The organic wine market - France (2025)

1.2 A fast-growing global niche market

The global organic wine market is booming, driven by growing consumer demand for products that are more respectful of the environment and health. This trend is in line with a general craze for organic and sustainable products.

According to the latest estimates, the size of the global organic wine market is set to reach ***.** billion USD by ****. This growth is driven by the massive adoption of organic practices by winegrowers and increased demand from consumers concerned about their health and the environmental impact of the products they consume.

Several factors explain the rapid growth of the organic wine market:

Environmental awareness: Consumers are increasingly aware of sustainable farming practices and the harmful effects of pesticides on health and biodiversity. Product quality and authenticity: Organic wines are often perceived as more authentic, with an emphasis on terroirs and natural winemaking techniques. Regulatory support and certification: Many countries encourage the development of organic farming through subsidies and recognized labels (***). Expanding distribution channels: The rise of online sales and the inclusion of organic wines in supermarkets and specialist wine shops are making them more accessible to the general public.

World organic wine market France, ****-****, in $ billion Source: ****

Market segmentation

The organic wine market ...

1.3 A very healthy French market

The French organic wine market is showing positive momentum, in both volume and value, between **** and ****.

According to TerredeVins data, the volume of organic wine sales rose from *.** million hectolitres in **** to *.** million hectolitres in ****, an increase of *% in one year. This moderate but steady growth reflects the growing adoption of organic wines by French consumers. It is part of a search for quality, traceability and respect for the environment.

evolution of organic wine sales volumes France, ****-****, in millions of hectolitres Source: ****

At the same time, the sector's sales show a similar trend, rising from *.** billion euros in **** to *.** billion euros in ****, an increase of *.*%. This slightly higher increase than the rise in volumes suggests that organic wines are moving upmarket or gaining in value on the French market. market, driven in particular by labels, the growth of short distribution channels and growing interest in biodynamic and natural wines.

organic wine sales by value France, ****-****, in billions of euros Source: ****

These trends reflect a market in the process of structuring itself, underpinned by lasting factors: ecological awareness, new consumer habits, and diversification of supply. Organic wine, long perceived as a niche product, is now tending towards democratization, while retaining ...

2.1 Wine consumption in France

According to data from Santé Publique France, daily consumption of alcohol - and therefore potentially wine - has fallen sharply since ****. Whereas **.*% of adults said they drank alcohol every day in ****, by **** this had fallen to just **.*%. This decline is particularly marked among men (***), reflecting a collective awareness of public health issues.

This trend does not, however, mean a loss of interest in wine, but rather a change in the pace and context of consumption, which is now more occasional or social.

change in the proportion of French people who say they drink alcohol every day France, ****-****, in % Source: ****

According to a SoWine survey in ****, wine retains a central place in French preferences, with **% of respondents naming it as their favorite alcoholic beverage, ahead of beer (***). Wine's dominant position underlines its strong cultural roots, despite the decline in daily consumption.

Poll: which drinks do the French prefer? France, in ****, in Source: ****

Data for **** show a significant increase in the number of people drinking wine, particularly among **-** year-olds (***), as well as by more festive and relaxed consumption formats.

evolution of the number of people drinking wine France, ****, in percentage points Source: ****

Different types of wine are consumed in different contexts. ...

2.2 Profiles and motivations of organic wine buyers

By ****, regular buyers of organic wine will account for **% of the market, but the dynamic will also be fuelled by **% of new buyers, according to the Millésime Bio - Circana study. This illustrates a broadening of the customer base: organic wine is appealing beyond already convinced circles, particularly among younger generations and consumers looking for sustainable alternatives.

Organic wine gains ground: a boom driven by new buyers France, ****, in Source: ****

The reasons for buying organic wine are first and foremost committed: **% of respondents cite environmental concerns, placing the health of the planet at the heart of their purchasing criteria. in addition, **% of buyers are passive purchasers, influenced by friends and family or by a spontaneous preference for organic products. This duality shows that organic wine benefits from both militant support and a gradual anchoring in habits.

Why do consumers choose organic wine? France, ****, as % of total Source: ****

Despite this progression, the majority of organic wine consumers are not totally faithful to their choice: **% of buyers are in fact "mixed", i.e. they buy both organic and non-organic wine. Only **% buy organic wine exclusively, compared to **% for conventional wine. This cohabitation of the two types of offer underlines a complementary rather ...

2.3 Distribution channels and organic wine market dynamics

Between **** and ****, the organic wine distribution channels with the strongest growth are those offering proximity, expertise or digital accessibility. Online sales come out on top, with **% of consumers having increased their purchases via the Internet (***), which remain strong anchors for lovers of authentic products. on the other hand, supermarkets saw only a **% increase in sales, showing a relative lack of interest or a levelling-off of this channel for organic wine.

Which channels have made the most progress in buying organic wine? France, ****-****, in Source: ****

Declared intentions for **** validate this dynamic: **% of buyers still want to increase their purchases through direct sales, **% via the Internet, and around **% from wine merchants and organic stores. Supermarkets are lagging behind (***), struggling to win over this specific segment, probably due to a lack of clarity in organic offerings and increased competition from specialized or alternative channels.

Organic wine purchase development intentions France, ****, in Source: ****

In terms of satisfaction, cellar sales score highest (***), reflecting an image deficit or a less valued customer experience for organic wine lovers.

Which organic wine distribution channels are rated best? France, ****, average score out of ** Source: ****

2.4 Certifications and organic wine: perception and commitment

In ****, **% of wine consumers said they looked for environmental certification on a bottle label before buying. This is significantly more than for beer (***), underlining the importance of traceability and transparency in the wine world. This heightened attention reflects a more developed ecological awareness in the wine world, where the organic label plays a reassuring role for consumers.

Percentage of consumers who look at the bottle's environmental certification France, in ****, in Source: ****

The perception of a wine's quality is increasingly correlated with its certification. For example, **% of buyers believe that a wine sold for more than €** should be organic, compared with **% for wines between €* and €**. This reveals a growing demand for premium wines, where environmental commitment is perceived as a guarantee of quality, ethics and know-how.

Link between perceived quality and organic standards France, ****, in Source: ****

On the supply side, producers' motivations for converting to organic are primarily humanistic and ecological. According to TerredeVins, **% cite the preservation of human health, **% biodiversity, and **.*% the protection of natural resources.Improved wine quality is also cited (***). This shows that the transition to organic is above all driven by deep-seated convictions, far beyond a simple marketing argument.

Winegrowers' motivations for converting to organic production France, ****, in Source: ...

2.5 Organic wine in foodservice: an under-exploited opportunity

In ****, only **% of organic wine purchases will be made in the foodservice sector, compared with **% via other channels(***). This low share illustrates the structural lag of the foodservice sector in integrating organic references, despite the growing interest of the general public in these products in other purchasing contexts. Yet restaurant meals represent a strategic moment for discovering and promoting wines, particularly organic or biodynamic vintages.

A channel that's still underdeveloped: what share for organic wine in restaurants? France, ****, as % of total Source: ****

When asked about the presence and visibility of organic wine in restaurants, consumers gave an average score of *.*/** tothe importance of the selection on offer, and *.*/** to its prominence on wine lists. These results reflect a mixed perception: while some establishments are making an effort, in most cases the offer is not very clear or differentiating. This lack of prominence is an obstacle to the democratization of organic wine in out-of-home consumption outlets.

Is organic wine well promoted in the restaurant trade? France, ****, score out of ** Source: ****

While demand is growing in other channels, the restaurant and catering sector remains a lever that needs to be activated to widen the audience for organic wine. By improving staff training and ...

3.1 Organic wine production

By ****, according to Agence Bio, **% of France's wine-growing area will be farmed organically, compared with **% conventionally. This represents almost a quarter of the national vineyard area, a significant figure that testifies to theprogressive anchoring of organic farming in the wine sector, while leaving plenty of room for progress.

Distribution of vineyards in France France, ****, in % of total Source: ****

The trend in the surface area of organic vineyards clearly illustrates the national conversion dynamic. In ** years, the proportion of organic vineyards has risen from *.*% in **** to **.*% in **** (***), a *.*-fold increase. This development reflects both theadaptation of supply to societal expectations and public policy incentives for ecological transition.

evolution of organic vineyards France, ****-****, in Source: ****

However, organic wine production remains more expensive than conventional wine. According to LSA Conso, the production cost of an organic wine is **% higher than that of a conventional wine (***). These differences can be explained by :

higher labor costs (***), often lower yields, and specific logistics (***).

This cost differential represents a strategic challenge for producers, who must strike a balance between environmental requirements and economic viability, particularly in a context of pressure on sales prices.

Organic wine: significantly higher production costs France, ****, index base *** for conventional wine Source: ****

3.2 Wine distribution

By ****, direct sales will account for **% of organic wine sales in France, or €*** million, according to Agence Bio. This channel is well ahead of craftsmen and local shops (***).This landscape reveals a strong disintermediation of the market: organic producers prefer direct contact with consumers, in particular via markets, trade fairs, estate visits or independent e-commerce.

Breakdown of organic wine sales France, ****, € million Source: ****

Specialized organic retailers (***), though dominant in conventional channels, account for just **.*% of the organic sector. This low penetration in mass retailing can be explained by several factors:

a limited or undifferentiated range on the shelves, a greater price differential between organic and conventional wines, lower shelf value for organic products.

Distribution channels for organic wine in France France, ****, in Source: ****

Artisans, wine merchants and convenience stores are playing an increasingly important role in the distribution of organic wine. Their ability to advise, promote winemakers' commitments and guide consumers makes them a complementary lever to direct sales. Their share, close to **%, testifies to the growing importance of a hybrid model, combining expertise, proximity and quality selection.

3.3 Organic wine dominates the organic segment

Organic wine is the main driver of growth in the organic products market. Between **** and ****, it will grow by +*%, well ahead of other product categories. This dynamic contrasts sharply with the declines seen in several segments, notably meat (***).

Organic wine, the undisputed leader in organic market growth France, ****-****, in Source: ****

This remarkable performance is accompanied by a significant weighting in French exports of organic products. In ****, wine alone will account for **% of organic exports, compared with **% for all other organic products. This confirms the strategic role of organic wine in the international influence of French organic farming.

Organic wine, flagship product for organic exports France, ****, as % of total exports Source: ****

3.4 The bulk organic wine market: relatively resilient in the face of difficulties in the sector

The market for wines sold in bulk in Occitanie is up **% on the previous year (***).

Against this backdrop, the certified organic bulk wine segment showed a more favorable trend. Volumes are up *% on the ****-**** average(***), indicating stable demand despite the downward trend on the conventional market.

Pressure on prices, alleviated for organic wines:

Bulk prices are down overall:

Down *.*% on ****(***). Decrease of *.*% compared with the average for the ****-**** campaigns. Greater impact on red and rosé wines, with prices down *%.

Comparison of average wine prices between **** and **** France, ****-****, in €/hl Source: ****

Organic wine is showing greater price resistance, with an average price of €***/hl in December ****, equivalent to December ****. However, over the whole campaign, the average price of organic wine remains **% below historical levels.

Organic bulk wine prices France, December ****, in Source: ****

Outlook and challenges:

While the organic bulk wine segment remains dynamic, several factors require particular attention:

Sustained demand, in contrast to the decline in conventional sales. Higher prices, offering a better return for organic producers. Inflationary pressure on production costs, reducing margins. The need to diversify outlets, in particular through exports and by moving upmarket.

The organic bulk wine market therefore seems more resilient than the conventional ...

4.1 Offer typology

The supply of organic wine has grown significantly over the last two decades, driven by growing consumer demand for products that are more respectful of the environment and our health. Before going into detail about the different categories of organic wine, it is useful to compare the main characteristics of classic, organic and natural wines in the table below.

The generic term "organic wine" actually covers several types of wine, which differ in terms of production methods, standards and the labels to which they belong.

Definition of organic wine:

A wine is said to be organic when it complies with the rules laid down by the European regulation on organic farming. Since ****, these rules have applied not only to vine cultivation, but also to the winemaking process. A certified organic wine is therefore made :

from grapes grown without synthetic phytosanitary products (***), and vinified with limited use of oenological inputs (***).

Only fertilizers of natural origin are authorized, as are certain traditional treatments such as Bordeaux mixture. In the cellar, the use of sulfur dioxide (***), the main preservative, is restricted but not banned. [***]

Subdivisions of the offer: organic, biodynamic, vin nature, vegan:

Within organic wine itself, several segments can be distinguished, depending on ...

4.2 Organic wine prices

An analysis of the prices charged by three pure players (***) reveals a clear stratification of the online organic wine offer, ranging from entry-level to premium references.

This segmentation shows that organic wine is not an elitist market, but one that offers broad accessibility, with bottles priced at under €** and a smooth progression up the range. Organic wine is a versatile product: it appeals to consumers looking for good value for money, as well as those looking for a terroir wine or a high-end positioning.

Last but not least, there is a strong presence of historic wine-growing regions in all ranges, in particular the Rhône and Burgundy regions, reflecting the determination of producers steeped in tradition to align themselves with the demands of organic wine.

4.3 Supply trends: towards a repositioning of organic wine types

The organic wine offer is evolving under the combined pressure of new consumer expectations and structural changes in the wine market. through the results of the Millésime Bio **** survey, professionals are outlining a profound transformation of the ranges on offer. This evolution is based not only on economic and agricultural choices, but also on clear market signals, as shown by the analysis of the types of organic wine considered to be the most promising or, on the contrary, the most vulnerable.

perceived evolution of demand by type of organic wine France, ****, in Source: ****

The graph above shows a clear break in the dynamics of the different categories. Red wines, long considered the backbone of French viticulture, are now the most exposed to an anticipated drop in demand. **.*% of respondents (***) believe that their consumption will decrease, against only **% who anticipate an increase. This trend confirms a growing dislike, particularly among the younger generation, for powerful reds, perceived as too technical, complex or even old-fashioned.

This reorientation of the offer is also reflected in recent sales data. As Olivier Nasles, President of the Comité national de l'agriculture biologique, points out, the wine crisis is primarily affecting the conventional segment, and more particularly ...

4.4 An over-represented organic offering, a strategic showcase for retailers

Today, organic wine accounts for just *% of wine sales in France, but its share of the online wine offer is much higher. The data for November **** show that many specialist sites and supermarkets are choosing to over-represent organic wine in their catalogs, revealing a clear marketing strategy.

The first graph illustrates the number of organic wine references offered by several sales sites. vinatis leads the way with *,*** organic references, followed by Cavissima (***). This quantitative presence is also accompanied by a significant relative weighting in the total offer of each site, as shown in the second graph. Organic wine accounts for **.*% of the Vinatis range, **.*% for Cavissima, **.*% for Carrefour Ma Cave, and only *% for Ma Cave by E.Leclerc.

Number of organic wine references per online store France, ****, in number of references Source: ****

This disproportion between supply and actual consumption is explained by the role played by organic wine as an image lever for retailers. By promoting an extensive and visible range, these chains seek to attract customers who are sensitive to quality, the environment and transparency. Here, organic is used not only as a means of differentiation, but also as a strong signal of modernity and commitment.

By focusing on organic ...

5.1 Current regulatory framework

The framework for organic wine production comes mainly from the European Union:

Firstly, the framework regulation ***/**** sets out the main principles of organic farming; The regulation ***/**** sets out the rules for implementing these principles, in particular by specifying the list of authorized substances. Specific regulations for organic winemaking have also been in place since ****, in the form of regulation ***/****. The latter prohibits practices and processes "likely to mislead as to the true nature of organic products": partial concentration of wines in cold conditions for enrichment, elimination of SO* by physical process, partial dealcoholization of wines, flash-pasteurization. The principle of a maximum sulfite content is also justified, with the possibility of calibration on a case-by-case basis "if conditions are right".

5.2 Growers concerned about restrictions on copper spraying

In November ****, the European Union decided to reduce the authorized doses of copper, used in "bouillie bordelaise", a mixture of copper sulfate and lime commonly used to combat certain fungi. This new regulation poses a number of problems for organic winegrowers, who appreciate theabsence of synthetic molecules in the product, enabling them to maintain their organic certification. At the start of ****, the maximum authorized quantity was reduced from * to * kg per hectare, whereas organic winegrowers used an average of *.* kg per hectare in ****(***), due to the high risk of contamination by mildew, a widespread and destructive vine disease. Faced with the risk of having to reuse chemical active ingredients to protect themselves, and thus lose their organic label, winegrowers are hoping that the Comité National de l'Agriculture Biologique (***).

6.1 Segmentation

6.2 The analyst's eye

Context:

The organic wine market is structured around an ever-renewing consumer base: by ****, **% of organic wine buyers will be newcomers, testifying to the growing attractiveness of the segment. internationally, organic wine accounts for **% of French exports of organic products, making it a pillar of our export performance. This dual dynamic - broadening the domestic audience and international influence - reflects a structuring in full consolidation, with still significant growth potential.

Major trends:

*st trend: Wine is France's favorite alcoholic beverage. **% of French people prefer wine to beer (***).

*nd trend: Daily alcohol consumption has halved in ** years.In France, the proportion of adults declaring that they drink alcohol every day has fallen from **.*% in **** to just *% in ****, according to Santé Publique France.

*rd trend: The French are buying wine less frequently, but more regularly.In ****, the number of major wine buyers will fall (***).

*th trend: Direct sales dominate organic wine distribution in France.By ****, **% of organic wine sales in France will be through direct sales, ahead of craftsmen and retailers (***). This preferred channel reflects a desire for transparency and a direct link with the producer.

*th trend: Organic wine costs up to **% more to produce.In ****, the ...

• Château Morillon
• Domaine Jean Teiller
• Château de Roquefort
• Domaine Chevrot et Fils
• Mas de la Dame
• Clos Saint-Vincent
• Domaine de Cigalus
• Domaine Valentin Zusslin
• Domaine Comte Abbatucci
• Le Caveau d'Héraclès
• Vins Etonnants
• Vinibee
• PinotBleu