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WHERE IS ALL OUR WINE COMING FROM?

global wine production

Have you ever wondered how much wine is actually made in the world, where it is all coming from, and who is drinking it? Well lucky for you, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) tallies the numbers for us every year. For those of you not keen to cosy up with their 14-page global wine production report, here is a little recap. To read the OIV figures, click here.

In 2017, there were 7.6 million hectares of vineyards around the globe. This equates to 76 000 square kilometres of land devoted to grape vines (that’s just over half the size of England).

Spain has the largest surface area under vine but is only the third largest wine producer. Why is this? Because much of Spain’s central and southern plains are so dry that vines need to be planted with very wide spacing so as to share out what little moisture the soil holds.

China has come on like a bullet train, stabilizing now after 10 years of rampant growth. China is now the most widely planted grape growing nation after Spain. Like Spain, they also lag behind in terms of global wine production however. This is partly because a large portion of the vineyards are planted with table, rather than wine, grapes. It is also due to wine production inefficiencies.

Despite this, one cannot discount China’s meteoric rise in the world of wine grape growing. According to Forbes Magazine, there were no vines planted in the prestigious Ningxia region of north central China in 2005. Today, there are over 40 000 hectares – 1/3 the size of Bordeaux. Wine consumption in China is also rocketing upwards, with double the annual per capita amount recorded in 2008.

France, followed by Italy, and then Turkey make up the rest of the top 5 in terms of vineyard surface area. These 5 countries (Spain, China, France, Italy & Turkey) account for half of the wine grapes grown on the planet.

2017 marked a historic low in terms of global wine production. The European Union saw wine production levels drop by 15%. Poor weather conditions through out the growing season dramatically decreased yields across the Euro zone. The volume of wine produced world-wide in 2017 was 250 million hectolitres. In more relatable terms, this equates to roughly 32.5 billion bottles of wine (750mL) or 4 bottles of wine for each person on earth.

Italy and France have long duked it out for the title of number 1 wine producer. The past three vintages have seen Italy claim top spot, with 17% of global wine production in 2017. France comes in at a comfortable second place, with 15% of world-wide wine volume. Spain logs in at number 3, with the United States and finally Australia making up the top 5.

In 2017 we drank approximately 243.6 million hectolitres of wine. Topping the list of the world’s most thirsty nations we have: the USA, followed by France, Italy, Germany, and China. However, if you consider their respective populations, our American friends are actually quite moderate consumers weighing in at a mere 10L per person.

The biggest per capita wine drinking nations include: Andorra, the Vatican City, Croatia, Portugal, and good old France. Wine remains a fixture of daily life here; served alongside the bread at every meal. As the late, great French wine writer and merchant André Simon once said: “Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, and every day more civilized”. I’ll drink to that!

Who is Jacky Blisson? Read all about my wine credentials here.

Education Life

An Overview of Italian Wine! Che Figata!

overview of italian wines

If I could only pick one vacation destination for the rest of my life it would be Italy. Hands down. No need to ponder over it. Easy decision. Why, you ask? Because, even at Autogrill, the country’s largest highway fastfood chain, you can get a decent panini, a drinkable glass of wine, and a delicious espresso.

The husband and I once spent a fantastic week skiing in the Aosta valley. At the resort restaurant, there was table service, amazing pasta, and hearty reds served in attractive stemware. Oh, and did I mention that it was cheap! I still dream about it.

I have traveled to Italy more than a dozen times, and there are still so many places I haven’t seen, or want to re-visit. I love the food, the wine, the coffee, the diversity and beauty of the landscapes, and especially the people. They seem to have perfected a sort of nonchalant confidence that is infectious.

And the language! I could sit in a café in a piazza all day, drifting from cappucino, to prosecco, listening to the melodic sound of Italian banter. Learning the language is definitely on my (very long) bucket list.

…roughly 2000 different wine grapes are grown in Italy today…

Italy boasts an incredibly diverse wine culture. According to Riccardo Ricci Curbastro of FEDERDOC (Italian agency for appellation wines), over 70% of Italy consists of hills and mountains. This, combined with the limited number of easily navigable rivers, meant that trade between the different regions was slow to develop historically. Each province developed their own foods, and cultivated their indigenous varieties. Italian wine grape expert Ian D’Agata estimates that roughly 2000 different wine grapes are grown in Italy today.

From north to south, hill to vale, Italy’s temperate to warm climate makes all regions, including its islands, suitable for grape vine cultivation. Take a drive down country lanes in any corner of Italy, and you will see vineyards somewhere along the way.

Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, beating out its nearest rivals France and Spain. It churned out almost 51 million hectolitres of wine in 2016 (equivalent to 6.6 billion bottles!). That’s a lot of vino.

Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, beating out its nearest rivals France and Spain

The driving force behind Italy’s prolific output is the popularity of its sparkling wines. Prosecco is the best-selling sparkling wine on the planet, and vast oceans of Asti (formerly Asti Spumante) are shipped around the globe.

Italy is also home to a wide number of crisp, refreshing white wines, and an impressive range of dry reds. From Chianti, to Barolo, to Amarone, the list of Italian wines worth a sip (or three) is endless.

February is Italian wine month here at JackyBlisson.com! I have a great line up of Italian wine and food articles coming your way, including:

From cheap & cheerful, to seriously trendy, you’ll discover why all the cool kids are drinking Lambrusco (Italy’s famous red sparkling wine).

A vertical tasting of Valpolicella’s crown jewel: Amarone (from 2010 back to 1998) from the group of family-owned wineries that comprise the prestigious Famiglie Storiche

Women in wine! A feature on some amazing Italian wine divas.

Local recipes with a host of different wine pairing options

And so much more….

So, stay tuned, and thanks for reading! Ciao.