Grapes/Wineвиноград/вино

Regional wine figures 2009:

The 29 EastAgri countries produce a total of 2.8 million tons.
Wine trade is about 1.38 million ton of which 70% is import.
The 2 largest exporting countries are Moldova and Ukraine.
The 2 largest importing countries are Russia and Poland.
Consumption is 3.2 million tons, 16% more than production.
The average consumption per capita is 7.0 kg per year (2009).
The consumption ranges from 0.3 to 42.9 kg/capita. Source: FAOSTAT

Click pie chart for full world production and trade statistics

Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of fruit juice, although usually the term 'wine' refers to the product that is obtained from grapes. Grape wine is probably the most ancient fermented beverage and, although its origins are unknown, grapes were first domesticated in the Southern Caucasus and the Near East. 1kg of grapes will produce around 0.7 litres of finished wine. Over time, a relatively simple process has evolved into a complex technology and an immensely diversified "viniculture". New technologies range from satellite imagery to optimize grape yield and quality to “critical-point carbon dioxide” techniques to make new corks (see articles in Technology & Equipment). The steps involved in the processing of grapes into wine vary depending on whether the wine produced is to be white or red. Wines are produced around the world and the variety of grapes used for production determines the category and quality. Other differentiating factors include climate, vineyard topography, and fermentation methods. An important consumption trend is a movement in consumer preference toward higher quality wines, replacing 'house wines'.The traditional wine exporting countries (France, Italy, Spain) face global competition with lots of wines coming from “new world” countries, notably USA, Australia, South Africa and Chili. And there are many wine producers in the EastAgri region, the largest ones in volume are Romania and Russia, but these are not as well-recognized for their quality. On the export market the regional leaders are Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, Macedonia and Bulgaria. See Stats & Maps below.

- For full grape production and trade stats in the EastAgri region please click here
- For full wine production and trade stats in the EastAgri region please click here
- For import and export trade partners for grapes, please click here
- For import and export trade partners for wine, please click here

Related project pages

Macedonia: Technical Assistance to the Wine Sector - Project Page

Related publications

Agribusiness Handbook: Grapes Wine (2009)

Protection of Georgian Wine Appellations - Part I

Protection of Georgian Wine Appellations - Part II

Related meetings and workshops

Study tour for Macedonian wine producers in Tuscany, April 2013

Geographical Indications in Macedonian Wine Sector, Skopje, March 2012

Study tour on the geographical indication system in the EU for Macedonian wine producers, December 2011

Wine Study Tour to Bordeaux, April 2008

Protecting Georgian Wine Appellations, Final Workshop, Tbilisi, November 2007

Study Tour/Seminar on How to Protect Wine Appellations, Italy, July 2007