Guess which country consumes the most wine per capita? 

The US, with almost 1,000 wineries in just Napa and Sonoma counties? 

Or France, with its main vineyards across Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Provence, and the Rhone Valley? 

Or Spain, Italy, or some other European big name? 

Nope. Think smaller.

It turns out that size matters when conducting such studies. 

Which is why, the tiny sovereign city-state of Vatican City wins the top spot!

Vatican City consumes 62.2 liters of wine per person per year on average, according to California’s Wine Institute. 

That’s almost 83 bottles per person per year!

France comes in fifth, with 45.6 liters of wine per person each year. 

Italy, at ninth place, consumes a modest 37.6 liters per capita. 

What about the United States, you ask? Just 10.5 liters per person. 

In the case of the Vatican’s consumption rate, one has to expect that no small portion of that annual figure is related to communion wine.

With a reported population of just 836 in 2011, coupled with a full calendar of entertaining visiting dignitaries, the aforementioned communion wine, and a largely older, educated, single white male with no kids demographic … Well, those numbers actually make a lot of sense. 

This segment of wine consumers can help any wine marketer who is aiming for maximizing revenue within the smallest of territories.

So, if you want to win over a wine country with a new brand of wine, you know where to get started!