Buyers of natural wine grow by 70% in the online channel
According to data from Decántalo, the category is growing above the general catalog despite the increase in the average price of bottles.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
The first quarter of 2026 sent a negative signal for Spanish wine exports. The Spanish Interprofessional Wine Organization (OIVE) estimates a 7% drop in export value and a 15% decline in volume. Meanwhile, a small segment of the Spanish market is moving in a different direction: online sales of natural wine.
Decántalo, an online wine retailer, reported on Tuesday, September 22, that its customer base purchasing natural wine from its online store grew by 70% between the first half of 2021 and the same period in 2026. During that time, orders increased by 57.7% and revenue in this category rose by 38.5%. The company added that all three indicators are outperforming its overall product range.
According to the company, the rise of natural wine stems from two trends. On the one hand, there is a growing consumer interest in bottles produced using more sustainable practices. On the other, some producers are seeking an alternative to standardized winemaking. Decántalo associates this category with less intervention in the winery, fewer product corrections, and a greater emphasis on the winemaker's judgment.
Nacho Martínez, head of catalog and purchasing at Decántalo, sees a precedent in craft beer. “I see a very clear parallel with the craft beer movement: first there was a large industry that standardized certain styles, until independent producers began to brew with their own unique brand, also as a reaction to that industrialization of taste. The consumer's natural curiosity did the rest, and people started looking for something different from the standardized options,” he says.
Comparing the figures from OIVE and Decántalo doesn't measure the same thing. The interprofessional organization tracks the performance of Spanish wine exports, while the company focuses on a specific category within a single online retailer. Even so, both sets of data point to a divergence in demand: while the export market is losing volume and value at the start of 2026, natural wine is gaining ground in the digital channel.
Decántalo attributes part of this shift to the pandemic. The company notes that consumers between 40 and 50 years old were hesitant to buy beverages online before 2020, and that the lockdowns accelerated their move to the online channel. Their analysis indicates that this shift wasn't limited to the convenience of shopping from home; it also opened the door to trying new products.
The company identifies 2024 as the year the category shifted its focus on its website. That year, natural wine customers increased by 41%. Simultaneously, total catalog revenue grew by 17.3%, a difference that Decántalo interprets as a sign of more active demand for this product line. The company adds that in 2025, the natural wine customer base increased again, this time by 29.1%, and category revenue grew by 28.8%.
The generational perspective plays a central role in this explanation. Decántalo attributes much of the initial surge to Generation X, which it places between 40 and 50 years old. According to the company, this group was the first to overcome any reservations about buying wine online. Subsequently, this trend is being reinforced by millennial consumers, who, although they drink less alcohol, pay more attention to origin, regional traditions, local businesses, and label information.
In this buyer profile, the company includes the concept of "mindful drinking," which it defines as more conscious consumption. Under this label, it encompasses greater attention to labeling transparency and the absence of additives. This pursuit, it adds, helps explain why natural wine maintains its appeal even with rising prices.
The average price of a bottle of natural wine sold by Decántalo has risen 16.6% in five years. The company believes this suggests that consumers aren't entering this market segment to save money, but rather to find a product similar to what they would find in a specialty shop. In this view, purchasing via mobile phone or computer doesn't replace going to a bar or store simply because it's cheaper, but because of the ease of access to a specific selection.
Founded in 2010, Decántalo operates in more than 20 European markets. The company is part of Melchior Wine & More, a group that also manages Le Petit Ballon in France and which, according to the company itself, will exceed €50 million in revenue after its integration.