China's wine imports remain in decline seven years after their 2017 peak, with the market showing little sign of recovery despite a resumption of imports from Australia last year.

China imported 164,886 tonnes of wine in 2024, down 70% from 548,976 tonnes in 2017, trade data shows. Imports in the first seven months of 2025 totaled $879 million, declining 3.2% from the same period in 2024, according to Chinese customs data.

The wine market in China has shrunk from 120 billion yuan at its peak to 20 billion yuan today, wine industry consultant Jane Anson reported earlier this year, as fundamental shifts in consumer behavior reshape demand.

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"Consumer priorities shifted in the post-pandemic era, with travel, health, and family time taking precedence over the previous enthusiasm for luxury goods," read a recent US Department of Agriculture report. "Chinese consumers are seeking affordable, convenient wine options from trusted retailers rather than high-end wines."

The sustained contraction marks a reversal from the early 2010s, when China emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing wine markets. The country accounted for 8% of global wine import value at its 2017 peak but had dropped to less than 3% by 2023, according to wine industry data.

Wine consumption in China fell 47% between 2019 and 2022, compared to declines of 17% for spirits and 3% for beer, according to academic research.

Industry expert Dan Siebers told trade publication Vino Joy News that much of the import boom was speculation-driven. "The decline in China's wine imports wasn't due to people suddenly stopping drinking," he said. "It was because much of what was imported wasn't being consumed, and much of it wasn't worth consuming."

France, historically the dominant supplier, supplied 46,438 tonnes to China in 2024, down 78.5% from its 2017 peak. Australia regained volumes after Beijing removed punitive tariffs of 218% in March 2024, reaching 33,950 tonnes compared to near-zero levels during the tariff period. US supply fell to 3,310 tonnes in 2024 from 9,776 tonnes in 2018 and slumped to a mere $17.4m between Jan-July 2025.

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President Xi Jinping's 2013 anti-corruption campaign, which targeted lavish banquets and luxury gifts, has curtailed Chinese demand for premium wines. The COVID-19 pandemic compounded the decline as wine consumption in China remains predominantly a social activity.

The USDA report also noted younger consumers "often feel intimidated by existing perceptions of wine culture." However, it identified growing interest in white and sparkling wines, particularly among female professionals aged 30-45 in major cities, as a potential growth area.

Another shift has seen major retailers including Sam's Club and Costco China increasingly bypassing traditional import channels to source wine directly, which it said is driving significant growth in first-tier cities where they have store locations.

However, industry observers remain cautious about prospects. "The China wine market is unlikely to boom again any time soon," wine trade analyst Jeff Ford told Just Drinks, adding that "the wine market of today in China is not the wine market of pre-Covid or pre-tariffs."