FRENCH WINE DETHRONED

IN AN ON-GOING battle for wine supremacy, French winegrowers have once again been overtaken as Italy has claimed the position as the world’s largest wine producer. Only a year ago, France’s 14O,OOO winegrowers toasted their success in regaining the throne after a brief spell in second place. France bore the title of the world’s largest wine producer with pride until 2O11, when Italy moved into the lead. But Gallic winemakers battled back and after 2O14’s poor harvest in Italy, the country regained its prime position. The sweet taste of triumph proved short-lived. Despite a slight increase in France’s output to more than 47 million hectolitres, Italy overtook its northern rival for 2O15, producing nearly 49 million hectolitres. It is now a double blow as Spain, which remains in third place as a producer, took France’s mantle of the world’s top exporter last year with soaring overseas sales – ironically with the French being the biggest buyers.