We’re in first place — and by a wide margin. Portugal has once again topped the global ranking for per-capita wine consumption: 62 liters a year per person, compared with 39.7 liters in France and 38.6 liters in Italy. The data comes from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV, an intergovernmental body headquartered in Dijon and bringing together 51 countries). Portugal has held the top spot for more than a decade.

Against the global backdrop, the figure stands out even more. Global wine consumption fell by 2.7% to 208 million hectoliters, the lowest level since 1957. Nine of the ten largest markets saw declines: the US down 4.3%, Italy down 9.4%, Spain down 5.2%, Germany down 4.3%, France down 3.2%. Portugal was the exception: consumption rose by 5.6% to a record 5.6 million hectoliters.

One explanation is price. According to The Pour Index, which compares the cost of a mid-range bottle, Portugal and Spain share first place for the cheapest wine in Europe — around £4.35, or roughly €5. In France, wine is about 40% more expensive (€6.10), in Britain almost twice as expensive (€8), and in Iceland four times as expensive (€18.41). The index is based on crowdsourced Numbeo data, so these are ballpark figures. In cafés, a glass of vinho da casa (house wine, served from the tap) can often cost less than a glass of soda, while in supermarkets you can even find a five-liter box of ordinary table wine for €5. Low prices are also supported by the tax system. Portugal has no excise duty on wine at all — the rate is zero, as in Italy and Spain; in France, it is symbolic, at around three cents per bottle. At the same time, VAT on still wine in Portugal is 13% — the lowest in the EU, compared with 20% in France and 22% in Italy.

But price doesn’t explain everything. Wine costs exactly the same in Spain, yet people there drink three times less — around 21 liters per person per year, even though Spain has more vineyards than any other country in the world. The difference is probably more about everyday habits: in Portugal, a glass of wine with lunch is simply part of the meal.