Spain overtakes Chile as South Korea’s No.1 wine supplier by volume
OIVE’s read of Korean customs for H1 2026: Spain ships 6.29m L (+13.1%) past Chile’s 4.91m L (−16.1%). Spanish bulk/large format +62.5% to 2.82m L; Spain’s value almost flat at €13.21m (6th). France still leads by value (€70.68m at €17.40/L). Korea total: 27.63m L / €184.22m (−0.8% vol / −4.7% value).
Spain just took the litre crown in South Korea — and the cheque barely moved.
Korean customs figures for January–June 2026, read by Spain’s wine interprofessional OIVE and reported via Vinetur, put total wine imports at 27.63 million litres and €184.22 million (−0.8% volume / −4.7% value). Inside that softer mix, Spain shipped 6.29 million litres, up 13.1%, and pushed Chile into second at 4.91 million litres (−16.1%).
The engine was format, not fancy labels. Spanish bulk and large-format wine (containers over 10 litres) jumped 62.5% to 2.82 million litres. Spain’s sales value stayed almost flat at €13.21 million — sixth by money — while average customs value slipped from €2.38 to €2.10/L. France still owns the till: €70.68 million at €17.40/L, first by value, third by volume.
Mini-concept: volume leadership and value leadership answer different questions. Litres measure how much liquid crossed the border; euros measure how much buyers paid per glass. Bulk wins litres; branded bottles win the till.
Keep: when a Spanish bottle looks cheap on a Seoul shelf, ask whether you are tasting a brand story or a tanker’s leftovers.
Remember: Spain 6.29m L (#1 volume); Chile 4.91m L; Spanish bulk +62.5%; France €70.68m (#1 value).
Source: Vinetur