International trade in Catalan wines: value holds firm despite falling volume

On 19 February, Prodeca's director, Dèlia Perpiñà, and the Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig, presented the Catalan agri-food international trade figures. The sector set a record high and most sectors increased their export value, in line with the strategy of adding value to products rather than volume.

The Catalan wine sector remains one of the key segments. Although it ranks fifth among agri-food exporters, its contribution to adding value to the sector is fundamental. The sector's shift towards higher value-added markets strengthens the position of Catalan wines and sparkling wines in the global market. The sector maintained its relevance in international markets during 2024 despite the challenges of a significant fall in export volume. In value terms it held almost steady (-0.35%), while export volume fell by -10.19%. A contrast that strengthens the value-to-volume ratio, which rose by more than 10% on 2023, driven by demand for premium products.

Still wine and the key markets

Still wine accounted for 35.73% of total exports, with volume down -14.52% and value down -5.72%. Despite this overall decline, some markets performed well, notably the United States (+6.18%), Canada (+4.40%) and the Netherlands (+15.64%). By contrast Germany (-31.63%), Switzerland (-23.55%) and Japan (-9.98%) saw notable falls.

Sparkling wines, the sector's driver

Sparkling wines have consolidated their position as the main driver of the Catalan wine sector, accounting for 62.38% of export value and 63.32% of total volume. This segment grew 2.56% in value despite an -8.52% fall in volume. Cava, which makes up 83% of exported sparkling wine, was remarkably stable in value (-0.43%) despite a -13.91% fall in volume. This trend produced an increase in the value-to-volume ratio (+12.43%).

Within cava, growth stands out in the Netherlands (+47%), Sweden (+13%), Japan (+13%), the United Kingdom (+10%) and the United States (+8%), while Germany saw a fall of more than 50%. 

How the wine sector has evolved over the past 10 years

Looking at how the wine and cava sector has evolved over the past decade (2014-2024), we see a positive trend in value despite a fall in volume. Total wine and cava exports grew 4.65% in value, from €594.31M in 2014 to €621.95M in 2024. The sparkling wine segment stands out in particular, growing 16.35% in value. Table wine, by contrast, fell -3.25% in value.

In volume the sector fell 18.72% overall, from 240,752.55 tonnes exported in 2014 to 195,680.26 tonnes in 2024. The fall was especially sharp in categories such as table wine (-37.95%) and vermouth and other wines (-56.54%), while sparkling wines showed a slight recovery in volume (+1.70%).

The wine market in the United States

The United States is the world's largest wine consumption market, worth more than $70 billion. Demand for imported wines keeps growing, especially in high-quality segments and innovative options, making the country a strategic destination for European exporters. Prodeca has analysed US market consumption trends and identified a preference for organic, low-intervention and sustainable alternative wines. 

Companies in the sector are watching the US market closely because of the Trump administration's tariff threats. Although nothing has been formally announced and there are no details of the type of tariffs or which products they would affect, wine could be one of the sectors involved, given the experience of the tax increase the same Trump administration imposed in 2019. The United States is the leading destination country for Catalan wine, and in 2024 exports there grew by more than 10% in value (and close to 7% in volume), accounting for around 13% of all wine exported worldwide. 

Looking at the possible consequences of new tariffs of between 10% and 20%, wine sector sales could face falling demand because of the price increase, despite being seen as a prestige product, with losses of around €7M.

It is also important to watch how the dollar exchange rate develops, since if Trump's policies cause the US currency to appreciate against the euro, the impact of the tariffs could be partly offset for both European exporters and American consumers. Given this possibility, it will be essential for exporting companies to design appropriate financial strategies to minimise the risks of a possible dollar appreciation.