Why 2016 Was A Terrible Year For Global Wine Production

Heavy April showers and summer hail have devastated worldwide wine production this year.

Forbes reports that extreme weather has caused disruptions throughout the wine world. In Brazil, a nation whose wine has gathered some global traction recently, the yield dropped 50 percent compared to 2015. Other major players in the wine industry also suffered significant declines, including Italy (down 2 percent), France (down 12 percent), South Africa (down 19 percent), Portugal (down 20 percent) and Chile (down 21 percent). The U.S. and Spain saw production go up, but only slightly, in the 1 to 2 percent range. According to Forbes, climate change isn't to blame as much as the cyclical El Niño is.

Prices will also be affected as a result. Eduardo Chadwick, president of Viña Errazuriz & Seña, tells Forbes that consumers can expect higher prices on Chilean wines.

"This drop in production will affect the supply of Chilean entry-level wines and will speed up the premium-ization process of our industry for export," Chadwick says. "We should also see an increase in the price for top Chilean wines."