Europe’s Wine Harvest Will Be Smaller But Taste Better

This year’s wine harvest is set to be historically low in Europe after drought, hail and disease damaged crops. Even so, the quality of the grapes will be higher.

Production in Italy, France and Spain, Europe’s major wine producers, is expected to drop 18% from a year ago to 117.3 million hectolitres, according to farm lobby group Copa & Cogeca. France’s harvest suffered the most, with output forecast to drop by a third after spring frosts and summer humidity decimated crops.