France

In 2025, France imported 5.38 million hectolitres of wine worth €884 million. The average import value was €1.64/l. Three quarters of the import volume consisted of bulk wine.

FranceAgriMer attributes this structure partly to limited availability in the lower-priced segment. A large share of imported volumes consists of EU wines without geographical indication, used both for the French market and for French export activities.

Total French import volume therefore represents only part of the addressable market for an Argentine winery selling under its own brand.

The structure of the French still wine market shows how deeply domestic origin is embedded in competition.

In 2024, AOP wines accounted for 45% of still wine volume and 65% of sales value in the French grocery retail market measured by Circana. IGP wines with a grape variety accounted for another 19% of volume, while other IGP wines represented a further 14%.

Combined, the figures published by FranceAgriMer amount to:

In 2025, around 7.7 million hectolitres of still wine were sold through French grocery retail for €4.3 billion. Compared with 2024, volume declined by 4% and sales value by 3%.

The development differs significantly by colour. Red wine volume was around 12% below the three-year average. Rosé was down by around 7%. White wine remained broadly stable over the same period and developed positively in value. Some white IGP and Vin de France segments even recorded volume growth in 2025.

For portfolio decisions, the suitability of an Argentine range for France should therefore be assessed by wine type, style, price position and sales channel. Existing export capability alone does not determine market fit.

The French market is also highly fragmented beyond grocery retail.

A FranceAgriMer/CNIV study published in 2026 on wine supply to commercial restaurants found that organised wholesalers and Cash & Carry operators account for slightly more than 40% of wine volume. More than half of procurement takes place directly from producers or through specialised distributors.

For foreign producers, the choice of partner therefore becomes an important part of market positioning. An importer with access to specialist retail and restaurants performs a different role from a supplier focused on volume-driven trade.

France combines high wine consumption with strong domestic production and a trade structure shaped by AOP and IGP. At the same time, a large share of imports serves price- and supply-oriented functions.

For Argentine wine, the relevant market therefore lies within much narrower segments: specialist retail, restaurants, specific price positions and consumers for whom a foreign origin adds recognisable value.

French import statistics show only part of the market.

Bulk wine, supply gaps and low-priced EU wine account for a large share of import volume. In the visible still wine market, French origin categories dominate. Argentine wines currently occupy a very small segment within that structure.