Global wine output fell to its lowest level in 60 years in 2017, due to poor weather conditions in the European Union that slashed production in the bloc, international wine organisation OIV said.
Wine production totalled 250 million hectolitres last year, down 8.6% from 2016, data from the Paris-based International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), released on Tuesday, showed.
It is the lowest level since 1957, when it had fallen to 173.8 million hectolitres, the OIV told Reuters.
A hectolitre represents 100 litres, or the equivalent of just over 133 standard 75cl wine bottles.
Bad Weather
All top wine producers in the EU had been hit by harsh weather last year, which led to an overall fall of 14.6% in the bloc, to 141 million hectolitres.
The OIV's projections, which exclude juice and must (new wine), put Italian wine production down 17%, at 42.5 million hectolitres, French output down 19%, at 36.7 million hectolitres, and Spanish production down 20%, at 32.1 million hectolitres.
Last year, the French government said that production had hit a record low due to a series of poor weather conditions, including spring frosts, drought and storms that affected most of the main growing regions, including Bordeaux and Champagne.
In contrast, production remained nearly stable in the United States – the world's fourth-largest producer – and China, which has become the world's seventh-largest wine producer, behind Australia and Argentina.
Trends were mixed in Latin America, with a rise of 25% in Argentina after a very low production in 2016 and a decline of 6% in Chile.
Wine Consumption
Global wine consumption edged higher, at around 243 million hectolitres in 2017 – up 1.8% from a year earlier. The United States confirmed its position as largest world wine consumer, with 32.6 million hectolitres, followed by France, at 27 million hectolitres.
Chinese wine consumption rose significantly for the third year in a row, with an increase of 3.5%, at 17.9 million hectolitres, in 2017.
On the export market, Spain remains the largest exporting country by volume, with a global market share of 20.5%, while France keeps its leading position in value, with €9.0 billion ($11 billion) of wine exported last year.
In total, global exports totalled 107.9 million hectolitres in 2017 – up 3.8% on the previous year – and €30.4 billion in value – an increase of 4.8% on 2016.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
