Sourcing sparkling grape wine from China
The supplied sparkling grape wine lines carry £26.00 per hectolitre UK customs duty from China, with Alcohol Duty charged separately. Labels need review for the destination, and organic consignments need an inspection certificate. Cambridge China Bridge sources sparkling grape wine.
Buying from China for a business? How our UK China sourcing agent service works · China sourcing agent for small orders and first imports
Specific customs duty on sparkling grape wine
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2204 covers fresh-grape wine, including fortified wine, and certain grape must. The supplied sparkling entries both carry £26.00 per hectolitre, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension recorded. Alcohol Duty is separate from customs duty.
The supplied sparkling subset contains Champagne and other varietal wines only. The table shows the other-varietal entry for classification review, rather than presenting Champagne as Chinese-produced wine. The file cannot support the requested minimum table length or a percentage-duty worked example. Confirm the commodity code against the actual product; see the wider wine guide.
The tariff attaches an organic-products import control. For organic wine from China entering Great Britain, arrange an inspection certificate for each consignment and check the exporter's control body and export country against the official organic registers. Confirm the paperwork with your customs broker before dispatch.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other varietal sparkling grape wine, other | 2204 10 96 90 | £26.00 per hl | None |
Specify the wine, pressure and sales destination
Specify grape variety, production origin, colour, fermentation method, whether carbonation is added, sweetness, acidity and alcoholic strength. Agree a retained tasting sample and written acceptance criteria for aroma, flavour, clarity and bubble persistence. Specify bottle capacity, pressure suitability, closure, wirehood, dividers and pallet restraint.
Approve artwork for the intended destination. England requires the name and address of the responsible marketing business based in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. Direct imports into Scotland or Wales require the wine importer's address with an importer designation. Review allergen declarations against the wine's analysis and fining materials.
Inspection checklist
Wine: compare arrival samples with the retained sample; check alcoholic strength, residual sugar, acidity, clarity and carbonation against the purchase specification.
Bottle and closure: inspect glass for chips and cracks, check fill consistency, leakage, cork movement and wirehood security, and review pressure-test evidence.
Labels: match approved artwork to every variant, including destination-specific business information and applicable allergen declarations.
Documents: match producer details, batch references, analysis reports and packing records; check organic paperwork where an organic claim is used.
What goes wrong
A tasting sample alone does not establish shipment quality. Sweetness or carbonation can differ between batches, closures can leak, bottles can break inside damaged cartons, and arrival samples can show oxidation or unwanted sediment. Agree sampling, transport conditions and a process for investigating damaged stock before dispatch.
Duty planning and artwork can also fail. Allow separately for Alcohol Duty and import VAT, and settle the duty-payment route with your broker. Businesses wholesaling alcohol may need approval under the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme. Use quality inspection planning to connect the agreed specification with shipment checks.
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 sparkling grape wine from China?
The supplied sparkling-wine lines carry £26.00 per hectolitre customs duty. Alcohol Duty is separate. Confirm the exact commodity code before ordering.
Is sparkling wine customs duty a percentage of its value?
Not in the supplied sparkling-wine entries. They carry a specific duty per hectolitre, so a percentage-duty example would be misleading.
What paperwork does organic sparkling wine from China need?
For Great Britain, arrange an inspection certificate for each consignment and check the exporter’s control body and export country against the official organic registers.
What should I inspect when sparkling wine arrives?
Check leakage, glass damage, closure security, fill consistency, carbonation and taste against the approved sample and specification. Match labels and analysis reports to the delivered batch.