Vinetur reports that Spanish wine-export volumes fell 20.2% during the first half of 2026, with the value of exports down 10.2% to approximately €1.56 billion. A major factor was weaker demand for Spanish bulk wine from Italy and France, traditionally important buyers, with Castile-La Mancha particularly exposed to the contraction. The difference between the fall in volume and value indicates that average export prices have risen, but the figures underline continuing pressure on one of the world’s largest wine-exporting industries.
EU
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European Farmers Face ‘Unprecedented Crisis’ After Successive Heatwaves
The Guardian reports that severe heat and drought across Europe are hitting agricultural production, with Spain’s national wine federation forecasting a 20% decline in wine output for 2026. Federation director José Luis Benítez said successive heatwaves have left grapes smaller because of insufficient moisture, reducing expected volumes, while other European agricultural sectors are suffering similarly sharp losses. The wine forecast adds to evidence from France, Switzerland and elsewhere that the 2026 growing season is combining unusually early ripening with drought-related pressure on yields.
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A New EU Packaging Rule Begins to Apply Wednesday, Raising Compliance Demands for Drinks Exporters Worldwide
Vinetur reports that the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation begins applying generally from 12 August 2026, bringing new compliance requirements affecting wineries selling into the bloc. Although most wine categories are exempt from the specific 10% reusable beverage packaging availability target, wine producers remain subject to broader requirements covering packaging minimisation, recyclability, technical documentation, labelling and waste financing. Particularly significant for wine is greater scrutiny of bottle weight and decorative packaging, potentially adding further pressure for lighter glass and simplified bottle designs.
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EU Seeks US Tariff Exemptions for European Wine
La Tribune reports (in French) that the European Commission has asked Washington to exempt wine, spirits and selected agricultural products from the 15% US tariff applying to most EU goods. The proposed exemptions cover approximately €115 billion of exports, with wine particularly exposed because vine products account for 17% of EU agricultural and food exports to the United States by value, and the tariff is placing additional pressure on margins for premium European wines.
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EU27 Wine Exports Continue Downward Trend in First Four Months of 2026
Wine Industry Advisor reports that preliminary Eurostat figures show the value of EU wine exports fell by 13.2 per cent between January and April 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while export volumes declined by 16.4 per cent. Intra-EU trade suffered more than shipments to markets outside the bloc, although the rate of decline eased compared with the first two months of the year. Only Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Ireland and Poland achieved year-on-year growth in export value.
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Europe’s Wine Sector Faces Slow Digital Transformation
AgTechNavigator reports that European wine is adopting more digital tools, but real transformation is being slowed by tradition, fragmented technology, connectivity gaps and long investment cycles. WineWayLab organiser Timofey Golovin argues that many wineries are adding sensors and dashboards without fundamentally changing production systems, while climate volatility, labour shortages and new regions such as the UK, Scandinavia and Belgium are increasing the pressure to adopt robotics, AI and precision viticulture more deeply.
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French Vineyards Divert Unsold Wine Into Ethanol
The Irish Times reports that the European Commission has approved a €40 million emergency scheme to help French producers remove surplus red wine and rosé from the market by distilling it into ethanol and industrial alcohol. The move comes after weaker drinking demand and softer exports pushed average bulk prices down 19 per cent, with Brussels warning that oversupply could deepen the crisis if stocks are not cut back.
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Trump Tariffs Keep Pushing Up EU Wine Prices
Bloomberg says EU wine is still feeling the after effects of US tariffs, with duties having moved from 10% to 15% last year and price rises now feeding through at different speeds depending on region, grape and label. The broader significance is that this is no longer just a trade policy story, it is now a pricing and availability story for importers, merchants and drinkers, with retailers also experimenting with ways to source European bottles already inside the US in order to soften the blow.
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EU Enters ‘Last Mile’ of Trade Deal Negotiations With Australia
Reuters reports that the EU is in the final phase of negotiating a trade deal with Australia, and wine and spirits are explicitly among the sectors expected to benefit if tariffs are reduced. For the wine trade, the significance is clear, Brussels says the agreement could lift EU exports to Australia by a third over 10 years and remove up to €1 billion in duties, making this one of the more consequential policy developments for European producers and exporters today.
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China Warns French Wine Could Be Targeted in EU Tariff Dispute
Reuters reports that China has signalled French wine could face retaliation if France pushes the EU towards tougher tariff measures against Chinese imports, a warning that underlines how politically exposed premium wine and spirits exports can be when trade rows escalate, and comes as investors watch for knock on effects across French drinks groups and their Asian sales.
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EU Parliament Backs New Measures to Protect and Promote the Wine Sector
The European Parliament says MEPs backed new legislation designed to help wine producers manage market pressures and climate risks, and to open opportunities in tourism and exports. The press release highlights clearer labelling for no and low alcohol wines, with “alcohol-free 0.0%” for wines at or below 0.05% ABV and “alcohol reduced” for wines above 0.5% ABV that are at least 30% lower than the category’s standard strength before dealcoholisation. It also outlines extra crisis support for extreme weather and disease, EU funding options for grubbing up, and higher co-financing for promotion, including wine tourism and third-country marketing, with the deal now needing Council approval to enter into force.