Restructuring of vineyards in the EU continues

In 2020, there were 2.2 million vineyard holdings in the EU cultivating 3.2 million hectares (ha) of vines. Between 2015 and 2020, the area of vines in the EU as a whole remained relatively stable (-1.1%). However, there was a sharp reduction in the number of vineyard holdings (a loss of 257 000 holdings, equivalent to  10.3%). Most of these holding losses came from the very smallest vineyard holdings; there were 226 000 fewer holdings than in 2015 in the size class with less than 1 ha of vines.

This information comes from the data on the structure of vineyards published recently. This 5-yearly data collection monitors the market for grape-based and wine products as well as the production potential of vineyards in the EU. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on vineyards in the EU.

The vast majority (82.4%) of the EU’s vineyards in 2020 were dedicated to the production of grapes for quality wine. Quality wine refers to products of both protected designation of origin (2.1 million ha, equivalent to 65.3% of the EU’s vineyards) and protected geographical indication (0.5 million ha, equivalent to 17.1%).

Spain has the largest area for wine in the EU

Spain, France and Italy together accounted for three-quarters (74.9%) of the area under vines in the EU and about two-fifths (38.7%) of vineyard holdings in 2020. However, Romania had the highest number of vineyard holdings in the EU (0.8 million holdings, equivalent to 37.9% of the EU total in 2020).

Between 2015 and 2020, there were sharp reductions in the number of vineyard holdings in a number of Member States, but particularly in Portugal (a loss of 98 000 holdings, although this is also partly due to a change in data source and coverage), in Italy (a loss of 78 000 holdings) and in Spain (a loss of 34 000 holdings).

For more information: 

• Statistics Explained article on vineyards in the EU 
• Dedicated section on agriculture
• Database on agriculture

Methodological notes: 

• Only EU Member States having a minimum planted area of 500 hectares (ha) of vineyards are included in the data collection. This means that a total of 16 EU Member States (out of 27) are covered in this data collection.
•  Protected designation of origin (PDO) designates the name of a product which must be produced within a determined geographical area using recognised and recorded know-how. All products with PDO status must be produced exclusively with grapes from the area in question.
• Protected geographical indication (PGI) designates a product with quality, reputation or other specific features that can be attributed to a determined geographical area. All products with PGI status must be produced with at least 85% of the grapes coming from the area in question.