There is no doubt that our country is linked to the world of wine by tradition. It is not in vain that vines have been cultivated in different areas of Spain since ancient times, and for centuries wine has been the drink par excellence throughout the Iberian Peninsula.
But sometimes it is useful to compare with other regions to see the importance of wine in our culture and how its consumption endures even in the new generations, more exposed to a wider range of beverages and soft drinks.
Therefore, it is good news to see how
Spain is the eighth country in the world in the ranking of highest wine consumption, with 10.7 million hectoliters.
with 10.7 million hectoliters. These are figures from the latest annual report of the
International Organisation of Vine and Wine
which provides information on wine consumption in the various countries of the world.
Spain has increased wine consumption by 1.8% compared to 2017. Furthermore, if we break down the data per capita, we have that Spaniards are in twelfth position, with an average of 28 liters of wine consumed per person in 2018.
In addition, Spain continues to lead the world ranking in terms of hectares of cultivated vineyards, with 969,000 hectares of vineyards throughout its territory. This gives an idea of the importance of viticulture in Spanish agriculture, as a consequence of the long tradition that our country has in the cultivation of vines.
In 2018, 24.6 billion liters of wine were consumed worldwide, and the United States remains the top wine consuming country. Of particular note is the large increase in consumption in Russia, which grew by 7.2% in 2018 to 1.19 billion liters. In the rest of Europe, data remained stable overall, with slight increases and decreases by country. China, on the other hand, which in recent years has led the increase in wine consumption in the world, reduced its consumption by 6.7% compared to 2017.
Wine continues to be a vitally important beverage in Spain, but it is necessary to focus on the young public. The new generations opt more often for other beverages, such as soft drinks or beer, and the benefits of wine consumption should be promoted among young people. Currently, wine consumption among Spaniards under 35 is below the national average, according to the Kantar Worldplanet Report conducted for Lidl in 2017. According to this study, only 15% of young Spaniards consume wine weekly at home, a figure significantly lower than the national average (26%).
As we can see, there is room for growth, and together we can ensure that Spain continues to be the country of wine par excellence, always recommending moderate and responsible consumption.
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