Sourcing Americano aromatised wine from China
Americano aromatised wine from China carries 0% UK customs duty across heading 2205. The Americano name requires natural wormwood and gentian flavourings and authorised yellow and/or red colouring. Alcohol Duty is separate. Cambridge China Bridge sources Americano aromatised wine.
0% customs duty, with Alcohol Duty separate
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2205 covers vermouth and other wine of fresh grapes flavoured with plants or aromatic substances. Its lines all carry 0% customs duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded. Americano falls within this heading when its composition matches the heading description.
Alcohol Duty is separate: confirm the applicable rate for the drink's actual alcoholic strength and release date with HMRC or your customs broker. The tariff also attaches import control of organic products. Organic wine from China needs a Great Britain certificate of inspection for each consignment. Check the exporter's control body and country against the non-UK organic registers before shipment.
Choose the line by container capacity and actual alcoholic strength, using the 2 litre and 18% boundaries. Confirm the commodity code against the recipe and packaging. See the Quinquina aromatised wine guide for the wider heading, and include Alcohol Duty in your duty and VAT calculation.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Americano aromatised wine, containers up to 2 litres, alcohol up to 18% | 2205 10 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Americano aromatised wine, containers up to 2 litres, alcohol above 18% | 2205 10 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Americano aromatised wine, containers over 2 litres, alcohol up to 18% | 2205 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Americano aromatised wine, containers over 2 litres, alcohol above 18% | 2205 90 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the Americano recipe before the label
Americano belongs to the bitter aromatised wine category, which has added alcohol. Its specific description calls for natural flavouring substances derived from wormwood and gentian, with authorised yellow and/or red colours. Obtain the full recipe and flavouring supplier declarations before approving the product name or artwork.
Agree the base wine, added alcohol, botanical extracts, sweetness, bitterness, colour, clarity and finish against a retained sample. Specify bottle capacity, closure, case dividers and storage instructions. For Great Britain, confirm the required food name, net quantity, alcoholic strength and business name and address details with the relevant food authority; allergen information must also be provided.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,500 bottles of 500 ml Americano aromatised wine at 18% alcohol by volume; illustrative FOB and freight values; Alcohol Duty additional under 2205 10 10 00, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,500, so it is £2,700. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14 lists alcoholic beverages among the exceptions that are standard-rated even though most food is zero-rated, so the 20% VAT shown applies.
Inspection checklist
Recipe: compare production records and flavouring declarations with the approved wormwood and gentian formulation; check the identity of each colour.
Liquid: test alcoholic strength and compare sweetness, bitterness, colour and clarity with the retained sample; investigate sediment or an oxidised aroma.
Packaging: check fill levels, leaking closures, chipped glass, case dividers and damage on arrival.
Labels and documents: compare artwork with the tested strength and allergen information; match batch references to analysis reports and any organic inspection certificate.
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What goes wrong
A generic bitter wine recipe can miss the Americano description when its botanical flavourings or colouring differ. Changes between the approved sample and production can also alter bitterness or sweetness. Require written approval for recipe changes and compare shipment samples with the retained sample.
A 0% customs rate can hide the separate Alcohol Duty cost. Keep it in the landed-cost calculation. Leaking caps, broken glass and mismatched labels can also make stock unsuitable for delivery to customers. Use a pre-shipment inspection to check the liquid, packaging and paperwork together.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on Americano wine from China?
The supplied tariff data shows 0% customs duty across heading 2205, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Alcohol Duty and import VAT are separate.
What makes an aromatised wine Americano?
Its specific description requires natural flavouring substances derived from wormwood and gentian and authorised yellow and/or red colours. It belongs to the bitter aromatised wine category with added alcohol.
Can I import organic Americano wine from China?
Each organic consignment needs a Great Britain certificate of inspection. Check that the exporter's control body and country are on the non-UK organic registers before ordering.
What should I test before accepting the shipment?
Check alcoholic strength against the label, compare bitterness, sweetness and colour with the approved sample, and inspect clarity, closures, fill levels and glass damage.