New Zealand wine exports slip to $114m in April following three months above $135m

April wine exports fell to $114.2m, the lowest monthly result this year, as shipment volumes eased to 14.5m litres at an average price of $7.90 per litre.

April exports retreat from first-quarter pace

New Zealand exported $114.2m worth of wine in April 2021, shipping 14.5m litres at an average unit value of $7.90 per litre. The result marks a notable pullback from the preceding three months: January recorded $138.7m, February $135.5m, and March $156.7m. April's performance represents the weakest monthly total so far this year.

The rolling 12-month total to April stood at $545.2m, though year-over-year comparisons are not available for the month.

Market footprint remains broad

New Zealand wine reached 52 destination markets during April, maintaining the sector's diverse geographic spread. However, the absence of year-over-year data for individual markets limits insight into which destinations are gaining or losing momentum.

United States and United Kingdom dominate shipments

The United States remained the dominant market, accounting for $41.0m or 35.9 per cent of April's total exports. The United Kingdom followed with $27.6m, representing a 24.2 per cent share. Together, these two markets absorbed three-fifths of New Zealand's wine exports for the month.

Australia ranked third at $11.8m (10.4 per cent), while Canada took $7.6m (6.7 per cent). France rounded out the top five with $3.2m (2.8 per cent).

The Republic of Korea imported $2.6m, Germany $2.4m, and Hong Kong $2.3m. The People's Republic of China accounted for $2.0m (1.7 per cent), with the Netherlands at $1.9m and both Ireland and Russia recording $1.6m each.

The top 12 markets collectively represented approximately 90 per cent of April's export value, underscoring the concentration of New Zealand wine trade among established markets.

Bottled wine commands substantial price premium

Bottled wine in containers of two litres or less—including sparkling varieties—generated $96.4m in April, comprising the vast majority of export value. Bulk wine shipped in containers exceeding 10 litres contributed $16.2m, or 14.2 per cent of total export value.

The pricing differential between formats remains stark: bottled wine averaged $9.39 per litre compared with $4.17 per litre for bulk, a premium of 125 per cent for the bottled product. This gap reflects the value-added nature of finished, packaged wine versus commodity-style bulk shipments typically destined for blending or bottling offshore.

The proportion of bulk wine indicates that while New Zealand's export model remains firmly oriented towards premium bottled products, a meaningful volume continues to move in bulk format, likely serving different market segments and commercial arrangements.

Data note

These figures are drawn from Statistics New Zealand's overseas merchandise trade data for April 2021. Monthly export statistics are provisional upon initial release and subject to revision as late declarations areprocessed and classifications finalised. Readers should note that year-over-year comparisons were not available for this reporting period.