Global vineyard area shrinks for fourth year amid climate and market pressures

The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) presented its annual report on the global wine sector during an online press conference held on April 15, 2025. The data, which covers the 2024 calendar year, highlights ongoing challenges and shifts in vineyard surface area worldwide. OIV Director General John Barker emphasized the need for multilateral cooperation and adaptation to changing conditions, particularly in response to climate change and evolving consumer behavior.

According to the OIV, the total global vineyard area in 2024 was estimated at 7.1 million hectares, marking a 0.6% decrease from 2023. This is the fourth consecutive year of decline, although the rate of contraction has slowed. The reduction is largely due to vineyard removals in major wine-producing regions, though some countries have reported modest growth.

In the European Union, which holds nearly half of the world’s vineyard area, the total surface declined by 0.8% to 3.2 million hectares. Spain, the country with the largest vineyard area globally, saw a 1.5% drop to 930,000 hectares. France followed with a 0.7% decrease to 783,000 hectares. Italy was an exception in the region, increasing its vineyard area by 0.8% to reach 728,000 hectares.

Other EU countries showed mixed results. Romania and Greece recorded slight increases of 0.1% and 0.4%, respectively. In contrast, Portugal experienced a significant decline of 5.1%, while Bulgaria and Hungary saw decreases of 7.3% and 1%, respectively.

Outside the EU, Moldova maintained its position as Eastern Europe’s largest vineyard with 115,000 hectares, unchanged from the previous year. Russia expanded its vineyard area by 2.2%, reaching 108,000 hectares.

In Asia, China’s vineyard area stabilized at approximately 753,000 hectares after years of rapid growth between 2000 and 2015. Türkiye continued its long-term decline with a reduction of 1% in 2024, bringing its total to 402,000 hectares. India stood out with a notable increase of 1.8%, reaching an estimated 185,000 hectares due to consistent annual growth since 2019.

Other significant vineyards in Asia include Iran (122,000 hectares), Uzbekistan (121,000 hectares), and Afghanistan (100,000 hectares), all primarily focused on table grapes and dried grape production.

In North America, the United States reported a continued decline in vineyard area for the eleventh consecutive year. The total dropped by 0.7% to an estimated 385,000 hectares in 2024, down from a peak of 453,000 hectares in 2013.

South America also saw reductions in key wine-producing countries. Argentina’s vineyard area fell by 2.4% to reach 200,000 hectares, while Chile experienced a sharper drop of 3.2%, totaling 166,000 hectares. Brazil was an exception in the region with a fourth consecutive year of growth; its vineyard area increased by 1.6% to reach 83,000 hectares.

In Africa, South Africa remains the continent’s largest wine producer with an estimated vineyard area of 120,000 hectares in 2024—a decrease of 1.5%. This marks ten years of continuous decline attributed partly to severe droughts between 2015 and 2017. Egypt and Algeria followed with stable figures at approximately 89,000 and 69,000 hectares respectively.

Australia’s vineyard surface remained steady at around 159,000 hectares for the fifth consecutive year.

Barker highlighted that while these figures reflect ongoing structural changes in global viticulture—driven by climate pressures and market dynamics—they also point toward opportunities for innovation and sustainability within the sector.

He stressed that international collaboration remains essential for addressing these challenges effectively: “Working together to develop solutions to climate change and making wine a beacon of sustainability; investing in research on new audiences so that we can see wine through their eyes; reinforcing our commitment to multilateralism and global trade: these are the elements that will lead the wine sector forward.”

The OIV currently includes 51 member countries representing over three-quarters of global wine production and consumption. Its role as a reference body is central to promoting harmonized standards and sharing knowledge across borders as producers adapt to shifting environmental and economic conditions worldwide.