Overall, the past year has been very difficult for the on-trade, on the supply chain with

shipment delays and cancellation of many wine fairs.

However, it’s interesting to notice that among the main Asian markets (China, Hong-Kong, South Korea, and Japan) some are showing a sharp growth in their wine imports.

South Korea 2021 Key figures

Wine import value : US$560 million

Evolution VS 2020: +70%

Top exporters to South Korea :

🥇 France : US$162 million (+94% YoY).

🥈 US : US$90.6 million (+62% YoY).

🥉 Italy : US$90 million (+86% YoY).

Now considered as the most attractive global wine market with the US, SK has fastest growth rate among the big Asian players.

Market trend : One of the driving forces behind Korea’s wine growth was the country’s strong home consumption amid the pandemic.

Japan 2021 Key figures

Wine import value : US$1.6 billion

Evolution VS 2020: +12%

Top exporters to Japan :

🥇 France : US$956 million (+21% YoY).

🥈 Italy : US$191 million (+14% YoY).

🥉 Chile : US$139 million (-18% YoY).

Market trend : “Japan’s wine market is heavily tilted to drinkers with age above 55 years old due to its population structure” Vino Joy

Hong Kong 2021 Key figures

Wine import value : US$1.3 billion

Evolution VS 2020: +41%

Top exporters to Hong Kong :

🥇 France : US$834 million (+34% YoY).

🥈 Australia : US$244 million (+131% YoY).

🥉 UK : US$139 million (+24% YoY).

Market trend : Sudden surge due to anti-dumping tariff on Australian wines in China, and more relaxed social distancing rules.

Mainland China 2021 Key figures

Wine import value : US$ 1.724 billion

Evolution VS 2020: -13%

Top exporters to mainland China :

🥇 France : US$753 million (+48% YoY).

🥈 Chile : US$332 million (+50% YoY).

🥉 Italy : US$165 million (+43% YoY).

Market trend : The small decline is mainly due to the country’s ‘Zero-Covid policy’, which impose strict lockdown measures whenever a surge of Covid cases emerges. Thereby, the on-premises wine consumption and the wine trade fairs suffered in 2021.