Global Bulk Wine Sales Decline Sharply Again
Global exports of bulk wine (“Bulkwine”) fell by 11.8 percent in value and 10.3 percent in volume in the twelve months to April 2026. Data from the World Bulk Wine Exhibition show that the total volume traded amounted to 30 million hectolitres, at an average price of 78 cents per litre.
Bulk wine is not exported in bottles but in large containers such as tank containers, tankers or large tanks. Bottling into bottles, Bag-in-Box or other retail containers usually takes place only in the destination country. The trade is dominated by simple, inexpensive wines intended for industrial processing.
In Germany, bulk wine accounted for more than half of wine imports by volume in 2025, but less than one-fifth by value. Here, too, the trend is downward: the wines come, in descending order, from Spain, Italy, South Africa, Chile, Australia, Hungary, the USA, Austria and New Zealand. The average price was just 67 cents per litre.
Spain is the largest producer of bulk wine. In the twelve months to March 2026, its production volume was more than twice as high as that of second-placed Australia. The United Kingdom is the largest importer, mainly from Australia, followed by Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.
(al; image: 123rf, AI-edited)