There’s a global wine shortage (deep breaths people)

Try to stay calm at what we’re about to tell you

Remember earlier this year when we thought we were going to run out of Prosecco and the internet went into meltdown? (FYI, the long-awaited Prosecco shortage is not actually happening if that’s any consolation).

Yes? Well get ready to relive that nightmare all over again with the news that we’re facing a global wine shortage.

http://gph.is/29MOkzs

According to CNN, wine production across the world is set to fall by 5% this year, making 2016 one of the worst this century.

The reason? Global warming and the extreme weather it’s been causing. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), this wild weather has affected vines across the globe, from South Africa to France.

Speaking to Reuters, Jean-Marie Aurand, head of the OIV, said: ‘With global warming, we're witnessing an increase in exceptional events that are more frequent, longer lasting and of greater scale.’

However, the hardest hit producers are set to be the South American ones such as Chile and Argentina, where heavy rain has affected vineyards. So basically get ready to have one last tearful glug of that Malbec before it starts to run out.

http://gph.is/2ai8NY8

This drop in production is expected to be the worst since 2012, when analysts at Morgan Stanley reported a shortfall of almost 300 million cases of wine. So it’s dark days, people. Dark days.

Thankfully, it’s not all bad news as an increase in production in countries such as Australia, the U.S. and Spain is helping to offset the poor yield from the others which have fallen foul of the bad weather.

http://gph.is/1nRH9ai

So no need to start panic buying just yet, we reckon. But even if you’re fancy enough to have a favourite vintage that ends up in short supply, just remember – there’s still plenty of Prosecco to go around. So cheers to that.