Romania’s production declined 20% against 2013, the data showed. Seven out of the top ten producers in the EU posted decline in production last year, including Italy, which lost the position of world’s leading wine producer to France. France, on the other hand, recorded an 11% higher production.
“Production in Romania and Bulgaria remained at a low level in 2014, (- 20% and -30%/2013). 2014 EU vinified production may be described as average. It indeed stood at a lower level than that of the fairly high 2013 production, yet at a higher level than that of the low productions recorded between 2010 and 2012,” the OIV report reads.
The OIV analysis shows the good results in France and Germany in 2014 came after a difficult 2013, in contrast to Italy and Spain where production was very high in 2013 and went down in 2014.
Outside Europe, the United States remain the largest wine producer, which ranks fourth in the world after France, Italy and Spain.
Romanian wineries had to cope with the bad weather last year, but the impact thereof varied from region to region. Worst hit were the winemakers in the Dragasani area and least affected those in Dealu Mare. In all, wineries in Romania posted 4.1 million hectoliter wine production in 2014. The year was nothing special in terms of quality, winemakers say.
The country’s largest local winemakers are Murfatlar, Vincon, Cotnari and Jidvei, with boutique wineries gaining ground, too, in the last few years.
Total area under vines in vineyards witnessed a significant decline in Europe in 2011-2014, a trend that affected all major countries. Romania, however, recorded a slight increase and OIV data show it to have 192,000 hectares under vines in vineyards, which puts it on the fifth place in Europe.
Despite being in the major league by both area under vines in vineyards and production, Romania is lagging behind in terms of consumption and exports.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)