The Golden Circuit of South America’s Wine King

China has remained Chile’s No. 1 red-wine export market for eight consecutive years; after the bilateral free-trade agreement is upgraded in 2025, Chilean wines will enjoyZero-tariff policyThe advantages continue to be amplified. However, importers still have to pay a 13% value-added tax and a 10% consumption tax, and they face a complicated customs-clearance process:

• 2025 new HS code requirements must be subdivided to the 9-digit level (2204.2100.9)
• Bottled-original imports and bulk wine are subject to different inspection standards.
• Wooden packaging must comply with ISPM15 fumigation certification.

The Six-Step Pass Method for Professional Representation

Drawing on our hands-on experience with 3,000+ TEU import cases, we have distilled a high-efficiency customs-clearance model:

• Pre - filing stage
  • Complete the food business registration for importers (20 working days required for first-time imports)
  • Obtain the CIQ registration number for overseas food production enterprises importing into China
• Precision instruments require constant temperature and humidity containers (temperature error ±2℃)
  • Preferably use a 40HQ container (can hold 11,500 standard 750 ml bottles).
  • Arrange direct shipping routes from Valparaíso Port to major ports in China

The Golden Combination of Customs Clearance Documents

Our dispute cases show that 80% of customs-clearance delays stem from documentation defects. The required documents are:

• Issued by the Chilean Ministry of AgricultureOriginal health certificate
• vintage-datedOrigin CertificateCertificate
• Chinese-English bilingual對照a component analysis report
• Maritime transportInsurance policy (breakage insurance recommended)

Three Major Pitfalls in Customs Inspection

The latest 2025 random-inspection data from the General Administration of Customs shows that the non-conforming items for Chilean red wine are mainly concentrated in:

• Sulfur dioxide content exceeds the limit (threshold 250 mg/L)
• Chinese labels not annotatedStorage Conditions(Precise to the temperature range)
• Actual alcohol content deviates from the declared value by >0.5%vol

Cost optimization strategies

A combined strategy can reduce the importer’s overall cost by 8–12%:

• Bulk orders enjoy tiered FOB discounts.
• Distinguish at the time of declarationVarietal/Reserva/Gran ReservaTiered Pricing
• Adopt batch-by-batch customs clearance to reduce capital occupation.

Criteria for Selecting Proxy Services

Qualified agent institutions should possess:

• Dedicated cabin space guarantee capability for South American routes
• Experience in handling special certifications such as AWA and MLA
• Major ports across the country48-hour emergency responsemechanism
• Provide a complete temperature and humidity monitoring data chain