Poland is increasingly recognised as one of the most promising wine markets globally. With strong economic momentum and a rapidly evolving culture of gastronomy and wine education, strategic wine communication can now deliver measurable impact.
In 2025, Poland crossed the symbolic $1 trillion GDP threshold, positioning itself among the world’s top 20 economies and strengthening its role as a key growth engine in Central and Eastern Europe. This shift matters directly for premium categories that follow lifestyle and purchasing power.
At the same time, Poland remains far from a mature wine market. A clear consumption gap compared to neighbouring countries suggests long-term headroom for growth - not only in volume, but in value, premiumisation, and cultural relevance.
According to NielsenIQ, in the 12 months ending in November 2025, Polish consumers spent approx. €12.26 billion on alcohol in total, including €1.17 billion on wine. While this represents a slight year-on-year decline (-2.2%), wine remains a category within a changing market.
Act before the market is saturated.
For wine regions and national organisations, the message is clear: Poland’s economic growth and evolving wine culture create a great moment to build awareness, trust, and market presence, before competition becomes fully saturated. So what should wine organisations focus on in 2026?
Sparkling wine: a growth category that’s becoming regular
Sparkling wine continues to gain momentum in Poland as wine consumption becomes more occasion-led and experience-driven. It’s also a category that naturally supports premium choices. Wine enthusiasts are more willing to pay higher prices for wines linked to celebration, gifting, and dining moments.
Importantly, sparkling is no longer a “New Year’s Eve-only” purchase. NielsenIQ data shows that nearly every fifth złoty spent on wine in Poland is now spent on sparkling wine, confirming the category’s strong market position and long-term growth potential. In 2025, this segment is further stabilised by Champagne performance, with volumes growing by 20%, reinforcing the premium end of the category. As sparkling moves into regular consumption, it becomes closely connected to where wine culture develops fastest: restaurants.
Eating out: restaurant culture drives premium wine choices
One of the strongest accelerators of wine discovery in Poland is the rapid development of restaurant culture. As dining becomes more as experience, wine becomes part of the overall “upgrade”: more pairing, more recommendations, and more willingness to explore new origins.
Restaurants are also a credibility engine. Consumers often trust what they discover on a wine list more than what they see in the media. Michelin recognition has become an important part of this market narrative, strengthening Poland’s premium dining image and shaping consumer aspiration.
We’ve seen how effectively gastronomy can build momentum for regional wine storytelling — including “Georgian Wine Academy for HoReCa Professionals” educational format.
Wine education: tastings and masterclasses go mainstream
As wine becomes more present in the Polish lifestyle, education becomes a key growth driver. Tastings, workshops, and masterclasses are no longer niche activities, they increasingly sit at the intersection of gastronomy, social experiences, and cultural discovery.
For wine regions and national organisations, education is one of the most effective entry strategies because it builds awareness, confidence, and trial, while supporting long-term trade relationships. When designed as structured programs (trade tastings, expert masterclasses, media sessions, HoReCa engagement), it turns visibility into credibility.
Premiumisation: value grows when trust is built
Premiumisation is one of the clearest trends shaping wine consumption in Poland, but it’s not driven by luxury alone. It’s driven by confidence. Consumers are more willing to make decisions when they understand what makes a wine special and when the story feels credible. In 2026, premium is not only a price point, but it’s also a reputation outcome, shaped by origin, consistency, expert endorsement, and the ability to stand out in a crowded market.
Wine as culture: storytelling becomes a competitive advantage
Poland’s wine market growth is increasingly shaped by lifestyle and curiosity, especially in urban audiences. That means wine regions need to communicate beyond product features.
The strongest strategies connect wine to:
- place and cultural identity
- food, travel, and rituals
- shared moments and community
For wine organisations, this is how long-term relevance is built, turning regional reputation into consumer pull.
NoLo wines: from niche to fast-growing segment
The NoLo category (low- and non-alcoholic wines) is gaining relevance in Poland as consumer habits shift toward more flexible, occasion-based drinking. While still a small part of the overall wine category (around 2.5% of total volume), it is one of the fastest-growing segments. NielsenIQ data shows that non-alcoholic sparkling and still wines are growing by +30.3% and +30.4% respectively, signalling strong momentum.
This is reinforced by broader behavioural change: a study by SW Research for fritz-kola indicates that nearly three-quarters of Poles are limiting alcohol consumption, supporting the long-term potential for NoLo formats across retail and hospitality.
Polish wine: local production strengthens the ecosystem
Poland’s local wine scene is growing, and while that may look like domestic competition, it is actually a sign of a market becoming more sophisticated. Local production helps build vocabulary around origin, quality, style, and craftsmanship, while strengthening interest in vineyard stories and wine tourism. For international wine regions, this is a positive signal: the more Poland develops its wine culture, the more receptive consumers become to discovering imported wines through origin and identity — not only price.
Quick takeaways
- Poland is a high-potential growth market thanks to economic momentum and a developing premium consumer base.
- Wine remains a meaningful category: €1.17B spent on wine in the 12 months ending Nov 2025.
- Sparkling is a key growth engine — with every fifth złoty spent on wine going to sparkling, supported by Champagne growth (+20% volume).
- Restaurant culture and gastronomy accelerate premium discovery and credibility
- Education is becoming a mainstream driver: tastings and masterclasses build trust and trade value.
- Premiumisation is increasing — and reputation (not price alone) is the new currency.
- NoLo is rising fast (+30% growth dynamics) as consumers increasingly limit alcohol.
- Local Polish wine production strengthens the entire category ecosystem.
Let’s meet at Wine Paris — or connect online
If you represent a wine region or a country organisation planning to grow visibility and reputation in Poland, now is the moment to turn these 2026 trends into a real market.
Would you like to more? Just drop us a line: HERE.
À bientôt à Paris and beyond.
References
- International Monetary Fund (IMF). World Economic Outlook (WEO) Database / GDP data.
https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO - Notes From Poland. Poland joins the world’s 20 largest economies after GDP surpasses $1 trillion.
https://notesfrompoland.com/ - Gov.pl (Prime Minister’s Office / Poland). Poland joins the “Trillionaires’ Club” (GDP above $1 trillion).
https://www.gov.pl/ - Wiadomości Spożywcze. Raport Alkoholowy 2025: Rynek alkoholi mocnych i wina w Polsce pod znakiem zmian (NielsenIQ; Kantar Polska TGI).
https://wiadomoscispozywcze.pl/artykuly/15651/raport-alkoholowy-2025-rynek-alkoholi-mocnych-i-wina-w-polsce-pod-znakiem-zmian/ - Rzeczpospolita (rp.pl). Polacy kupują wina musujące już nie tylko na Sylwestra… (dane NielsenIQ).
https://www.rp.pl/przemysl-spozywczy/art41630871-polacy-kupuja-wina-musujace-juz-nie-tylko-na-sylwestra-to-rynek-wart-miliard-zlotych - SW Research. Polacy piją mniej alkoholu – trend NoLo rośnie w siłę (badanie dla fritz-kola).
https://swresearch.pl/news/polacy-pija-mniej-alkoholu-trend-nolo-rosnie-w-sile - MICHELIN Guide. MICHELIN Guide Poland – restaurant selection and awards.
https://guide.michelin.com/ - People PR blog, Georgian Wine Hits Warsaw With a Master’s Touch.
https://www.peoplepr.pl/blog/georgian-wine-hits-warsaw-with-a-masters-touch
