Winos Are Running Out Of Wine

Don't panic, wine lovers, but wine production is at an all-time low. Thanks to a year of horrific weather, worldwide production of wine is shrinking, says a wine trade group. 

The output of wine this year should be about 6.4 to 6.7 billion gallons, according the Los Angeles Times. That's down from 7 billion in 2011, and down from 7.9 billion in 2004, as wine production has been steadily decreasing since then. 

What wine regions have been hit the hardest? Those in the European Union; forecasts say that only Portugal and Greece are expected to yield more wine than last year of all the countries in the E.U. The U.S. and countries in the Southern Hemisphere are also expected to increase production, good news for lovers of New World wines. But California grapes are also in shortage this season. 

The silver lining to the forecast? Many say the droughts have actually produced better-tasting wines this season. Maybe that will make you appreciate your glass of malbec a bit more.