Once upon a time it was said that Gallo was the world’s biggest wine producer and that they made as much wine as the whole of Bordeaux. This is no longer quite true (but not far from the truth, and see the following item!). Here are the world’s biggest wine producers (2008):
- Constellation (USA), 58 million cases with 9 litre, i.e. 5.2 million hectolitres
- Foster (Australia), 37 M cases, 3.3 M hl
- E&J Gallo (USA), 34 M cases, 3.1 M hl
- Pernod-Ricard (France), 22 M cases, 2.2 M hl
- Concha y Toro (Chile), 16 M cases, 1.4 M hl
- Diageo (Great Britain), 12 M cases, 1.1 M hl
(Source: International Wine & Spirits Record / l’Expansion)
In comparison Bordeaux produces around 5 million hl (approximately the same as Constellation). One should perhaps point out that even if Pernod-Ricard is French almost none of the wine they produce is French (it is mainly New World wines). Just like Diageo does not make its wines in the home country.
You will never see most of these names on the label of a bottle of wine. These big wine companies usually use a range of brand names / wine estate names on the wines. It does indeed more look like family run wine estates that way…
