Sparkling wine production in Europe declined in 2023. — Photo: caracterdesign / Getty Images, via ETX Daily Up
While sparkling wines are enjoying an effervescence in popularity in Europe and around the world, production of such drinks in the European continent is being undermined by global warming. In 2023, their production and exports fell by 8%.
It's a wine category that's been coming into its own for several years now: bubbles. If you've noticed several new alcohol-free challengers trying to seduce consumers with effervescent alternatives, it's certainly not a coincidence. As a detailed study by FranceAgriMer highlighted last July, sparkling wine consumption has risen by 58% in the space of 20 years, despite a worldwide decline in overall wine production and consumption.
This underlying trend can be explained by the widespread adoption of bubbly alcoholic beverages, which are no longer associated solely with end-of-year festivities, or even with special celebrations such as weddings. This is especially true in the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary and Russia.
But could this taste for bubbles be undermined by global warming? In 2024, Europe's vineyards, the main suppliers of sparkling wines, were not spared the effects of extreme weather conditions. Episodes of drought, as well as heavy and sometimes destructive rainfall, caused issues in certain regions. According to Eurostat, the European Union's statistics office, 2024 has seen a weakening in production for sparkling-producing vineyards, while the figures for 2023 already point to a drop in production of around 8%.
In 2023, Europe produced almost 1.5 billion liters of sparkling wine. Italy was the main source, with the production of prosecco and its many other sparkling wines. The country produced 638 million liters of sparkling wine, compared with 312 million liters of French bubbly. Unsurprisingly, prosecco is Europe's most exported sparkling wine, at 266 million liters. Champagne comes third (91 million liters), behind sparkling wine from fresh grapes (100 million liters). Spanish cava comes in fourth position, with 60 million liters produced. — AFP Relaxnews
