While Spain has always been the country with the largest number of hectares planted to grape vines, it has stood in third place with regard to wine production (much of the grapes it grows find their way into brandy). However, it looks like this ranking is about to change, with Spain earning the #2 spot currently held by France.

At the moment, Italy is the biggest producer of wine in the world, with annual production at 60m hectoliters. France produces approximately 53m hectoliters and is expected to drop to ~44m over the next several years, giving Spain, which averages 45m hectoliters, the opportunity to take the lead over France.

Of course, production volume is not correlated to production quality, so it is not necessarily a win for Spain or a loss to France if these expected rankings come to pass. However, it is somewhat interesting in that France has long been the gold standard in wine, with French imports attaining the top spot in many markets. But, as evidence of this shift in power, in the UK, US imports now outnumber French imports in terms of sales. Further, as production levels change, it is likely that many new wines from Spain will find their way onto our shelves. This may prompt more consumers to learn about Spanish wines.

In fact, Wines from Spain and other affiliated organizations have been actively promoting a variety of Spanish wines to both consumers and the trade. In particular, events on Navarra, Rioja and Murcia were held earlier in 2008, as was a special presentation and tasting of wines from the up and coming region of Castilla y Leon.

Modern wine practices have taken hold in Spain with many wineries having renovated and revamped in the past several year. Yet, although top Riojas can be quite pricey, most of the wines coming out of Spain represent a good quality to value relationship. Moreover, it is exciting to watch many of these emerging regions come into their own as they find their footing in the marketplace. Overall, consumers will benefit as the diversity of Spanish wines are made available to them.