Loire wines hit 25-year export high in 2024
Loire wines recorded their strongest export performance in 25 years in 2024 with value reaching €200 million, a record since 2000. The post Loire wines hit 25-year export high in 2024 appeared first on The Drinks Business.
While overall French wine exports remained relatively flat last year - up just 0.7% in volume - Loire wines outpaced the national trend with export growth of 5% in volume and 5.9% in value. A total of 55 million bottles left French shores, accounting for 22% of Loire’s wine sales, up from 20% the year before.
InterLoire president Camille Masson said the results underscored the international strength of the category: “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.”
Masson added that the performance moves the region closer to the Loire 2030 plan’s goal of exporting 30% of volumes by the end of the decade.
Sparkling and white wines lead the charge
Sparkling wines from the Loire saw the biggest uplift in 2024, with volumes rising 12% and accounting for 35% of total exports. White wines also continued their upward trajectory, increasing 4% to make up 43% of exports.
However, red and dry rosé wines fell by 5%, while off-dry rosés dropped 2%, reflecting a global decline in rosé consumption.
In value terms, 80% of export revenue came from sparkling and white wines. Meanwhile, red and dry rosé wines held steady, and off-dry rosés declined.
Key markets and shifting dynamics
Germany (22%), the United States (16%), and Belgium (14%) remained the top three destinations for Loire wines, accounting for more than half of all export volumes. The UK followed with 13%, and Canada with 7%.
Most major markets saw growth in 2024, with standout performances in the US (+6.7%), Belgium (+5.4%), and Germany (+2.3%). Only the UK and Denmark reported declines in volume.
Markets where Loire wines are less established - such as the Baltic States, Italy, the UAE and Finland - also saw increases in value, pointing to emerging export opportunities.
Premiumisation trends continue
The rise in export value was also fuelled by increasing ex-cellar prices, which climbed 0.8% year-on-year and 17% over the past five years. The trend towards premiumisation was most notable in white and sparkling wines.
Chenin Blanc-based wines - including Crémant de Loire, Anjou, Saumur and Vouvray - remain in strong demand internationally, according to InterLoire, with the Crémant de Loire category due to celebrate its 50th anniversary in October 2025.
Strategic outlook
Looking ahead, InterLoire aims to consolidate growth in key markets including the US, UK, Germany, Belgium and Canada, while also increasing visibility in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Australia and Japan.
As Masson put it: “This trend… is the result of our collective efforts to promote the quality of our wines internationally.”
With over 2,200 wine estates, 310 wine merchants, and 42,000 hectares under vine - 85% of which is certified organic or under environmental certification - the Loire region is positioning itself as a major player in the evolving global wine market.
