Cheering for 2025? Sparkling wine production and exports in EU fell by 8%

With New Year’s approaching, many look forward to a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate. However, there are fewer bottles to go around this year as bad weather hit vineyards hard. 

In 2023, the EU produced 1.496 billion litres of sparkling wine from fresh grapes, an 8% decline compared to 2022, according to the latest Eurostat data.

Italy led production with 638 million litres, followed by France with 312 million litres and Germany with 263 million litres.

In the same year, the EU exported 600 million litres of sparkling wine to non-EU countries, an 8% decrease compared to 2022.

Italy’s Prosecco topped EU bubbly wine exports, capturing nearly half the market, followed by sparkling wine from fresh grapes at 17%, French champagne at 15% and Spanish cava at 10%.

Meanwhile, EU countries imported 5 million litres of sparkling wine from outside the block, corresponding to less than 1% of the amount exported.

Is climate change behind production fall?

Heavy rains, droughts, and storms exacerbated by climate change can change the taste of products like sparkling wine or even cause their disappearance.

In Italy, extreme weather and soil degradation are causing a decline in grape yields, putting Prosecco at risk, with production expected to decrease by a fifth.

Spain’s Cava is also under threat due to severe droughts affecting many villages in Catalonia. While Cava producers remain cautiously optimistic that 2025 may bring more rainfall than the past three years, major companies are urging the Spanish government to implement irrigation schemes and other solutions to tackle future droughts.

To address chronic water shortages, Catalonia’s regional government has recently announced a €2.3 billion investment plan by 2040, including a €200 million seawater desalination plant on the Costa Brava. However, the plan will require financial support from the Spanish government.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz