France and Italy absorbed nearly three-quarters of the year's import decline, even as bag-in-box was the only category to grow.
US wine imports fell 25.2% in value and 16.8% in volume in the first half of 2026, compared with the same period in 2025. The figures come from an OIVE (Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organisation) analysis of US Customs data, reported August 14 by Vinetur.
Key Facts
- Total import value fell to €2.43 billion, down €816.4 million from the first half of 2025.
- At €322.6 million, France's loss led all suppliers, accounting for roughly 39% of the total decline.
- Bag-in-box volume rose 49.6%, the only import category to gain ground in the first half.
The average price fell too, dropping 10.1% to €4.52 a liter. Value fell further than volume did, which The Drinks Business read as a sign of broader price weakness rather than a simple drop in demand.
France and Italy Account for 72% of the Value Lost
France remained the top supplier by value at €955.8 million, a 25.2% drop from the first half of 2025 and a loss of €322.6 million. Italy followed close behind at €790.9 million, down 25% and €263.4 million lower than a year earlier.
Together, the two accounted for about 72% of total import value and roughly the same share of the overall decline.
New Zealand held third place at €208.1 million, down 14%. Spain ranked fourth. Its €133.7 million total was 20.9% below the first half of 2025, a €35.3 million drop.
The ranking shifts by volume. Italy shipped the most at 170.2 million liters, a 9.8% drop. France sent nearly 99 million liters, down 5.3%. Canada held third at 63.8 million liters, down 21.5%. Spain fell to seventh at 29.3 million liters, down 15.7%.
In raw volume, the steepest losses hit:
- Australia, down 25.9 million liters
- Italy, down 18.4 million liters
- Canada, down 17.6 million liters
- Chile, down 15.2 million liters
Bottled and Sparkling Wine Lead the Decline by Category
Bottled wine remained the largest category, accounting for 70% of value and 59% of volume. It fell to €1.69 billion, down 26.6%. Volume slipped to 318.2 million liters, a 12.4% drop. Its average price fell 16.2% to €5.32 a liter, a steeper decline than the market overall.
Sparkling wine held second place by value at €630.2 million, down 19.8%. Volume fell 9.6% to 90.3 million liters, and the average price dropped 11.3% to €6.98 a liter.
Bag-in-box was the only category to grow, up 49.6% in volume and 12% in value.
It stayed small: €16.3 million and 7.9 million liters.
Bulk wine moved the opposite direction, down 36.4% in value to €85.9 million and down 31.9% in volume to 120.3 million liters.
The 15% EU Tariff Behind the First-Half Drop
A 15% US tariff on European Union wine explains part of the decline. It took effect August 7, 2025, and stayed in place through the full comparison period.
The Drinks Business also pointed to a broader pullback in US wine consumption as a contributing factor, separate from the tariff itself.
