In another article we explored the ten most widespread grape varieties in the world and the wines that come from them: in first place Cabernet Sauvignon, cultivated practically all over the planet; then Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, the noble Pinot Noir, the native Italian Cannonau and Trebbiano.
But among these... there is not the most cultivated grape in the world!
If Cabernet Sauvignon is the most cultivated wine variety, with 340,000 hectares spread around the globe, the most cultivated grape overall occupies as much as 365,000 hectares... all in China!
It is the Kyoho variety, which alone covers 44% of the total 847,000 hectares of vineyards in China.
The peculiarity of this grape is that it is not used to produce wine! In the Asian country, grape consumption is greater at the table than for winemaking: just think that over 60% of the total vineyard is dedicated to table grapes.
And on the podium of the most cultivated grape varieties in the world, in third place after Cabernet Sauvignon and Kyoho, there is another grape little used for wine production, but better known in Europe: it is the Sultana grape, with a total of 300,000 hectares.
But here is the complete ranking of the most cultivated grape varieties in the world – alongside the data processed in 2017 by O.I.V. the International Organisation of Vine and Wine:
World Grape Cultivated Area (estimated in hectares)
|
Grape variety |
Type |
Estimated hectares OIV 2017 |
|
Kyoho |
table |
~360,000 |
|
Cabernet Sauvignon |
Red |
~340,000 |
|
Sultana grape |
table |
~300,000 |
|
Merlot |
Red |
~266,000 |
|
Tempranillo |
Red |
~231,000 |
|
Airén |
White |
~218,000 |
|
Chardonnay |
White |
~211,000 |
|
Syrah/Shiraz |
Red |
~190,000 |
|
Grenache Noir |
Red |
~163,000 |
|
Red Globe |
table |
~160,000 |
|
Sauvignon Blanc |
White |
~121,000 |
|
Pinot Noir |
Red |
~115,000 |
|
Trebbiano |
White |
~111,000 |
The data is constantly changing, also due to the evolving tastes of wine enthusiasts, as demonstrated by an in-depth study by Australian economics professor Kym Anderson on the 150 most common grape varieties worldwide and their variation between 2000 and 2016 – “Which Winegrape Varieties are Grown Where? A Global Empirical Picture.”
While waiting for updated data, we can only continue to explore the diverse world of wine, with the selections offered by ArsWine.it!
