information from the world of wine and wineries.
Recent Key Points
- In the first seven months of 2025, Italian wine exports recorded a slight drop in value (-1.1%) compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 1.2 billion euros , while volumes rose by 6.1% (219.5 million litres) — a sign of a compression in the average unit price.
- The US scenario is particularly critical: the average price per litre of exported bottles fell to €5.48 (-6.8%) and bulk wine suffered a contraction in value of -39.5%.
- Weather conditions in Italy are looking favorable: the 2025 harvest is imminent with positive expectations, while in the southern hemisphere, below-average harvests are reported for Chile and Argentina, and good ones for Australia/New Zealand.
- The wine M&A market in 2025 remains active but selective: according to a mid-year review, there have been seven significant transactions in the wine sector so far, while investors favor strategic mergers and premium assets.
- In Oregon, two large vineyard management operators have announced a merger, while Vinarchy (a new vehicle for Pernod Ricard Winemakers) is investing $100 million in winery redevelopments in Australia.
- The study “Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Wine Industry” (July 2025) highlights how the use of AI in vineyards, wineries, and wine tourism can improve efficiency, sustainability, and personalization of the customer experience.
- In the USA, the historic Heitz winery (Martha’s Vineyard) is changing its approach: starting in 2025, it will no longer exclusively purchase all the bunches of grapes from a single vineyard, opening its sourcing to more producers to enhance the value of the territory.
M&A Radar / Current Operations
| Operation / rumor | Parties involved | Known value / detail | Geographic area / focus | Source / date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duckhorn Portfolio acquired by Butterfly Equity | Butterfly Equity → Duckhorn (USA) | ~$1.95 billion in cash (all stock) | USA / luxury wine | |
| Viva Wine Group Acquires Delta Wines (NL) | Viva Wine Group → Delta Wines (Dutch distributor) | Not publicly disclosed | Europe / distribution network | |
| Major Oregon vineyard operators merge | local operators in the vineyard management sector | value not indicated | USA / managing 20,000 total acres | |
| Vinarchy (Pernod/Accolade merger) invests in Australia | Pernod Ricard Winemakers / Accolade → Vinarchy project | USD 100 million investment | Australia / Winery Infrastructure Renewal |
Prices & Harvest (mini-box)
- 2025 harvest situation (Italy / Northern Hemisphere): harvest imminent, general positive expectations for quantity and quality.
- Southern Hemisphere: Chile (below average), Argentina (average), Australia/New Zealand (above average production)
- Bulk/bottle prices and markets (Italy → USA): the average price per litre of bottled wine exported to the USA is around €5.48, down 6.8% compared to the previous year.
- Differentiation by segment: Italian sparkling wine continues to grow in value (4.3%) but with a drop in unit price (-8.5%).
- Volumetric vs. price trend: growth in export volumes (in some cases 4-6%) accompanied by compression of unit price lists, a sign of price competition and pressure on margins.