Global wine production down by 8.6% in 2017 due to adverse weather in Europe
World wide wine production plummeted to its lowest levels in 60 years in 2017 due to challenging weather in much of Europe, which saw yields slashed in the region, according to the International wine organisation OIV.
Total wine production came to 250 million hectolitres last year, a 8.6% reduction on 2016 and the lowest level since 1957 when it dropped to 173.8 million hectolitres – with one hectolitre being the equivalent of just over 133 standard 75 cl wine bottles.
All the major wine producing European countries were affected by adverse weather conditions last year, which led to a 14.6% drop in production to 141 million hectolitres.
Excluding juice and must, the OIV said that Italian wine production was down by 17% to 42.5 million hectoliters, French output was down by 19% to 36.7 million hectolires and Spanish production down 20% to 32.1 million.
While Europe saw its yields plummet, production remained largely stable in the US, the world’s fourth largest producer, while China, which has become the world’s seventh largest producer after Australia and Argentina also saw production stabilise.
However, it was more of a mixed bag Latin America, with Argentina reporting a 25% increase after a very low production in 2016, while Chile recorded a 6% decline.
Global wine consumption inched up to 243 million hectoliters in 2017, up 1.8% from a year earlier. The US, meanwhile, confirmed its position as largest world wine consumer with 32.6 million hectoliters, followed by France at 27 million.
Chinese wine consumption rose significantly for a third year in a row with an increase in 2017 of 3.5 percent at 17.9 million hectoliters.
On the export market, Spain remains the largest exporting country by volume commanding a global market share of over 20% while France retains its leading position in value with 9.0 billion euros ($11 billion) of wine exported last year.
In total, global exports amounted to 107.9 million hectoliters in 2017, up 3.4% on the previous year, and 30 billion euros in value, an increase of 4.8% on 2016.