Global wine production will fall to its lowest level in 60 years

Global wine production is expected to fall to its lowest level in 60 years in 2023, due to poor harvests in the southern hemisphere and some major European producers, the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) said on Tuesday ).

In the first projections, the OIV set global wine production, excluding juices and musts, at between 241.7 million and 246.6 million hectoliters (million hl), with an intermediate estimate of 244.1 million hl.

This would be a decrease of 7% compared to last year and the lowest level since 1961, when it fell to 214 mhl, explains the OIV. One hectoliter is equivalent to 133 standard bottles of wine.

“This negative scenario can be attributed to significant declines in major wine-producing countries in both hemispheres,” the OIV said in a statement.

“While in the Southern hemisphere, Australia, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Brazil recorded variations on an annual basis between -10% and -30%, in the Northern hemisphere, Italy, Spain and Greece are the countries that have suffered the most unfavorable weather conditions during the growing season,” he said.

The OIV predicts that Italian wine production will fall by 12% to 44 mlh, the lowest level since the poor 2017 harvest.

The drop means Italy will lose its position as the world’s largest wine producer, with France regaining top spot for the first time in nine years.

Drought-hit Spain has maintained its position as the third-largest wine producer despite its output falling to its lowest level in 20 years, with production down 14% from last year and 19% from the five-year average .

The sharp decline in Italian and Spanish production would lead the European Union’s production to fall by 7% this year to 150 mhl, the third lowest production level since the beginning of the century.

US wine production, the fourth largest in the world, was estimated at 25.2 mhl this year, an increase of 12% compared to 2022. Cold temperatures and heavy winter rains in the Napa and Sonoma regions they brought much-needed moisture to the vines after several years of drought, the OIV said.

Source: Terra

Ben

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