0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
67.2 L/capita
52.3 L/capita
42.8 L/capita
39.2 L/capita
33.1 L/capita
Luxembourg boasts a remarkable per capita wine consumption of 67.2 liters, placing it as the top wine-consuming nation as of 2022. Luxembourgers do not typically enjoy wine with every meal, but wine is an integral part of their evening meals. Luxembourg’s wine-producing Moselle region offers a variety of fine wines, including popular choices like Riesling and Pinot Gris. This makes it easy for Luxembourgers to incorporate wine into their celebrations and social gatherings.
Portugal has the second highest rate of wine consumption by country in the world. Portuguese people drank an incredible 52.25 liters of wine per person in 2022. This equates to roughly a liter per person, per week. Portugal has a strong wine drinking culture, with wine commonly consumed at both lunch and dinner. The country also has a large wine production sector. This means that affordable, high-quality wine is accessible to most Portuguese people.
France is yet another country known for a high level of wine consumption which amounted to 42.81 liters per person in 2022. This means that France can definitely compete with Portugal for the second place on the wine consumption charts. France is globally famous for the quality and diversity of its wine production, and wine has an important place in French cuisine. Much of the wine consumed by French people is included in food sauces rather than beverages.
Italy is another country well known for its wine consumption, so it should come as no surprise that it’s high on this list. Italians consumed 39.24 liters of wine per person in 2022. As with Portugal, Italians customarily drink wine with both the afternoon meal and the evening meal. Italian cuisine also incorporates wine in many dishes. For example, it is common to include wine in tomato sauce in Italy. Finally, Italy’s noteworthy wine production sector means that Italians have easy access to high-quality wines.
Many readers, even knowledgeable wine enthusiasts, might be surprised to find Switzerland on this list. Switzerland is the first country on the list that is not a center of wine production, though Swiss wines do exist. Swiss people drank a total of 33.13 liters of wine per person in 2022, which means that Switzerland places a distant fifth.
Australia has the highest consumption of wine per person outside Europe. Australians drank 29.86 liters of wine per person in 2022. This is not overly surprising, as Australians have a high level of alcohol consumption in general. Australia is not known for its wine, though neighboring New Zealand is famous for producing high-quality wines.
Austria is another European country that is not traditionally associated with wine production or consumption. However, Austrians consumed 27.39 liters of wine per person in 2022. Like the Swiss, Austrians generally drink wine only with the evening meal.