German Wine Flows Into China

24 Nov German Wine Flows Into China

With the US market for German wine dramatically decreased due to tariffs, German wine exports have shifted eastward, with sales to China growing for a second straight year at a rate of 8% per annum.

Chinese customs data compiled by Vino Joy News reflects this upward trend, with China importing 4,052,453 litres of German wine worth US$20.49 million from January to September 2025. This reflects a 13.4% increase in volume and a 2% rise in value over the same period in 2024. The faster growth in volume suggests more affordable German wines are entering the market.

This growth is significant, especially in the context of the current sluggish market. Overall wine imports to China in the first nine months of 2025 were just 60% of the same period in 2019 with many exporting nations continuing to see declines whilst Germany’s wine exports prove the exception as they continue to grow.

In addition, this trend reflects changing consumption habits in China. With a weaker economy dampening business dining and gifting, younger and female consumers are driving a new wave of casual drinking. Light, aromatic, and lower-alcohol German white wines – especially Rieslings – fit neatly with these evolving tastes. Importers have seized on this opportunity, pushing German Rieslings into e-commerce, restaurants, and wine bars across the country.

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