The International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) estimates that 244 million hectoliters of wine will be produced this year. That is 7 percent less than last year. Last year, total production was also below average.
The penultimate very weak year was 2017, when production reached 248 million hectoliters. The lowest level was 214 million hectoliters, in 1961.
In the southern hemisphere, such as in Australia, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Brazil, grape harvests are ten to thirty percent smaller than usual.
In the European Union, Italy, Spain and Greece suffer the most from the bad weather. France became the largest wine producer in the world this year.
Only in the United States and New Zealand did production clearly exceed the average of the past five years. Germany, Portugal and Romania also performed well.
In addition to drought, vineyards in various parts of the world have also been hit by early frost and heavy rainfall.
The OIV says that no shortage of wine is expected. Although global wine consumption is declining, stocks are large in many regions, so a weaker harvest will not have drastic consequences.