France will remain world wine leader

FRANCE has confirmed its position as the world's number one wine producer, after losing the title to Italy for a brief period.

A new international study by International Wine and Spirit Research found France produced 419 million cases of wine in 2010, with Italy in second place and Spain third.

The report confirms the findings of a separate French study by the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin. Using a different methodology, it claimed in November 2009 that France was back on top after Italy took the lead for a year.

The new IWSR report said France was likely to remain the top global producer for at least another three years, despite an estimated decline in production of about five per cent over the same period.

France's wine industry was buoyed by growing demand in China. Big growth areas among French consumers include rosé (up almost 20 per cent in five years) and sparkling wine (up 4.6 per cent).