In Europe, wine culture is very embedded in their everyday life, but in the US it can be a little different. Wine is becoming more popular in the US, though, and many people do often wonder about which countries produce the best wine.
This said, basically every country has their own wine which they sell and export around the world
Of course, what is considered ‘best’ is really a matter of personal taste and preference. The best way to know which wines you prefer is by tasting and keeping track of those you like.
Often people buy wines by their country and region; most beginners might know which country’s wine they enjoy rather than styles.
Put simply, categorizing wine by country is really easy and is a really great starting point for wine novices, to know what wine they like, wine’s history, as well as which wine producers are considered the best.
Keep reading to learn more about wine and their countries, as well as which wines they make, below.
1. Italy
Europeans around the world will undoubtedly argue about the best wine producer for eons to come. Most people who know wine will suggest that it is either French or Italian wine that is the best.
In fact, if we want to go by numbers, Italy does produce more wine than anywhere in the world and accounts for 19% of global wine production, even though it is half the size of France, for comparison
Italy is known for its wide variety of wines. From the bolder and darker flavors of styles such as Barolo, Montepulcianno, to more sparkling varieties such as Prosecco.
Most of Italian food culture is generally built around wine, where it is had with literally every meal.
Wherever you go in Italy, wine is the hospitality whether day or night, and it is something they hold dear to their heart and care about.
Moreover, many areas of Italy create some of the most beloved grapes we get today and have wine traditions that go back thousands and thousands of years.
2. France
France undoubtedly has to be number one or two in this list, and loses only to Italy by the fact that Italy produces more wine than they do.
This said, there are many popular styles of French wine that you will already likely have tried. Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Champagne, Rosé, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Beaujolais, and more.
Bordeaux, Champagne, and Burgundy all produce wines that are considered the best in the world. If we are looking at wines that have won awards or are considered the best wines in the world, France can top Italy here.
This said, France produces around 17% of the world’s wine.
The wine culture in France is as it is in Italy, totally embedded in their food and hospitality culture and very much a part of everyday life.
Historically, France has produced more wine than Italy and before the 2000s were certainly considered the best wine producers in the world. But as you can see, this fluctuates as time goes on.
3. Spain
Number three in the list is certainly disputed greatly among many Europeans and those across the world. But due to both history and just numbers, we should consider Spain to be the third-best wine country.
One thing to understand about Spain is that while they have the largest vineyard acreage in the world they actually produce much less wine and grape, or yield, than many other countries.
The climate in Spain is different which allows for different grape and wine styles but ultimately leads to slower growth and less yield.
This said, Spain does produce 15% of all the world’s wine and is considered a very popular legion to get your wine from. They produce some popular wine styles such as Rioja, Sherry, Cava, Tempranillo and more.
Honorable Mention
Australia is probably an unassuming producer of wine, but the land down under actually produces a huge amount of very good wine that you can find in any country. Today, there is a $3.5 billion dollar market for Australian wine.
Australia has a huge variety of areas to grow wine and create their own versions of many popular styles like Merlot and Shiraz as well as others. In Australia, only around 10% of the wine consumed there is actually imported from another country.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there can be a large dispute among people about who is the best wine producer. If we are going purely on numbers, then Italy has been the number one wine producer since 2014.
Historically, France is a more important place for wine and historically dominated the market until recently. Spain is also a huge producer of popular wines, but this third spot can be disputed.
I can offer you articles and information about wine from a seasoned sommelier, and now a winemaker too! I hope that you enjoy some of our articles, and start thinking outside of the box when it comes to wine.
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