From 2010 to 2017, the size of the wine imports market more than doubled. China’s rapidly emerging middle class were attracted to ‘Western’ drinks categories. Recently, trade tensions and Covid-19 have thrown the market into turmoil.
Most recently, China has begun threatening to impose tariffs on Australian wines, the biggest import segment.
China’s anti-dumping investigation into Australian wine imports “could result in a punitive tariff that would become a challenge to the competitiveness of Australian wines.” Because of this, the wine trade in China is stocking up Australian wine to avoid the cost increase if there is an unfavourable ruling.