New Zealand Wine Exports to China Surge 58.5% as Sauvignon Blanc Goes Mainstream

New Zealand wine exports to China surged 58.5% by volume to 5.36 million litres in 2025, with export value climbing 31.5% to US$44.48 million, making New Zealand China's fifth-largest wine import source. The performance is all the more striking given that China's total wine imports shrank by approximately 27% over the same period.

The growth is overwhelmingly driven by Sauvignon Blanc, which now accounts for 82% of New Zealand's wine shipments to China, up from roughly two-thirds a few years ago. On Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall platforms, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc generated RMB 61 million in sales in 2025, up 18% year-on-year, ranking as the top-selling white varietal. In retail channels, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc claimed the second spot on Sam's Club's white wine real-time sales chart in early 2026 and occupied three of the top five slots on Meituan's instant delivery wine rankings.

Industry observers note a significant shift in consumer behaviour: the price sweet spot for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in China has migrated downward from RMB 120–150 to RMB 60–90 per bottle, driven by private-label offerings from membership retailers like Sam's Club and Hema. "The everydayisation of Sauvignon Blanc is not a slogan — it's a real trend unfolding," said Charlotte Read, global marketing manager at New Zealand Winegrowers, speaking at the 2026 New Zealand Wine China Market Insights Forum in Chengdu.

2025年新西兰葡萄酒对华出口量猛增58.5%，达到536万升；出口额增长31.5%，达4,448万美元，使新西兰跃升为中国第五大葡萄酒进口来源国。在中国葡萄酒进口总量下降约27%的背景下，这一成绩尤为亮眼。

增长主要由长相思（Sauvignon Blanc）驱动——该品种如今占新西兰对华葡萄酒出口量的82%，而几年前这一比例约为三分之二。在淘宝和天猫平台，2025年新西兰长相思销售额达6,100万元，同比增长18%，稳居白葡萄酒品类销售额榜首。在零售渠道，2026年初新西兰长相思在山姆会员店白葡萄酒实时销量榜上位列第二，在美团歪马送酒人气榜上占据前五名中的三席。

业内人士观察到消费行为的显著转变：新西兰长相思在中国的价格甜蜜点已从每瓶120–150元下移至60–90元，这主要受到山姆、盒马等会员店自有品牌定制的推动。新西兰葡萄酒协会全球市场经理Charlotte Read在成都举办的2026新西兰葡萄酒中国市场洞察论坛上表示："长相思的日常化不是一句口号，而是正在发生的真实趋势。"

Source: Toutiao / WBO / WinesInfo

Comment:

New Zealand wine's China story is a masterclass in category creation. While the broader import market contracts, Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc is carving out a distinct identity: crisp, accessible, food-friendly, and increasingly positioned for everyday consumption rather than formal occasions. The democratisation of the price point — driven by membership retail — is simultaneously expanding the consumer base and compressing margins for traditional importers. The strategic question for the industry is whether the "Sauvignon Blanc moment" can be parlayed into broader New Zealand wine category growth, or whether the varietal's very success risks defining and confining the country's wine identity to a single grape.

新西兰葡萄酒在中国市场的故事，堪称品类创建的典范。在整个进口市场萎缩的背景下，新西兰长相思正在雕刻出一个鲜明的身份：清爽、亲民、佐餐友好，且越来越定位于日常消费而非正式场合。会员零售推动的价格民主化，在扩大消费群体的同时也压缩了传统进口商的利润空间。行业面临的战略问题是："长相思时刻"能否转化为更广泛的新西兰葡萄酒品类增长，还是这个品种的成功本身就意味着将新西兰的葡萄酒身份限定在单一葡萄的框架之内。