Wineries in European Union 2026: Industry Statistics & Trends

The European Union wine industry is the world's leading producer, exporter, and consumer of wine, encompassing a diverse network of grape cultivation, vinification, and bottling operations. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the EU registered a vinified production of 140 million hectolitres in 2025 (OIV 2025 World Wine Production Outlook). Despite its dominant global position, the industry is navigating structural declines in traditional domestic demand and climate-induced harvest volatility. However, the sector remains highly lucrative, with EU fresh grape wine exports alone generating EUR 16.8 billion in 2024 (Eurostat 2025).

Industry snapshot

Key public data points

Historical & forecast

Get in touch and our analysts will be happy to help with custom market sizing, deeper segmentation, supplier detail or a bespoke study built for you.

What does the Wineries in European Union industry cover?

The industry encompasses the commercial cultivation of wine grapes and their subsequent processing into fermented alcoholic beverages, including still red, white, and rosé wines, as well as sparkling, fortified, and aromatized products like vermouth. Operations range from agricultural grape harvesting to industrial pressing, fermentation, aging, blending, and ultimate bottling. Merely bottling and labeling on a fee or contract basis, or the pure wholesale distribution of alcoholic beverages, are excluded from this core manufacturing activity.

• •Covers NACE Rev. 2 class 11.02, specifically designated as the 'Manufacture of wine from grape'.
• •Includes the production of sparkling wines, vermouth, and wine fermented from concentrated grape must.
• •Excludes downstream logistics such as independent wholesale distribution (NACE 46.34) or dedicated packaging services (NACE 82.92).

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The European wine sector is highly fragmented and culturally rooted, defined by millions of small-scale family vineyards alongside large agricultural cooperatives and global conglomerates. Production is geographically concentrated in Southern Europe, with Italy, France, and Spain together representing the vast majority of the bloc's total vineyard area and volume. Cultivation and production are strictly organized around regional appellations that control yields, grape varieties, and localized manufacturing standards.

• •In 2025, Italy led EU production with an estimated output of 47.4 million hectolitres, followed by France at 35.9 million and Spain at 29.4 million (OIV 2025).
• •Cooperative wineries process over 50% of the total grape harvest in key producing nations like Italy and France, assisting smallholders with scale.
• •The EU accounted for approximately 44% of global wine-growing areas and over 60% of global wine production in 2023 (European Commission).

What drives demand in the industry?

The industry relies heavily on a dual demand structure: stable, high-value premium export markets internationally, and traditional, mass-volume consumption domestically. Globally, premiumization drives value, as international consumers increasingly seek protected designation of origin (PDO) and organic labels. Conversely, domestic EU consumption has faced downward pressure due to shifting demographic preferences, health-conscious consumer behavior, and competition from other beverage categories.

• •The United States was the top non-EU export destination in 2024, absorbing EUR 4.9 billion in EU fresh grape wine exports (Eurostat 2025).
• •EU domestic wine consumption fell by 2.8% in 2024 compared to 2023, totaling 103.6 million hectolitres, which is 5.2% below the five-year average (OIV 2025).
• •The United Kingdom represented the second-largest external partner, taking EUR 3.3 billion worth of EU wine exports in 2024 (Eurostat 2025).

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

While agricultural production is intensely localized, the commercialization, export, and distribution channels are influenced by major multinational luxury goods and beverage groups. These conglomerates manage premier global brands, particularly in premium segments like Champagne, Cava, and high-end still wines, allowing them to capture higher margins than independent growers. Mid-sized public entities and specialized online platforms also play key roles in direct-to-consumer and retail markets.

• •LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, listed on Euronext Paris, dominates the ultra-premium sector with iconic Champagne houses including Krug, Dom Pérignon, and Veuve Clicquot.
• •Pernod Ricard SA is a major European beverage public company, managing prominent wine brands such as Spain's Campo Viejo and Champagnes Mumm and Perrier-Jouët.
• •Laurent-Perrier SA, a publicly traded French company on Euronext, represents a specialized high-end Champagne producer.
• •Naked Wines plc, listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WINE, operates as a prominent direct-to-consumer wine retailer active in European sourcing.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The European wine sector is adapting to a challenging operational environment shaped by extreme weather events and rising production costs. Climate change has significantly disrupted traditional harvest cycles, causing severe droughts in Spain and excessive rainfall or spring frosts in France and Germany. Wineries are increasingly investing in regenerative viticulture, drought-resistant rootstocks, and lower-alcohol or non-alcoholic wine alternatives to align with modern market preferences.

• •France's 2025 harvest of 35.9 million hectolitres represents its second consecutive year of historically low output, remaining 16% below its five-year average (OIV 2025).
• •Spain's 2025 production fell to an estimated 29.4 million hectolitres, making it one of the country's smallest harvests in 30 years (OIV 2025).
• •Wineries are restructuring, as evidenced by corporate efficiency plans and efforts to establish unified guidelines for low-alcohol labeling.

How is the industry regulated?

The EU wine industry operates under one of the strictest regulatory frameworks in the world, governed primarily by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Market Organisation (CMO). These rules dictate strict labeling requirements, geographic indicators, and specific oenological practices permitted in winemaking. Recent legislative updates mandate the explicit disclosure of ingredients, allergens, energy values, and full nutritional profiles on all wine packaging sold within the EU.

• •The EU's geographic quality schemes categorize wines under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) to shield regional designations.
• •EU Regulation 2021/2117 enforces mandatory nutrition declarations and ingredient listings on wine labels, which took full effect in late 2023.
• •At the end of 2024, the European Commission's High-Level Group on Wine Policy recommended targeted policy actions to support sector climate adaptation and simplify compliance.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• Eurostat Database (EU Wine Trade and Exports 2024/2025) ·
• International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) State of the World Vine and Wine Sector 2024/2025 Reports ·
• European Commission Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (EU Wine Market Data 2024-2025)