France Retains Top Spot in Global Wine Production

France retained its number one position in global wine production in 2014 after Italy suffered from a poor harvest in the season, said International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV).

France produced 46.2-million hectolitres of wine this year, a rise of 10 per cent on last year, the OIV said.

This was nearly 2-million hectolitres above Italy’s production, which fell 15 per cent to 44.4-million hectolitres after unseasonably bad weather across much of its wine-producing territory hit its grape harvest.

Spain was this year’s third-largest wine producer with output at 37-million hectolitres, down 19 per cent from its record production of more than 45.6 million seen in 2013.

In the United States, the world’s fourth-largest wine maker, output fell 4 per cent to 22.5-million hectolitres compared to last year after an earthquake in August and poor weather last month in California, OIV said.

Large producers Bulgaria and Romania saw their output plunge by 30 per cent and 20 per cent year-on-year respectively, having suffered particularly adverse weather conditions.

The OIV said total global wine production fell 6 per cent to 27-million hectolitres in 2014 compared to 2013.

OIV did not give definitive consumption forecasts for 2014 but said initial trends pointed to around 243-million hectolitres, which should be sufficient to meet both consumer and industrial needs. These include spirits and vinegar output.