Paris, the Ruhr (Essen, Dortmund, Duisbourg) and Buenos Aires: the cities that drink the most wine

Paris is the city that drinks the most wine in the world, totaling 5.3 million hectoliters consumed in 2017 - equal to 709 million bottles - followed by the Ruhr (Essen, Dortmund, Duisbourg) that consumed 4 million hectoliters (537 million bottles), and Buenos Aires, which holds third place (3.6 million hectoliters). Milan is in fourth position (3.3 million hectoliters), followed by London (2.95 million), New York (2.8 million), Los Angeles (2.2 million), and then Rome (1.7 million), which is in 8th place while Berlin (1.95 million) and Tokyo (1.2 million), the only Asian city in this ranking, close the Top 10. The Wine Paris study, “Consumption and distribution of wine in large urban areas worldwide” has revealed these figures. Wine Paris is the big international event focusing on wine professionals that will be held at Expo Porte de Versailles from February 11th to 13th and that can count on the support of the JFL Conseil / XJ Conseil analyzes and décisions (data from IWSR and IRI, CHD, FDA USA, Nielsen and GFK).
A large slice of the market as well as wine consumption is concentrated in the big cities. As a matter of fact, 54.9% of the world’s population lives in the city, and this percentage is growing in the principal wine-consuming countries; for instance, 83% of the British, 82% of Americans, 80% of the French, 80% of the Spaniards and 77% of the Germans live, buy and consume their wine in the city. According to the study, however, it is interesting to point out that Italy has two cities in a ranking that has just 10 positions.
New York, Paris and London have numerous on and off-trade distribution points: 38.900 in the Big Apple, 23.750 in the Ville Lumière and 17.500 in The City, while there are only 13.350 in The Ruhr. Compared these points to the population, this makes Paris the densest distribution area in the world. Further, the French capital’s leading position is motivated by an important network of opinion leaders (20.000 hotels and restaurants, wine bars, cafés, 1.100 wine stores, 1.990 wholesalers, 142 Michelin stars in the Michelin Guide). Paris offers French consumers as well as the millions of tourists and international businessmen it receives (33.8 million in 2017) a showcase for great wines, and an unparalleled diversity of territories and productions. The large urban areas are also the place where trends and fashions related to consumption are created. The demands for natural wines, organic wines or the interest in rosé wines are all phenomena that began right in Paris.