Burgundy: the wine sector caught between declining consumption and regulatory pressures

At the joint press conference of the “Vente des Vins” of the Hospices de Beaune and the Comité Bourgogne, Laurent Delaunay and François Labet, co-presidents of the Interprofession des vins de Bourgogne, expressed concerns about a sector undergoing profound transformation. The context is marked by climate change, international instability, and a structural decline in consumption in France. A trend that also weighs on Burgundy wines, despite wine’s central role in French identity and the national trade balance.

The co-presidents denounced the growing stigmatization of the sector. Some communication campaigns were deemed excessive, particularly those describing wine as a “chemical and toxic cocktail” or with the slogan “Your glass is never innocent.” An approach considered misleading, which penalizes the idea of responsible consumption and wine’s cultural role. “Going so far as to label us, responsible professionals, as ‘dealers,'” they recalled.

Climate change requires new production solutions. The international context remains uncertain. French consumption continues to decline. The sector also laments a regulatory climate perceived as restrictive: proposed taxes, bans, and initiatives deemed disconnected from reality. These include the ban on wine sales at the National Assembly bar or the halt to reimbursement of wine expenses at parliamentary functions.

Burgundy representatives drew attention to the impact of certain measures, such as the ban on treatment products, including those used in organic farming, despite a recent study showing “no risk to local residents.” A situation that, according to the sector, fuels uncertainty and makes it difficult to explain abroad why a product considered a French excellence is criticized in its country of origin.

The 2025-2026 campaign opens with stocks lower than the previous year, but still 7% above the five-year average. The 2025 harvest, estimated at 1.43 million hectoliters (over 190 million bottles), will be more limited, in line with volumes below the average of the last two vintages. Exports show a mixed picture: +4.3% in the first eight months of 2025 compared to 2024, but with a slowdown in recent months. In French supermarkets, white wines remain dynamic, offsetting the decline in reds: +0.8% in volume and +0.7% in value from January to October 12, 2025. The 2024-2025 campaign marked a turning point, with a reduced harvest and a general worsening of the economic context. The start of the 2025-2026 campaign confirms the trend: -8.9% in volume in the first two months compared to the previous year.

In France, Burgundy wines are affected by declining domestic consumption, common to the entire sector. In supermarkets, the trend remains stagnant: +0.4% in volume and +0.2% in value (still wines). Abroad, the first quarter of 2025 marked a fifteen-year record with 22 million bottles exported. However, between June and August 2025 there was a slight decline in volume (-0.4%) and a sharper drop in value (-6.2%).

The traditional “Club of 5” – United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Belgium – is now seeing a shift. Sweden enters in fourth place, while Japan exits the top 5. The United States remains Burgundy’s leading destination (22.1% in volume and 22.4% in value in 2024). Canada is the third market (8.4% in volume, 4.8% in value). Countries with smaller but growing shares follow, such as Brazil and India. At the end of the conference, representatives reiterated: “No, wine is not a danger, and sector professionals are not irresponsible and criminal dealers.” A message of firmness at a time the sector describes as one of “rare complexity.”