EU expands wine growing areas to meet rising Chinese, US demand

Brussels (dpa) – European vintners can increase their harvest from next year under EU rules published Thursday, aimed at helping the bloc retain its share of the wine market and cater for a rise in international demand. Traditional wine growing regions in Spain, France and Italy have long faced competition from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Argentina or the United States. But strict rules in the European Union have limited their production volumes.