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Canada : The 3rd Largest Export Market for Bourgogne Wines by Volume

03/03/2025

Although the adult population in Canada continues to grow, the number of regular wine consumers is decreasing, down by 1.4 million monthly consumers in 2023 compared to 2019. The five-year outlook does not foresee a reversal of this trend (IWSR 2024). 

Wine is the only beverage category in 2024 to have seen a decline in market share. Wine sales have reached their lowest level since 2010-2011, with 500 million liters of wine sold (StatCan 2024). However, in this context and among French wine regions, Bourgogne stands out as an exception, with exports showing a rebound after two years of decline.

Bourgogne Wines are Finding New Avenues for Growth

After two years of decline, Bourgogne's exports to Canada are starting to rebound. It is the French AOC wine region that has shown the most growth, both in volume and value:
+15.9% in volume, or nearly 1 million additional bottles sold
+15.7% in revenue, or 10.8 million euros more than in 2023

Régionale AOCs are the Most Exported Bourgogne Wines

• Bourgogne white wine exports to Canada (2024 volume)

White wines account for 72% of Bourgogne wine exports, with a market share that continues to grow.

• Bourgogne red wine exports to Canada (2024 volume)

The share of Bourgogne AOC wines (including Bourgogne+) is even more dominant in red wines, accounting for 79% of the volume in this category. More accessible than other appellations, these wines represent 47% of the 2024 revenue.

Quebec Would Be the 6th Largest Export Market for Bourgogne Wines on Its Own!

According to data from the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ), for the 12-month period from April 2023 to March 2024, the province on its own absorbs 69% of all Bourgogne wines exported to Canada!

As a result, Quebec is by far the most important market in the country. The French-speaking province imports more Bourgogne wines than Sweden or Denmark, making it the 6th largest export market for our vineyard in volume.

After a 20% drop in the previous year, Bourgogne wine sales in Quebec are on the rise again, reaching over 5.5 million bottles for the most recent SAQ fiscal year (April 2023 to March 2024). This volume is still well above pre-Covid sales levels.

Revenue for this period reached a record high of 152.7 million Canadian dollars, up by 15.5% compared to the 12-month total ending March 2023.

Ontario: The Growth of Crémant de Bourgogne Does Not Offset the Decline in Overall Bourgogne Sales

In contrast to the SAQ, the overall sales of Bourgogne wines through the LCBO (Ontario’s monopoly) have slowed for the second consecutive year as of March 2024, with a 12% decline in volume compared to the previous year. This decline affects all sales, both imported wines (66% of volume) and local wines, a trend that has been ongoing since the 2021 fiscal year.

A total of 729,097 bottles of Bourgogne wines were sold, generating revenue of 26.9 million Canadian dollars for the 12-month period ending March 2024.

Nearly 300,000 Bottles of Bourgogne Wines Sold in British Columbia

During the last fiscal year ending in March 2024, wholesale sales of Bourgogne wines through the monopoly declined by 7.1% in volume compared to the previous year. This represents 298,000 bottles sold, generating 14.2 million Canadian dollars in revenue, a 3.5% decline compared to March 2023.

Despite two years of decline, sales remain well above pre-COVID levels, up 12.3% in volume and 25.7% in value compared to March 2020.

Economic report written by the Markets and Development Unit - BIVB –February 2025
(sources: Customs DEB&EMEBI+DAU - BIVB – the Québec SAQ and other monopolies)

Contact: Cécile Mathiaud – Head of PR at the BIVB
Phone: +33 (0)6 08 56 85 56 – cecile.mathiaud@bivb.com