How to export French wines?

Updated on November 30, 2022

Wine is not a commodity like any other. Unlike other consumer products, the wine trade is subject to complex regulations in the international marketplace. The applicable laws can vary widely from one country to another, and an exporting company must be aware of all the rules in force in the markets to which it wishes to export.
Beyond the legal aspect, national consumer trends may also differ in the international market. Before spending time and energy to develop sales in a new market, it is crucial to study the wine consumption trends.

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What are the rules applicable on the international market?

Each country approaches the distribution and consumption of alcoholic products within its borders differently. From excise duty policies to the documentation required for wine entry, it is important to know all the legal and administrative aspects before considering entering a new market.

Documents required for the international movement of wine

As with any product subject to excise, the international movement of wine must comply with fiscal and administrative obligations.

In this sense, each international shipment of wine must be declared online via the Teleprocedure GAMM@ (within the framework of the EMCS: "Excise movement and Control System").

An EAD (Electronic Accompanying Document) is then generated online. It is highly recommended to print a version of this document, to be attached to the shipment with the corresponding commercial invoice. This will facilitate any unannounced inspection of the goods during international transport, and will avoid the immobilization of the shipment.

Be aware of national specificities

Some countries are more restrictive than others in controlling the entry of alcoholic products into their territory. It is therefore essential to be informed of these national specificities.

Phytosanitary certificate, back label and certificate of origin for China; a specific analysis stating the metals contained in the wine for Peru; the corresponding TARIC code on each line of the commercial invoice for Greece, Kazakhstan,...

In short, learn all you can, be organized, and don't take your knowledge for granted: regulations are changing!

What are the wine consumption trends in the target country?

Wine is a complex product. The quality signals of a wine are not the same from one country to another, and depend on many criteria.

First, the "Maturity" of the market is a key indicator. Some countries, considered as mature markets, have been importing wine for centuries. In these countries, theWine importersIn these countries, the wine experts are seasoned connoisseurs of their market, and have a greater understanding of world wine production, appellation systems, pricing, etc.

These countries are generally more receptive to lesser known appellations and domain names, if the quality satisfies their palates!

Other countries have started importing wine much more recently. Importers in these markets are generally looking for well known appellations (Bordeaux,BurgundyChampagne...) because the popularity of these names reassures consumers who are less familiar with the world of wine, and are for them a guarantee of quality. Finally, it is crucial to understand in depth the economic situation of the targeted country (this will have a determining impact on the average unit purchase price that importers will look for), as well as the consumption trends on this market (pairing with local cuisine, average annual consumption per capita...).

Need to be accompanied ?

Les Grappes is an online platform for the sale of wines from winegrowers, for professionals. We accompany cafés, hotels, restaurants, wine cellars in their choice of wines, but also in the realization of customized wine lists! According to your project, your tastes and your budget, we help you to choose the best wines, among more than 800 wine growers, in short circuit. Sign up for freefor our team to contact you! We already accompany establishments in more than 40 countries: in Italyin Belgiumin the DOM TOM... For more information, go to our website.

Charles Bonnay for Les Grappes