Wine Research Archives

OIV Releases 2025 World Wine Production First Estimates

The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) published yesterday its annual first estimates for global wine production in 2025.

The initial forecast for 2025 is between 228 and 235 million hectolitres, with a mid-range estimate of 232 million hectolitres. That is a 3% increase on the historically low 2024 harvest, but still 7% below the 5-year average.

Italy remains the world’s largest wine producer in 2025 (47.3 Mhl), ahead of France (35.9 Mhl) and Spain (29.4 Mhl). The USA is fourth, while Australia bounces back from the smaller 2024 harvest to regain its place as the world’s fifth producer in 2025, ahead of sixth-placed Argentina, which is the biggest producer in South America.

Despite regional contrasts, the global wine market is likely to remain broadly balanced, as limited production growth will help to stabilize stocks in a context of softening demand and ongoing trade uncertainties.

These first estimates are presented in a new report available on the OIV website (World Wine Production Outlook) and will be updated according to the last 2025 consolidated data. The final data on 2025 global wine production will be announced by the OIV in the second trimester of 2026 and published in the annual OIV report: “State of the World Vine and Wine Sector”.

About the OIV
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) The OIV is a scientific and technical intergovernmental organization, and the world reference to the vine and wine sector. The OIV currently has 51 Member States, countries producing and consuming grapes and wine, which account for 90% of the world’s vineyard surface area, 88% of global wine production and 75% of global wine consumption. Twice a year, over 500 experts come together to assess, discuss and approve by consensus resolutions on the following:

1/ Viticulture and table grapes

2/ Oenology and methods of analysis

3/ Law and economics of the vine and wine

4/ Consumer health and safety

For a century, the OIV has been at the forefront of all global vitivinicultural matters, providing standards, guidance and information for the vine and wine sector.

OIV reveals growing role of re-export hubs in global wine trade

A new report from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) shows how re-exportation has become a structural force in the global wine market, shaping trade flows and value creation across continents.

Re-exportation reshaping global wine trade

The OIV’s latest Statistical Thematic Focus 2025, titled “The Global Trade in Wine: Role and Relevance of Re-exportation Hubs”, offers the first comprehensive estimate of global wine re-exports. It finds that re-exportation now represents a key driver in how wines reach new markets and consumers.

What is wine re-exportation?

Traditional wine-producing and exporting countries are typically located around the 40th parallel in both hemispheres. However, some nations export substantial quantities of wine despite producing little to none. This suggests that their wine exports originate from previously imported wine – a practice known as re-exporting.

According to the OECD glossary of statistical terms, “re-exports consist of foreign goods exported in the same state as previously imported, from the free circulation area, premises for inward processing or industrial free zones, directly to the rest of the world and from premises for customs warehousing or commercial free zones, to the rest of the world.”

Between 2018 and 2023, re-exports accounted for around 13% of total wine exports – equivalent to 14 million hectolitres valued at €4.6 billion. The report highlights how this activity supports market access and value creation beyond production, through logistics, bottling, storage and redistribution.

According to the OIV, the global wine trade now represents 47% of world consumption. Traditional European trading centres such as the United Kingdom continue to serve as major redistribution platforms, while new high-value gateways like Singapore have emerged in Asia. The report also points to Canada and Angola as rising regional connectors that are helping to diversify global trade routes.

“Re-exportation reveals the real geography of wine flows,” the OIV notes, “distinguishing between where wines are produced, traded and consumed.”

Global exports show steady long-term growth

Wine exports have grown steadily over the past two decades, with the share of exported wine in total global consumption rising from 5% in 1960 to nearly half by 2024. Since 2000, exports have increased by 4% per year in value, though volume growth has slowed to 2%.

In 2024, non-sparkling bottled wines made up two-thirds of total export value (€24 billion) and just over half of global export volume. Sparkling wines, which account for only 11% of volume, contributed almost a quarter of total value, reflecting their higher average prices. Bulk wines comprised nearly one-third of export volume but only 7% of total value.

Sparkling wines have shown the fastest growth since 2017, with value up 4.8% per year and volume up 3%. Non-sparkling bottled wines have shifted towards premiumisation, with value increasing 3.8% per year between 2009 and 2024 despite flat volumes.

The top three exporters – Italy, Spain and France – together represent 55% of global export volume. The ten largest exporting countries account for 85% of exports, underlining the sector’s high concentration.

A more complex, interconnected market

The OIV concludes that re-exportation has become a “structural element” of the global wine economy, shaping not only how wine moves but how it creates value. As trade routes evolve and new hubs emerge, understanding these flows will be critical for anticipating demand, improving transparency and strengthening market resilience.

The full report, “The Global Trade in Wine: Role and Relevance of Re-exportation Hubs”, is available on the OIV website: www.oiv.int.

Sources: OIV and The Drinks Business

Rethinking the Tasting Room Experience: Does Waiving Fees Drive More Visitors?

I’ve come across some compelling insights from the SVB 2025 DtC Wine Report that shed light on evolving strategies in the tasting room experience.

According to the report, wineries were asked under what circumstances they would waive tasting fees. Predictably, scenarios such as making a purchase or joining a wine club were frequently cited, widely viewed as justified within broader sales tactics.

Interestingly, the report also explored whether lowering or waiving tasting fees could increase visitation. While this strategy is still in the early stages of evaluation, 35% of respondents noted an increase in visitation after lowering fees. However, 29% saw no improvement, and 32% said it was too soon to determine the outcome.

This data signals a shift in how wineries are rethinking visitor engagement and revenue models, especially as competition intensifies in the DtC space.

Source: SVB 2025 DtC Wine Report

Enroute to the Vinho Verde Region [Portugal]

Heading northwest to the Vinho Verde region today. This regions spans from the Atlantic coast to the mountainous interior and iis shaped by a cool, wet climate and granitic soils that give rise to wines with distinct freshness and character.

Geography and Sub-Regions Vinho Verde lies within the broader Minho region and borders the Douro Valley and Trás-os-Montes to the East, and the Dão & Lafões region to the South. The region is segmented into nine sub-regions, each contributing its own microclimatic influence and grape-growing identity: 

·       Monção and Melgaço
·       Lima
·       Basto
·       Cávado
·       Ave
·       Amarante
·       Baião
·       Sousa
·       Paiva

From coastal vineyards to inland hills, these areas showcase incredible diversity in soil, elevation, and style.

Wine Styles: From Classic to Cutting-Edge Vinho Verde is traditionally celebrated for its crisp, low-alcohol white wines, often lightly effervescent and youthful in spirit. These wines, especially those made from Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Arinto are the perfect companions for fresh seafood.
Yet today’s Vinho Verde is far from one-dimensional. Winemakers are pushing boundaries, crafting orange wines, pet-nat sparklers, and oak-aged whites that rival more established categories. This evolution reflects the region’s balance of deep-rooted heritage and dynamic innovation.

What’s in a Name? “Vinho Verde” translates to “green wine,” but the term doesn’t refer to the color, instead, it captures the region’s essence: youthful, vibrant, and fresh. It’s a style that’s alive with acidity and minerality, echoing the region’s verdant landscape and Atlantic breezes.

Luxembourg Develops National Strategy to Boost Wine Tourism

With 11% of Luxembourg’s overnight visitors already engaging in wine-related activities, the government is now crafting a targeted strategy to further develop the Moselle Valley’s tourism potential through coordinated sector-wide collaboration.

Luxembourg has launched efforts to develop a comprehensive wine tourism strategy, with initial consultations set to begin this week in Grevenmacher.

The initiative aims to attract more visitors to the country’s Moselle wine region through coordinated action between winemakers, cultural institutions, and hospitality stakeholders.

Over the coming months, the government will collaborate with vineyards, museums, the Federation of Hotels, Restaurants, and Bars (HORESCA), municipalities, and tourism organizations to develop a concrete action plan, slated for release by year’s end.

Gilles Estgen, the official overseeing the project, outlined key focus areas: defining clear objectives, understanding tourist expectations, and consolidating industry feedback while building on existing successes.

“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel”, Estgen emphasized, noting the Moselle Valley’s established strengths like its popular wine-tasting events. While foreign projects offer inspiration, he emphasized that solutions must be tailored to Luxembourg’s unique context.

Among new proposals, overnight stays at wineries emerged as a promising avenue – a concept that could qualify for agricultural subsidies, provided accommodations adhere to zoning laws.

Minister of Agriculture and Viticulture Martine Hansen clarified that while greenbelt construction remains prohibited, many rural wineries could adapt existing structures.

Minister of Tourism Lex Delles underscored the strategy’s broader relevance: wine-related activities engaged 11% of overnight visitors and 13% of day-trippers in 2023, signalling untapped potential for cross-sector promotion.

Sources: RTL Today and Luxembourg Times