Export market
Denmark is the only Nordic market without a state monopoly. Importers there are numerous, often small, and very open to independent estates. Here is what we have observed since our first missions.
The market
Unlike Sweden, Norway or Finland, Denmark has no state monopoly: you sell wine there as in any other European market, through an importer or directly to the buying offices of the large retail chains.
In 2025 the country imported 182.7 million litres of wine worth €696.4 million. France remains the leading supplier by value, with €250.7 million, while Italy leads by volume.
The importer landscape is highly fragmented: there are more than a thousand importers, many of them very small. Retail, dominated by Coop and Salling Group, carries a lot of weight in sales but is hard to access for an estate that is just starting out.
Danish consumers are sensitive to terroir wines and to environmental certifications such as organic and Demeter, and importers are increasingly looking for sustainable products.
Market analysis
Denmark is the only Nordic country without a state monopoly: an estate can sell to an importer or directly to the buying offices of the retail chains. In practice, supermarkets account for a large share of wine sales, around a few groups such as Coop, Salling Group and Dagrofa.
Alongside them, the country has one of the highest densities of importers in the world: more than a thousand businesses, often very small, sometimes called ‘garage importers’. Some wine shops and wine bars import directly or act as prescribers for importers.
For an independent estate, retail is rarely the right way in: volumes, terms and prices are designed for established suppliers. Small and mid-sized importers, on the other hand, are looking precisely for estates they will be the only ones to offer.
Danes drink more than 30 litres of wine per person per year, one of the highest levels in the region. Italy leads by volume, France by value, carried by its image of quality and terroir.
Recent trends point towards whites, rosés and sparkling wines, with growing interest in organic and biodynamic wines and less conventional grape varieties. Buying decisions balance price, quality and sustainability.
Copenhagen has also developed a real wine bar culture, with a very visible natural wine scene. Canned wine and wine on tap (keg) are emerging too, driven by these new venues.
Denmark is part of the European Union: no customs, but excise duties handled by the importer. If your wine is certified organic, a mention in Danish is required on the label.
Import prices remain tight: in 2025 the average price of imported packaged wine fell to €5.78 per litre. The importers we meet are willing to pay for a distinctive wine, but expect a consistent export price.
Target small and mid-sized importers, often active on several channels at once (e-commerce, events, restaurant, wine shop). Highlight what sets you apart: family history, terroir, farming practices, certifications.
Expect orders by the pallet and three to six months before a first order. Once the relationship is established, it can last for years and lead to several orders a year.
Our field experience
Many Danish importers are also distributors, or even retailers. One of them resells the estates it imports through its own online wine shop. Others organise consumer fairs with their producers. Others run a restaurant or a wine shop. A single contact can therefore cover several sales channels.
The importers we meet are looking for independent family estates with wines that stand out. Organic counts for a lot, but it is not a requirement: contrary to a common belief about Scandinavian markets, quality conventional wines also find their place.
We mostly work on pallet orders, from 600 to 1,800 bottles. Retailers such as REMA 1000 run tenders for tens of thousands of bottles, but that is not the core of the market for the estates we support.
Several Danish importers have worked with our estates for years and place several orders a year. Maison Kieffer, for example, receives one to two orders a year from its Danish importer, and Clos des Garands, in Beaujolais, has worked with its own for several years.
On average, allow three to six months between the first exchange with an importer and the first order, the time for samples, tasting and setting things up.
Importer examples
A few Danish importers that distribute French wines, selected from our database on the basis of their public information.
Direct importer and wine shop
French wines: Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône
Other origins: Spain, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Germany, New World
Channels: Online sales, subscription boxes, consumers
Buys directly from small family producers and resells their wines online, notably through subscription boxes.
Direct importer of European estates
French wines: Alsace, Burgundy, Loire, Provence, Rhône
Other origins: Italy, Germany
Channels: Tastings, cellar open days, warehouse sales
Regularly visits the estates it imports and organises tastings for its customers.
Importer of European wines
French wines: Rhône, Languedoc, Bordeaux
Other origins: Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria
Channels: Retail from its warehouse
Founded in 2013, it looks for cuvées that are hard to find elsewhere in Denmark, with good value for money and a clear interest in organic wines.
Premium importer-distributor
French wines: Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône, Loire
Other origins: Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Portugal
Channels: Fine-dining restaurants, wine bars, companies, shops, e-commerce
Founded in 1990, with a strong focus on organic and biodynamic wines. Its portfolio includes Alain Graillot, Albert Boxler and Domaine de Montille.
National importer-distributor, B2B and B2C
French wines: Champagne, Alsace, Rhône, Burgundy
Other origins: Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, New World
Channels: On-trade, network of about fifty partner wine shops, e-commerce
Founded in 1994 in Odense. Its portfolio includes Domaine Josmeyer, Champagne Duval-Leroy and Domaine de la Solitude.
Terroir wine importer for fine dining
French wines: Chablis, Burgundy, Touraine
Other origins: Italy, Austria
Channels: Fine-dining restaurants, enthusiasts, e-commerce
Created in 1999 to supply Denmark’s best restaurants with rare terroir wines, conventional, organic and biodynamic. It works notably with Christophe & Fils in Chablis.
Importer-distributor
French wines: Jura, Champagne, Burgundy, Rhône
Other origins: Italy
Channels: Restaurants, companies, consumers
Founded by a former sommelier, with a selection focused on organic and biodynamic estates.
Small direct importer
French wines: Southern Rhône, Burgundy
Other origins: Italy (Tuscany)
Channels: Direct cellar sales, by appointment
Specialised in the southern Rhône Valley, with a small number of producers followed personally.
Direct importer of Loire and Champagne
French wines: Sancerre, Champagne
Other origins: France only
Channels: Consumers, tastings, delivery around Copenhagen
A small business importing wines from small family properties, collecting the wines in France itself.
Multi-origin importer
French wines: Champagne and other French regions
Other origins: Australia, Italy, Portugal, Spain
Channels: Warehouses, e-commerce
Founded in 1984 with French wines, before becoming one of the first importers of Australian wines in Denmark.
Profiles based on public information (company websites, trade directories). These importers are listed as examples: they are not necessarily ExportVins partners, and their contact details are deliberately not published.
Finding out which ones are truly right for your wines, and getting them to agree to taste, is exactly what the Performance Export Mission does.
No. Denmark is the only Nordic market without a state monopoly. You can sell to an importer or directly to retail.
No. Organic is a real asset with Danish importers, but above all they are looking for independent estates and distinctive wines, organic or not.
The orders we see are mostly by the pallet, between 600 and 1,800 bottles, often with several orders a year once the relationship is established.
Allow three to six months on average between the first exchange with the importer and the first order.
Market data sources
A 30-minute call to check whether the Performance Export Mission is right for your estate.
