Editor’s note: This article was first published in May 2014; the ranking reflects International Organisation of Vine and Wine figures for 2013, presented that month. The order of the top wine-consuming countries and the forecast about China may have changed since.
Yesterday we published the ranking of the countries that drink the most alcohol. This time, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine has produced a report on the countries that are embracing wine culture the most.
Until now, France had been the leader in wine, but for the first time the United States has overtaken the French in wine consumption.
The United States is starting to bring wine culture to its tables. Wine consumption in Europe is still high, although it has fallen slightly. While France is still the world’s largest wine producer, the US has now become the biggest consumer in the world.
The conclusion we can draw is that 50% of all the wine produced in the world is drunk in these 5 countries:
- United States
- France
- Italy
- Germany
- China
China is expected to end up as the largest wine consumer, and therefore one of the key potential markets both for wine producers and for olive oil producers.
