The International Organisation of Vine and Wine says world wine production in 2023 is likely to be the lowest in the past 60 years due to extreme climate conditions.
The organization on Tuesday presented the estimate based on information collected from 29 countries, which accounted for 94 percent of global production in 2022.
It says world wine production in 2023 is expected to be between 24.17 billion liters and 24.66 billion liters. The mid-range estimate is a 7 percent decrease from the previous year.
The organization says that would be the smallest production since 1961.
The organization says low production is expected in the European Union. It says Italy and Spain have suffered unfavorable weather conditions that led to downy mildew and droughts.
It says production will also be down significantly in wine making countries in the southern hemisphere, which includes Australia, Chile and South Africa, due to adverse weather conditions.
The organization projects Italy, which has been the world's top wine producer since 2018, will see its production volume drop 12 percent from last year.
It says this would allow France, which was last year's second largest producer, to claim the top spot in 2023.
Spain is projected to maintain the world's number three rank although its production level in 2023 is estimated to be the lowest in 20 years.