OIV estimates worldwide production of wine between 258 and 267 million hectoliters (-10% on 2018)

The World Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) revealed the worldwide wine estimates in Paris, reporting that the 2018 harvest was definitely abundant and the worldwide wine production reached 292 million hectoliters. The 2019 harvest, instead, should lead to a decidedly lower production, between 258 and 267 million hectoliters (excluding juices and musts). The report highlights that, however, despite the 10% drop compared to 2018, the 2019 production level is on average for the period 2007-2016, considering also that there were differences from area to area. In the European Union countries, the 2019 wine production has been greatly affected by adverse weather conditions - from frost to drought - and it is below average. The wine production volume, estimated at 156.0 million hectoliters (or 60% of the world production), is 15% lower than the previous year. This means there has been a substantial drop of 26.7 million hectoliters compared to the 2018 production (182.7 million hectoliters).
Italy and France reported a 15% drop (respectively 46.6 million hectoliters and 41.9 million hectoliters) and Spain reported a 24% drop (34.3 million hectoliters). The decrease is primarily due to unstable climatic conditions; that is, a particularly cold and rainy spring followed by an exceptionally hot and dry summer. These were extreme weather conditions, compared to 2018, and were recorded in most EU countries. However, while in Italy, France and Spain (which together account for 80% of EU volumes) production is lower not only compared to 2018, but also on the average of the last five years, explained the OIV, in other countries such as Germany (9.0 million hectoliters, 12% on 2018), Austria (2.6 million hectoliters, -4% on 2018), Romania (4.9 million hectoliters, -4% on 2018) and Hungary (3, 2 million hectoliters, -6% compared to 2018), production levels are in line or even higher than the respective five-year averages. Portugal registered 6.7 million hectoliters in 2019, and it is the only EU country that has reached a higher wine production than the previous year (+10% compared to 2018) as well as above the last five-year average (+ 4%).
On the other hand, in non-EU countries, production increased in Russia (6.0 million hectoliters, + 7% on 2018), in Georgia (1.8 million hectoliters, + 1% on 2018), and even though it was lower than the previous year, the volume produced in Switzerland (1.1 million hectoliters, -6% compared to 2018) was 10% higher than the average in the 2014-2018 period.
Considering the major wine producers in the Northern hemisphere, the preliminary estimate of the United States of America, which represents about 12% of production in the Northern hemisphere, is 23.6 million hectoliters of wine produced (-1% compared to 2018), which would mean a high level of production for the fourth consecutive year.
In the Southern hemisphere, the harvest ended at the beginning of 2019, and wine production, which represents about 20% of world production, was for the most part lower than the previous year, but overall in line with the five-year average. In Argentina, the 2019 wine production will probably be around 13 million hectoliters (-10% compared to 2018). Chile, at 11.9 million hectoliters, registered a 7% decrease compared to 2018, but an 8% increase compared to the average of the last five years.
In Brazil, following two consecutive years of production over 3 million hectoliters, the estimated volume of wine production is 2.9 million hectoliters, which is more than 10% higher than its five-year average.
In South Africa, where the harvest has suffered greatly from drought, the estimated wine production is 9.7 million hectoliters (-9% compared to the five-year average).
In Oceania, Australia recorded a slight drop in the volume of wine production, estimated at 12.5 million hectoliters (-3% compared to 2018), while instead New Zealand should reach 3 million hectoliters (-1% compared to 2018).