In 2022, Spain’s bulk wine exports increased by 54 million euros, despite selling 1.42 million hl less

-?In 2022, Spain (the world’s primary bulk wine-supplying country) increased its exports by 11.3% in terms of value, reaching 534 million euros; its best figure since 2018. However, Spain’s exports declined by 11% in terms of volume, accounting for 11.54 million hl. The average price rose by 25%, shifting from 37 euros per hectolitre to 46 €/hl.

-?Bulk wine without any quality indication dominates Spain’s exports accounting for 70% of the overall volume, although it was varietal bulk wine which best performed.

-?Spain exported bulk wine to 102 different markets; though it should be noted that the top-4 destinations (all of them producing countries: France, Germany, Portugal and Italy) represented 76% of the total. France has gained share as number-one destination, whereas Italy considerably declined. Huge upsurge in exports to the United Kingdom and Morocco.

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Spain is clearly the world’s leading bulk wine-supplying country with around one third of the total commercialized on a global scale. In 2022, Spain’s bulk wine exports increased by 11.3% in terms of value, amounting to 534 million euros: i.e. the country’s best figure over the past four years. However, the volume exported plummeted by 11%, accounting for 11.54 million hectolitres, after having beaten records in 2021, accounting for almost 13 million hl. In a period of high global inflation, the average price surged by 25%, reaching 46 €/hl, despite the fact that it was particularly low in 2021, at 37 €/hl.

The turnover grew at a very good pace in 2022, yet it is still far from what was obtained in 2018 (i.e. 605 million euros), when, at that time the average price for Spanish bulk wine reached 58 €/hl in global trade. In 2018, Spain exported 1.12 million hl less than in 2022, but it invoiced 11 million euros more.

Taking into consideration the data from December 2022, from the first five months of the 2022/23 agricultural season, and the complete year of 2022, we see that the volume exported leans towards recovery, whilst the annual data (-11%) has dropped more than that of the season (-7.2%) and the month (-5%).

Which was the development according to the different types of bulk wine?

Spain exported above all bulk wine without a quality indication, which represented 68.5% of the overall commercialized in 2022. In absolute terms, this type of bulk wine was the one that plummeted the most in terms of volume (-12.8 million hl), yet the type that increased the most in terms of value (+32 million €), since the average price rose by almost 30%, going from 35 euros per hectolitre to 45 €/hl. Varietal bulk wine has gained considerable importance, since it has grown by 1.2% in volume and by 22% in value, reaching 3.31 million hl, and amounting to 153 million euros, at an average price of 46 €/hl (+20%). Conversely, Spain’s exports of bulk wine with a PGI plummeted by over 40% in terms of volume, and by 15% in terms of value, accounting for 0.2 million hl, and 13.8 million euros.

Having less relevance over the total sales, exports of bulk wine with a PDO plunged by 15% in volume and by 11% in value: i.e. a little more than one million both in terms of litres and in euros. Spain’s exports of liqueur wine dropped by 6%, although invoicing 1.6% more; meanwhile, the volume of sparkling wine in bulk sold remained stable, however, the turnover from this type substantially fell (this could be a statistical error on the part of the Customs).

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And by markets?

The trend in Spain’s bulk wine exports depends on two aspects: first, how harvests might unfold in Spain; and second, how harvests from the other major European producing countries might evolve, as indisputably these countries are the main customers for Spanish bulk wine. Despite the fact that, in 2022, Spain exported bulk wine to a total of 102 international markets, if we add up France, Germany, Portugal and Italy represented 76% of the exporting volume, and 70% of the total value. Exports to these four countries declined in terms of volume, although only those towards Italy dropped in terms value; and in all cases at much higher prices.

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France has consolidated itself as primary market.

Sharp downturn in sales to Italy.

Among the aforementioned four importing countries, France was the one that best performed and has consolidated itself as the primary market for Spanish bulk wine; France accounted for 3.72 million hl (-3%), and amounted to EUR 156.7 million (+23.7%). Exports to Germany performed slightly worse compared to France, yet better than Spain’s average; Germany has gained share as second destination, accounting for 2.67 million hl (-6.3%), and almost amounting to EUR 110 million (+21.6%). Portugal surpassed Italy as third destination, reaching 1.29 million hl (-9.6%) and 60.8 million (+8.9%). This was due to steep drops in terms of purchases from Italy (a decrease of 38% in volume and of 26% in value: i.e. 1.11 million hl and 44.7 million euros). In 2022, Spain lost in the Italian market much more than in any other: 0.68 million hl and 15.6 million euros, to which we have to add the significant downturn in must sales. With regards to the average prices, in France, Germany and Italy, were at around 40 euros per hectolitre, whilst in Portugal they rose to 47 €/hl.

Far from the top-4 bulk-wine-buying countries, C?te d’Ivoire has consolidated itself as the fifth market for Spanish bulk wine, accounting for 0.42 million hl (+5.7%) and amounting to almost EUR 20 million (i.e. an increase of 21.3%). Spectacular growth in exports towards both the United Kingdom and Morocco, as well as towards China in terms value; and this can be explained due to skyrocketing prices that substantially reduced the volume of bulk wine sold to China. Moreover, sales to Switzerland, Finland, Mexico, Togo, Lithuania, Sweden, and South Korea, among others, considerably increased. Conversely, sales to Canada, Poland and Algeria sharply declined; these three countries, together with Italy, were the four markets that fell in terms of value, among the top-25 buying countries. Others, such as Romania, Czech Republic and Belarus did in fact significantly plummet in terms of volume. The price dropped only in three countries out of the top-25 compared to 2021: those were Togo, Poland and Sweden.