Well, it’s not as easy a question as it may seem. As recently as the mid-twentieth century, countries such as Bulgaria and Algeria were leading the world in wine production- and exports.

In more modern times, France, Italy and Spain have mostly led the numbers, with the United States a bit behind but it can change year-to-year. Bad weather and vineyard troubles, social trends and political interference all influence the numbers.

The most recent years that full data is available show Italy leading the world in production for 2022, with France just behind- but the latest numbers for 2023 show France regaining the title, while Spain ranks third and the U.S. fourth.