HERE?S A trick question: which country in the world consumes the most wine per capita? Italy? France? Actually, the correct answer is the Vatican! That?s according to the latest statistics released last week by the Wine Institute. Residents of the Vatican, the independent micro state located in Rome, consume 74 litres of wine on average?which is roughly equivalent to 105 bottles over the course of a year. That?s almost double the amount drunk by the average person in France or Italy, generally considered wine-drinking countries. The obvious conclusion would be that much of this consumption would be in the form of the ceremonial Communion wine, which all adults, including bishops, take during regular Mass. However, the Wine Institute disputes this and puts it down to the unique demographics of Vatican City. The residents, numbering around 800, are likely to be elderly, male, highly educated and likely to take their meals in large groups?all factors that can contribute to greater wine consumption. The lack of children also figures in the statistical analysis.
These aspects of the Vatican are more likely to put it at the top than simply its size alone?though other so-called micro states also featured in the Wine Institute?s list. Luxembourg, another small country with a population of 5,35,000 is number two on the list, with a per capita consumption of around 56 litres per year. The others include Andorra (46 litres per person) and the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Canada (44 litres per capita). There could be another reason for the Vatican?s high consumption of wine: it is cheap. There is a supermarket located in the complex, which supplies all residents with wine completely tax-free.
There is one aspect about the Vatican?s consumption that is puzzling: the big jump in the quantity of wine consumed from the preceding year. In 2011, the Vatican?s consumption per capita was 62 litres, indicating an increase of 20%. This, when the new Pope, Francis, is laying strong emphasis on austerity by personal example. In Vatican City, solid gold rings, velvet capes and ermine capes are out, humility is in. Pope Francis has shunned Vatican tradition in favour of a simpler style, which possibly does not include wine consumption as yet.