Global wine volumes are expected to decline this year as adverse weather damaged grapes during the growing season. World wine output could fall by 5.3 percent because of excess rain that spoiled grape harvests in South America and adverse weather in French vineyards, resulting in one of the smallest vintages of the past 20 years. Bloomberg reports Wine volume may fall to 259.5 million hectoliters from 273.9 million last year, according to estimates from the International Organization of Vine and Wine, a Paris-based group. Expected output is equivalent to about 35 billion bottles. Wine production in Chile may fall 21 percent, while Argentina is positioned to slump 35 percent. Italy is expected to remain the world’s biggest wine producer, with output slipping just two percent. France is expected to keep second place, even as production slumps 12 percent. French grape growers struggled with a combination of spring frost, hailstorms, drought and fruit rot that is expected to lead to the country’s smallest wine volume in four years.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.