Loire exports outperform French average in 2024
In its 2024 export report, Vins de Loire revealed that the popular region’s exports grew +5% and +5.9% in terms of volume and value, respectively. The total value of Loire exports reached €200mn, its highest level since 2000. France as a whole, by contrast, only saw a +0.7% uptick in terms of total export volume.
During 2024, the 42,000ha region saw growth in all its export markets, with the exception of the UK and Denmark. Exports of Loire wine to the UK have been stable over the past three years, with a growth in sparkling wines offsetting declines seen in still categories.
The UK, which accounts for 13% of the exported volume of Loire wines, imported 52,248hls from the region in 2024. By category, the exports to the UK were 58% white wine, 17% red and dry rosé, 14% sparkling and 5% off-dry rosé.
Crémant de Loire was the most exported wine type to the UK during last year - higher than popular styles like Muscadet - with Britain being its second largest export market globally. There is also growing UK demand for still Vouvray, Chinon, and Rosé de Loire.
Impressive growth was seen for the Loire in the US market where export volumes grew +6.7% last year, while Belgium saw +5.4% growth and Germany +2.3%. This positive showing will please the region's wine producers as these three export markets account for 52% of the Loire's total export volume.
White wine and sparkling wine represented 80% of the Loire’s overall export value last year. The latter recorded the strongest total volume growth in 2024 of any category (+12%), with white wine growing also (+4%). By contrast, volumes of red and dry rosé wines, as well as off-dry rosés, saw overall declines of -5% and -2%, respectively.
The Loire exported 55mn bottles globally, representing 22% of the quantity sold in 2024, up from 20% in 2023. Vins de Loire aims to increase this figure to 30% by 2030 in a continued export push.
Camille Masson, President of InterLoire, is buoyed by the strong performance of the large winemaking region.
He commented: “Exports are a true growth driver for our sector. We are proud of the strong results achieved in 2024, which have allowed us to be among the most dynamic French wine regions abroad.
“This trend, which is the result of our collective efforts to promote the quality of our wines internationally, is one of the main objectives of our sector plan. With 22% of our sales made internationally, we are taking another step towards the ambition set out in our Loire 2030 plan, which is to reach 30% of volumes exported by 2030.”
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