximately €873 million (57% share); bag-in-box volumes grew 16.3% year-on-year, reflecting value-oriented demand
• Brazil: Chile maintained its lead with 16% volume growth in 2024; Portugal and Argentina both grew around 10%; sparkling wines are an emerging growth category driven by younger consumers
• China: Australia rebounded dramatically after tariff removal, with export value to China rising from AUD 10 million in 2023 to AUD 907 million in 2024; red wine accounted for approximately 93% of Australian shipments

France and Italy dominate the value side of global wine exports. France exported $12.7 billion in wine in 2024, representing 32.5% of the global total and making it the top value supplier to both Japan (57% share) and, by value, to the USA. Italy set an all-time record in 2024 with exports of €8.136 billion, up 5.5%, led by sparkling wine and Prosecco; the USA remained Italy's largest single market at approximately €1.93 billion. Australia was the fastest-growing major exporter in 2024, up 29.6%, almost entirely driven by China's re-opening; in the 12 months to March 2025, Australian wine exports to China exceeded AUD 1 billion in value. Chile leads wine supply by volume to both Japan and Brazil, supported by free-trade agreements across most major import markets.

• France: $12.7 billion in wine exports in 2024 (32.5% of global total); top value supplier to Japan (57% share) and the USA ($2.51 billion); net export surplus of approximately $11.7 billion
• Italy: record wine exports of €8.136 billion in 2024 (+5.5%), the first time Italy crossed the €8 billion threshold; the USA is Italy's largest export market at approximately €1.93 billion
• Australia: fastest-growing major wine exporter in 2024 (up 29.6%); AUD wine exports to China rose from AUD 10 million in 2023 to AUD 907 million in 2024 following tariff removal on 29 March 2024
• Chile: a top-five wine exporter globally, up 6.2% in 2024; leads import volumes in both Japan and Brazil, supported by comprehensive free-trade agreements across virtually all major import markets

Regulatory frameworks vary significantly across these five markets and directly affect pricing and distribution. The USA requires three-tier distribution in most states, where wine must pass through an importer, a distributor, and a retailer before reaching the consumer; TTB labeling compliance is mandatory for all imported wines. The UK introduced new post-Brexit import requirements, and wine import values fell slightly by 1% in 2024 to $5 billion. China maintains standard import duties of approximately 14% on wine from most origins, though the removal of punitive tariffs of up to 218.4% on Australian wine in March 2024 fundamentally reshuffled the competitive landscape. Japan has progressively reduced wine tariffs through the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. Brazil's import tariffs, complex federal tax structure, and currency volatility remain structural constraints on market accessibility and pricing.

• USA: mandatory three-tier distribution system; TTB labeling compliance required; Italy and Spain were the fastest-growing major suppliers in 2024, up 6.6% and 7.3% in value respectively
• UK: wine import value fell 1% to $5 billion in 2024 from $5.05 billion in 2023; Chile was the fastest-growing major supplier (up 13.5% in value), reflecting competitive pricing and active FTA access
• China: standard import duties of approximately 14% plus VAT apply to most origins; punitive tariffs of up to 218.4% on Australian wine were removed on 29 March 2024, triggering an immediate and dramatic volume rebound
• Brazil: a complex multi-tier tax system, high import tariffs, and exchange-rate volatility create significant pricing pressure; the market is price-sensitive at volume but is actively diversifying into higher-value segments

Wine education is growing across all five markets. WSET reported 134,000 candidates in its 2023-24 academic year, its second-highest annual total, including 1,962 Diploma candidates from 19 countries; the top Diploma markets were the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Japan, and Mainland China. Global wine consumption hit a historic low of 214 million hectolitres in 2024, down 3.3%, according to the OIV, with the USA, China, and Brazil all recording declines. No and low-alcohol wine is an emerging trend particularly in the UK and USA. China faces structural headwinds including economic slowdown and shifting consumer preference toward domestic spirits, though import values rose 37.2% in 2024 on the back of the Australian wine rebound. Brazil continues on a long-term upward volume trajectory, having nearly doubled import volumes over the decade to 2024.

• WSET: 134,000 candidates in 2023-24 (second-highest ever); 1,962 Diploma candidates from 19 countries; top Diploma markets were the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Japan, and Mainland China; Diploma enrolment showed the biggest increase of any course
• Global wine consumption fell to 214 million hectolitres in 2024 (the lowest since 1961 per OIV data); China posted the steepest decline among top consumers at approximately 19%; Brazil fell around 10%; the USA fell approximately 5.8%
• China's imported wine value rose 37.2% in 2024 on a low base, almost entirely driven by Australia's tariff removal; structural challenges including economic slowdown and competition from domestic spirits continue to weigh on long-term demand
• Brazil's imported wine volume has nearly doubled over the decade to 2024, reaching 17.7 million nine-litre cases; higher-value segments are growing faster than entry-level tiers, signalling a gradual premiumisation of the market