World wine production down 10% in 2019 but back to the average

With the Northern hemisphere's grapes all but harvested the OIV (Organisation of Vine and Wine) announced big drops in the EU’s power house of Spain, Italy and France which all saw big falls, and meant that 2019's world production fell by 10% over 2018.

The drop is associated with a cold, wet spring followed by a very hot, dry summer. France and Italy were down 15% while Spain fell by 24%. The three countries make up 80% of Europe’s crush.

Most other countries in the world were down 1-3% but Chile and Argentina decreased by 7% and 10% respectively.

There is no need to worry, the falls bring most of the world's production in line with the five year average, after a disastrous 2017 which was down massively worldwide, a big recovery in 2018 and now reverting to the trend.