The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) announced today that, based on preliminary estimates, unfavorable weather conditions are poised to push the global wine production to its lowest level in 60 years. This news comes as the organization gathers for its 45th annual conference in Dijon, France. During the opening ceremony, OIV Director General John Barker stated, “Initial signs indicate that 2024 will likely be another year of relatively low production, with total output potentially falling below 250 million hectoliters.”
Last year, the world faced a significant decline in wine production due to a variety of climate-related challenges, including droughts, heatwaves, and floods. As a result, total wine output dropped to around 237 million hectoliters, the lowest since 1961.
Giorgio Delgrosso, head of the OIV’s statistics department, explained that this year’s initial production estimates are derived from data from several major wine-producing countries, which together account for approximately three-quarters of the global output. He noted that while countries like Spain, Italy, Australia, and Argentina still report lower production levels compared to their historical averages, there has been some improvement compared to last year’s disappointing results. Conversely, the performance in France and Chile has worsened compared to the previous year.
The focus of this year’s conference includes discussions on climate change and the evolving trends in consumer behavior. Barker emphasized that fluctuations in wine production are normal; however, he pointed out that for the past 30 years, production has generally stabilized between 250 million and 300 million hectoliters. “It’s significant that last year’s global production fell below that lower threshold,” he remarked.
