Spain’s wine industry ended 2025 on a contractionary note, with declines in production, domestic consumption, stocks, and parts of foreign trade.
The data, published by the INFOVI monitoring system, confirms that the sector is navigating a period of adjustment following a smaller harvest and softer market demand.
Production Down 10.3% in the First Months of the Campaign
In the first five months of the 2025/26 campaign, total production of wine and must reached 32.95 million hectoliters, representing a 10.3% decrease compared to the same period of the previous campaign — a reduction of 3.8 million hectoliters.
Wine production alone amounted to 28.78 million hectoliters, down 7.1%, while must production fell sharply to 4.2 million hectoliters, a significant 27.3% decline.
By category and producer size:
- Large producers (over 1,000 hectoliters) produced
- 16.2 million hectoliters of white wine (-9.3%)
- 12 million hectoliters of red and rosé wine (-4.9%)
- Small producers (under 1,000 hectoliters) increased output by 12.1%, reaching 610,555 hectoliters
Regionally, Castilla-La Mancha remains dominant, accounting for 55.8% of total national wine production (15.7 million hectoliters) and 85% of grape must output. Catalonia and La Rioja rank second and third in production volume, respectively.
Stocks Fall to Multi-Year Lows
Ending stocks as of December 31, 2025 totaled 49.4 million hectoliters of wine and unconcentrated must, down 6.8% year-on-year and 10.6% below the five-year average.
Of this total:
- 44.25 million hectoliters corresponded to wine (-5.9%)
- 5.2 million hectoliters to unconcentrated must (-14.1%)
By color:
- Red and rosé wines: 23.5 million hectoliters (-9.3%)
- White wines: 20.7 million hectoliters (-1.6%)
Castilla-La Mancha holds 41.7% of national stocks (20.6 million hectoliters), followed by Catalonia (5.5 million) and La Rioja (4.85 million).
The reduction in stocks reflects both the smaller harvest and adjustments in supply following weaker consumption.
Domestic Consumption Declines
Estimated national consumption for calendar year 2025 fell 5.2%, totaling 9.36 million hectoliters — more than half a million hectoliters less than in 2024.
Between November 2022 and August 2025, consumption had remained relatively stable at around 9.5–9.9 million hectoliters. However, a downward trend emerged from September through December.
By wine type consumed domestically:
- Red and rosé wines: 5.47 million hectoliters (-4.9%)
- White wines: 3.9 million hectoliters (-5.7%)
The data suggests cautious consumer behavior, influenced by economic pressures and changing drinking patterns.
Export Performance Mixed
Spain’s export market also experienced contraction during the first eleven months of 2025:
- 17.54 million hectoliters exported (-1.8%)
- EUR 2.662 billion in value (-3%)
Bottled wines recorded declines in both value and volume:
- Revenue: EUR 2.154 billion (-4.7%)
- Volume: -5.6%
Bulk wines, however, showed resilience:
- Volume: +1.2%
- Value: +5.1% (EUR 507 million)
Spanish imports decreased in volume but rose in value. During the same period:
- 786,839 hectoliters imported (-8.2%)
- EUR 296 million spent (+8.1%)
The increase in expenditure reflects a higher average price per liter, with bulk wine imports driving most of the volume decline.
Industrial Uses Also Down
Other industrial uses of wine during the first five months of the campaign totaled 733,167 hectoliters, down 32%. This included:
- Distillery: 203,266 hectoliters (-57.6%)
- Vinegar production: 121,110 hectoliters (+8.2%)
- In-house operations (e.g., vermouths, sangrias): 408,819 hectoliters (-16%)
The sharp reduction in distillery use indicates lower corrective or crisis measures compared to previous campaigns.
A Year of Adjustment
The overall data points to a year of recalibration for the Spanish wine sector. Production fell due to a smaller harvest, stocks declined to below-average levels, and domestic consumption weakened toward the end of the year. Foreign trade reflected similar caution, with bottled exports under pressure but bulk wine showing relative strength.
The combination of lower output and reduced demand suggests that 2025 was less about expansion and more about balance — a period in which Spain’s wine industry adjusted volumes to evolving market realities both at home and abroad.
Source: Vinetur