Glass of red wine in foreground with Italian vineyard in the background

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France may have a reputation as the center of the wine universe, but it isn't the top producer of the drink. That distinction belongs to its neighbor to the east, Italy. According to World Population Review, Italy produced 47.4 million hectoliters of wine in 2025, well above France's 35.9 million hectoliters. If you add in Spain, which produces 29.4 million hectoliters, the three countries combine to produce between 45 and 50% of the world's wine, with Italy leading the way.

In Italy, winemaking has been a tradition as far back as 4,000 BC, although wine was really invented in the eastern European country of Georgia. Wine production in Italy declined along with the fall of the Roman Empire. Thankfully the practice was preserved by monks from the Roman Catholic Church, and it was revived in the Renaissance. To elevate the industry, the Italian government created laws and implemented a classification system in the 1960s. 

Italy's peninsula is divided into 20 wine regions that grow more than 400 grape varieties. The Veneto region is a top producer of Prosecco and Tuscany is known for its Chianti. Yet, wine is produced across the nation, even in the foothills of Mount Etna, where the volcano is a powerful force that makes some of Sicily's wines unique. 

France, Spain, and the US hold wine records

A glass of red wine in front of a line of wine barrels

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Old World wine countries of Italy, France, and Spain each hold wine-related titles. While Italy is the top producer overall, bottles from France are generally priced higher, making it No. 1 in terms of monetary value for exports. Bordeaux, France, is known as the wine capital of the world, and the French cities of Burgundy and Champagne are so classic there are wine varieties named after them. Spain has the largest amount of planted vineyard land in the world, although it has lower yields per hectare. The country exports premium as well as economical bulk wines. 

The fourth wine producer in the world is the United States, producing 21.7 million hectoliters in 2025 (per World Population Review). While the best-selling wine brand in the world, Barefoot, is produced in California, Americans continue to enjoy the Old-World vintages from across the Atlantic. In addition to being a top producer, the U.S. is the No. 1 importer of wine (by value) in the world.

Overall, global wine production is down by nearly 19% compared to 2015 (per Visual Capitalist), with experts pointing to weather events, such as droughts and heatwaves, as a primary reason. Alcohol consumption is also down across the world. Still, the Old-World wines of Italy, France, and Spain continue its historical reign at the top of the wine world.