© Le Coq Sportif

July 24th 2024

Despite global export challenges, the Loire Valley wine region is experiencing positive growth, driven by a diverse offering dominated by white wines and a strong presence of sparkling wines.
The Loire Valley, France’s third-largest wine region for protected designation of origin (PDO) wines, spans 42,000 hectares across five regions and 14 departments. The region produces nearly 2 million hectoliters of wine, with 160 countries importing these wines.

White wines make up 36% of the production, followed by rosé (28%), red (19%), and sparkling wines (17%). The Loire Valley is the leading French region for PDO white wine production and ranks second for PDO rosé and sparkling wines.

In France, 34.3 million bottles were sold, including 11.2 million bottles of white wine and 8.5 million bottles of sparkling wine. In 2023, 55 million bottles were exported, accounting for 4.3% of the market share of French wine exports. Germany is the largest importer by volume (20%), while the United States leads in value (21%).

The Loire Valley wine industry has seen a 23% increase in export revenue over the past five years, with the average price per bottle rising by 12%. This growth benefits the 2,200 wine estates, 310 trading houses, 350 wine tourism cellars, and 16 cooperatives represented by the Loire Valley wine trade association.