New Zealand wine exports surge 59% to $259.8m in December, capping record year

Wine shipments climbed to 37.1 million litres in December 2022, pushing the rolling 12-month total past $2.2 billion for the first time as demand rebounded across key markets.

December shipments hit $259.8m

New Zealand exported $259.8 million of wine in December 2022, up 58.8 per cent on the same month a year earlier. Volume rose 58.2 per cent to 37.1 million litres, whilst the average price edged up marginally to $7.01 per litre. The result marks the third consecutive month above $250 million and concludes a year in which exports reached 58 destination markets.

Rolling annual total reaches new peak

The 12 months to December 2022 delivered $2.24 billion in wine exports, a 14.4 per cent increase on the previous year and a new high-water mark for the sector. December's sharp year-on-year gain reflects comparison against a subdued December 2021, when exports totalled $163.7 million. Monthly shipments have climbed steadily since mid-year, with December maintaining the momentum established in the spring months.

United States leads, Australia posts standout growth

The United States remained the dominant market, accounting for 42.9 per cent of December exports at $111.6 million, up 63.5 per cent year-on-year. Australia recorded the most dramatic growth in absolute terms among major destinations, surging 98.4 per cent to $51.5 million and claiming a 19.8 per cent share. The United Kingdom took $46.2 million, up 47.2 per cent, for a 17.8 per cent share.

Germany continued its strong run with an 82.2 per cent increase to $10.6 million, whilst Canada's $8.2 million represented modest growth of just 0.6 per cent. Singapore stood out with a 125.9 per cent jump to $3.4 million, and France nearly doubled to $3.9 million, up 97.3 per cent. China was a rare decliner among significant markets, falling 18.4 per cent to $3.2 million.

Smaller markets showed striking momentum: Bulgaria leapt 1,162.9 per cent to $0.9 million, Japan climbed 137.5 per cent to $1.5 million, and South Korea rose 88.5 per cent to $2.1 million. Hong Kong increased 80.2 per cent to $2.3 million.

Bulk wine drives growth as price gap persists

Bulk wine in containers larger than 10 litres accounted for $85.1 million of December exports, representing 32.7 per cent of total value—a substantial shift driven by a 102.1 per cent year-on-year increase. Bottled wine in containers of two litres or less rose a more modest 43.6 per cent to $171.2 million.

The pricing differential remained pronounced: bottled wine averaged $9.35 per litre compared with $4.71 per litre for bulk, a gap of $4.64 per litre. The divergence underscores the continuing bifurcation of New Zealand's export strategy between premium bottled products and volume-oriented bulk shipments for offshore bottling.

Provisional data subject to revision

These figures are drawn from Stats NZ merchandise trade data and are initially provisional for the most recent month. December 2022 statistics remain subject to revision as late declarations are processed and classifications finalised.