Published every MondaySelection and commentary: Jean-Luc Kursner
Weekly review
Week 415 to 11 October 2026
What mattered for the wine market
The week's news, selected from the Swiss and international press and summarised for winegrowers, wineries and merchants.
01
Subsidies and policySwitzerland
Wine industry disappointed by Guy Parmelin's federal strategy
Guy Parmelin presented three priorities: extending contributions for voluntary grubbing-up, supporting promotion and exports, and auctioning the 170-million-litre WTO tariff quota in the 2027 ordinance package. Domestic preference is dropped. Vignoble suisse, the IVVS, the USP and the IVV Valais consider these measures insufficient. A consultation is planned for January.
Implications for youFor importers, merchants and wineries: the auctioning of the WTO quota planned for 2027 needs preparing now, and the January consultation will be the moment to make their position heard.
Spain: cooperatives estimate the harvest at 34 million hectolitres
Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias expects around 34 million hectolitres of wine and must in Spain, after a very early harvest and heatwaves that cut yields, with quality rated excellent. It would be the fourth consecutive season below 37 million. World production is estimated at around 222 million hectolitres, against some 294 million in 2018.
Implications for youFor buyers of Spanish bulk wine, reduced supply in Spain and worldwide points to tighter volumes this season; a context also worth watching for sellers of Swiss bulk wine.
Swiss Wine Promotion organises Swiss wines' presence at OLMA
From 8 to 18 October, Swiss wines share a 105 m² stand at OLMA in St. Gallen. Swiss Wine Promotion takes over the coordination this year, previously handled by the Branchenverband Deutschschweizer Wein. Ten tasting modules host more than 50 winegrowers from six wine regions.
Implications for youFor the participating French-speaking wineries, an eleven-day showcase to German-speaking consumers; for buyers in German-speaking Switzerland, a chance to discover a wider range of French-speaking wines.
Swiss Wine launches a national campaign to make Swiss wine more approachable
Launched on 5 October, the campaign « For connoisseurs. And everyone else. » sets expert vocabulary alongside a simple « it's good ». Swiss Wine wants to dispel the idea that Swiss wine is complicated, focusing on quality, diversity, proximity and producers. Swiss Wine Vaud is relaying it.
Implications for youWineries and distributors can align their autumn sales activities with the national campaign's message, aimed at consumers still hesitant to choose a Swiss wine.
The Office des Vins Vaudois is merging its platforms: swisswinevaud.ch replaces ovv.ch and vaudvins.ch, under a name aligned with Swiss Wine Promotion's national branding. The site also features Terravin-labelled wines. Interprofessional, governance and trade matters remain on civv.ch.
Implications for youVaud wineries and their customers now find information on swisswinevaud.ch, which replaces ovv.ch and vaudvins.ch; Terravin label holders gain a showcase there.
World trade: bulk, red and rosé wines decline in the first half
In the first half of 2026, international wine trade held up better in value than in the second half of 2025, thanks to higher average prices, but the decline in volumes accelerated. According to La Semana Vitivinícola, the adjustment mainly affects still wines, bulk, reds and rosés.
Implications for youFor buyers of red bulk wine, an international market under pressure could make foreign supply more plentiful and more negotiable; for sellers of Swiss red, competition worth watching.
Spain sharply increased its wine imports in the first half
In the first half of 2026, Spain imported 64.5 million litres of foreign wine worth nearly 173 million euros, up 65.2% in volume and 14.4% in value year on year. These purchases remain far below those of France, Italy, Germany or Portugal.
Implications for youFor buyers and merchants, the sharp rise in Spanish imports, still modest next to France, Italy, Germany or Portugal, points to more contested European demand for bulk wine.
Liv-ex sees the fine wine market stabilising, but unevenly
According to Tom Burchfield (Liv-ex), the fine wine market is stabilising: indices rose slightly year on year and third-quarter trading increased markedly. The recovery remains concentrated at the top end and in older vintages; in real terms, the Fine Wine 1000 is back to its 2015 level.
Implications for youFor fine wine merchants and buyers, the recovery Liv-ex observes is concentrated in older vintages and wines that have hit their floor.