Wine drinkers warned of potential shortages after climate changes lowers production

Wine drinkers have been warned of a potential shortage due to low production levels caused by climate change.

Adverse weather has "severely impacted" the growing of grapes at vineyards across Europe causing a drop in the amount of wine produced by France, Italy and Spain.

The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) collected information from 28 countries to help them ascertain world production for 2021 is between 247.1 and 253.5 million hectoliters (mhl).

Those levels would indicate a third successive year of below-average output, approaching the 2017 total of 248mhl, which was the lowest figure in the past six decades.

Western Europe vineyards suffered spring frosts, while France also faced heavy rain, hail and mildew disease.

In addition to the drop in production, it is anticipated there will be a rise in demand as consumption returns to pre-Covid pandemic levels.

Having dealt with the inevitable impact of coronavirus, growers are now “confronting a much greater problem than the pandemic: climate change,” Pau Roca, the OIV’s director general, said.

Production is expected to drop to 145 mhl in the European Union, down 13% from last year.

The USA and Southern Hemisphere has seen growth in their production but that will not outweigh the drop-off elsewhere.