Austria’s wine exports declined slightly in 2024. The export value dropped by 6 percent to 233.3 million euros, while the export quantity decreased by 1.7 percent to 64.2 million liters, according to Statistics Austria data. As a result, the average price for exported wine fell by about 20 cents to 3.60 euros per liter. However, since the last export decline in 2015, exports have increased by nearly 90 million euros, noted the Österreich Wein Marketing GmbH (ÖWM).
The ÖWM attributes the decline last year to the global economic situation. “In 2023, our wine exports nearly reached a quarter of a billion euros at 248 million euros,” said Chris Yorke, managing director of ÖWM, in a statement on Monday. High exports of bottled wine to the German market contributed to the positive result. “After more cheaper wine in tanks was sold to Germany last year, we soon realized that we would not be able to maintain the exceptionally high export value of 2023.”
Cheap Tank Wine in Demand
Not only to Germany but also to other markets, Austria exported less bottled wine last year. The ÖWM reported a 5.1 percent decline in quantity and a 6.3 percent decrease in value. Here, there was also a smaller price reduction. Austrian red wines were less in demand outside Austria. In terms of bottled wines, producers saw a 12.5 percent drop in quantity and a 14.4 percent decrease in price—again, a slight price dampener. However, for wines in tanks, the ÖWM saw a significant quantity increase of 16.1 percent, though this was costly. The export value of tank wines fell by 1.4 percent.
The U.S. Market Becomes More Important—but Riskier
In Germany, the export value fell by 13.6 percent to 98.8 million euros. This was attributed to a higher proportion of cheap tank wines. Nonetheless, Germany remained the most important market in 2024, with 60.2 percent of all exported wines and 42.3 percent of the export value.
Switzerland dropped from second to third place. The Swiss imported fewer wines in 2024, and demand for red wines was down. As a result, the exported quantity fell by about one-third. However, since the export value only decreased by 18.2 percent, Austrian winemakers achieved better prices in Switzerland.
The U.S. market moved up to second place. The export volume increased by 6.5 percent, and the export value grew by 6.2 percent. However, “it remains to be seen what conditions the Trump administration will set for wine trade with Europe,” added Yorke.
Growth in Canada, Scandinavia, and the Czech Republic
Austrian winemakers also saw export growth in Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. While the increase in Canada was accompanied by a small price drop, average prices remained stable in the Nordic countries. The ÖWM also saw high growth rates but with significantly lower prices in deliveries to the Czech Republic: export volume increased by 80.1 percent, while the value of the wine rose by a relatively modest 58.1 percent.
Austria’s wine industry is feeling the effects of changing drinking habits and the global economic situation, Yorke also noted. Additionally, Austrian winemakers recorded the smallest harvest in 14 years last year—already the reason for the previous export decline in 2015.
