France's wine industry is entering 2026 on shaky footing.
After a 2025 that ended 4.1% down in value from the year before (€10.5 billion total), the opening months of the new year bring more of the same: FranceAgriMer figures reviewed by WineNews show exports down 1% in volume and 4% in value during January–April 2026, landing at 4.02 million hectoliters and €3.5 billion respectively.
Prices Under Pressure Across the Board
One of the clearest threads running through the data is falling prices. The average export price for French wine now sits at €8.70 per liter, a drop of more than 3%. This pricing pressure shows up repeatedly across markets and categories, suggesting French producers are competing harder — and earning less — for the volumes they do sell.
Still, not every category is struggling equally. Sparkling wine has emerged as a consistent outperformer, delivering gains in volume and value across several of France's most important markets, even as still and bulk wines struggle.
The US and UK: A Volume Rebound That Doesn't Pay Off
In the United States, France's top export destination, volumes are up 10% so far in 2026, but value has fallen 11% — a gap that points to steep discounting or a shift toward cheaper formats. Champagne slipped 4% in volume there, but Crémant and other PDO sparkling wines rose 12%. Bulk wine sales diverged sharply by format: small formats jumped 128%, while large formats dropped 23%, and average bulk prices fell 19% to €10.50 per liter.
The UK shows a near-identical pattern: volumes climbed 4%, but value fell 1%, driven by a 4% decline in bottled wine. Sparkling wine again carried the market, up 12% in volume and 6% in value, with Champagne recovering 5% and Crémant/AOP sparkling wines jumping 29%. Prices dipped 4% to €9.40 per liter but remained comparatively strong.
Core European Markets Continue to Weaken
Europe overall posted a 5% decline, with Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands — long-standing pillars of French wine exports — all pulling back. Germany, still the top EU-27 market, saw volumes fall nearly 5%, with bottled wine down almost 7% and bulk wine down 8%. Only sparkling wine grew, up 2%, powered by Champagne (+13%) and Crémant (+6%). Belgium's decline was steeper still, down nearly 11% in volume and about 7% in value, though sparkling wine reached a 10% share there. The Netherlands echoed the same downward trend.
Asia: China Stabilizes, Japan Shines
China remains a soft spot, with volumes down 10% and value down 5%, driven by a 15% drop in bottled wine sales — though the pace of decline is slowing. Bulk wine (+134%) and sparkling wine (+21%) both gained share, and the average price rose 6% to €10.50 per liter, now rivaling US pricing and reflecting a continued shift toward premium positioning.
Japan stands out as the strongest performer of all: sparkling wine, led by a 25% surge in Champagne, pushed export value up 9%, while average prices rose over 4% to reach €13.50 per liter — the highest of any market covered.
Reading the Bigger Picture
Taken together, the data suggests French wine's path forward may increasingly run through sparkling wine and premium positioning rather than volume alone. While still wines and bulk formats continue to lose ground in value, Champagne, Crémant, and other sparkling categories are proving far more resilient — and in markets like Japan and China, increasingly profitable.
Source: VinoVistara