Italy appears to be on the way to taking back the title of world’s largest wine producer on a recovering harvest while France, last year’s top producer is seeing an 18% drop from last year.
The two countries have swapped places a number of times over the past 20 years, and both have been hit with cycles of fluctuating harvests caused by near-term unfavorable weather and long-term climate change.
French agricultural officials say that the 18% drop, to 39.3 million hectolitres. Severe hail in the Loire Valley and Burgundy-Beaujolais areas and expected frosts and mildew in the eastern Jura mountains are being blamed for most of the drop.
In Italy, the problems are different. With production up 8% after a disastrous 2023, the expected production of 41-42 hectolitres is still below averages of recent years. It’s been impacted by intense rain and hail in early summer in the north and drought in the south, including Sicily.
