The US is also the largest importer of wine by value, buying large amounts of premium wines from France and Italy in particular. These two countries drink significantly more per head than the US, both enjoying just over 50 bottles of wine per person each year. [ How much wine will one vine produce?Opens in new window ]In the Republic, our consumption of wine grew from the 1990s onwards and has now plateaued at around 18 litres of wine each year. This drop is largely down to drink-driving laws and changed attitudes; in the 1930s the French government ran campaigns promoting wine consumption. Now, 38 per cent of French people never drink wine at all.

Source: The Irish Times November 30, 2025 13:30 UTC