GLOBAL WINE SUPERPOWERS: AN ENDLESS BATTLE

The origin of wine is intrexicably linked with the appearance of ancient civilizations. The Neolithic period
witnessed the emergence of wine production in Iran but the wild Eurasian grapewine was first turned into wine in the
period 8500 BC-4000 BC. As the fermented juice of fresh grapes, wine is produced worldwide in various styles. Its
composition and quality are influenced by a plethora of intrinsic and extrinsic variables. With their long history in
wine making, Italy, France and Spain have always been main producers and competitors within the global wine
market. The aim of this paper is to bring an insight about the evolution of the global wine superpowers by analysing
their wine production in the period 2018-2024. To reach the goal of the study, the author employed a qualitative
research method. In this respect, he carried on a comprehensive literature review. In the period 2018-2024, the global
wine industry faced multiple and difficult challenges, such as adverse climatic conditions, COVID-19 pandemic,
decreasing vineyard surfaces, and lower wine productions. However, several wine global producers demonstrated their
resilience despite these obstacles. The findings show that Italy, France and Spain dominated the top of the global wine
producers in the above-mentioned period.