Global wine output has dropped to its lowest level since 1957, according to latest figures released by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).

Poor weather conditions in the European Union have led to the sudden drop, which saw wine output in 2017 totalling 250 million hectolitres, 8.6 per cent less than 2016, Reuters reports.

Last year’s weather is thought to have affected all leading wine producers in the EU, prompting OIV projections which reveal a 17 per cent fall in Italian wine production.

Meanwhile, for French wine producers, according to the projections, which exclude juice and new wine, output could drop by 19 per cent to 36.7 million hectolitres while Spanish production could fall by 20 per cent to 32.1 million hectolitres.

One hectolitre equates to 100 litres, which is the equivalent of 133 wine bottles at a standard size of 75cl.

Outside of the EU however, wine output remains fairly stable, with the US maintaining its stronghold as the world’s fourth largest wine consumer.

This is followed by Australia and Argentina, with China taking seventh place as the world’s largest wine producer.

That’s not to say that the world is at risk of a wine shortage though, an OIV spokesperson clarified:

“In 2017 three of the world’s major producers, Italy, France and Spain, experienced difficult climatic conditions for the production of wine,” they told The Independent.

“However, we have to bear in mind that wine is a product that is stocked, meaning all the wine produced in the year is not or does not have to be consumed in the year of production.

“There is currently no danger of a wine shortage, as it would take more than a few consecutive years of this phenomenon (historically low production levels) to bring us to that point.”

While output might be down, consumption of wine is on the up, with global levels coming in at 243 million hectolitres in 2017, a 1.8 per cent increase from 2016.

more at independent.co.uk