Mankind has been fermenting grapes into wine for thousands of years, and today, wine is consumed all over the world, alongside other beloved beverages, including coffee, beer, and other forms of alcohol. Despite wine’s global popularity, its production is a fairly exclusive industry. Four countries—France, Italy, Spain, and the United States—produce more than half the wine in the world, and a full 85% is produced by a small group of just 28 of the world’s 193+ countries. The 20th place in this ranking is occupied by the Republic of Moldova.
Moldova’s total wine production in 2022 reached 1.4 million hectoliters, representing 0.54% of global production.
The wine industry in Moldova is well-developed. The area covered by vineyards is about 147,000 hectares, of which 102,500 hectares are used for commercial purposes. Most of the wines are produced for export. Many families have their own recipes and grape varieties, which are handed down from generation to generation. About 85% of the volume of wine produced is sold outside our country in 63 countries, which makes wine one of the most significant export items of the Moldavian economy. Today, more than 70% of bottled wine is exported to the EU, Asia-Pacific, and North America.
Annual global production of wine averages 260-270 MHA, with peak years approaching 300 (295 in 2004, 294 in 2018) and lows around 250 (255 in 2002 and 248 in 2017). While full data is still pending, 2021 may ultimately post a lower total than 2017. This is due in large part to late frosts in Italy, Spain, and especially France, which together produce roughly half of the world’s total wine, as well as wildfires in California, where 85% of U.S. wine is produced.