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Wine Report of October 4, 2025

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Recent news of note, Latest from the world of wine.

Champagne: quality on the rise, hopes for demand

Champagne producers are banking on improved grape quality in 2025, after a difficult season. Despite a 10% decline in the harvest, they are optimistic about the potential leverage effect on demand.

· Chile towards Brazil: paradigm shift in wine exports The new tariffs on Chilean wines destined for the United States have pushed wine exports towards Brazil, which has become the main market, with growth close to 10%.

· Rapid expansion of the English wine industry . Warmer forecasts and earlier ripening have spurred a surge in English vineyard acreage. Production for 2025 has already shown signs of strong dynamism, with more room for still wines in addition to sparkling wines.

· Wine and Climate Change: The Story of Adaptation A recent article explores how traditional regions are already feeling the effects of climate change (extreme temperatures, weather events) and how producers and researchers are responding with more resilient techniques.

Sonoma’s Strategy to Attract Young Consumers In California, some wineries are proposing a 1% tax on tastings and sales to fund marketing initiatives aimed at engaging younger generations. The idea has sparked debate.

In Napa, Heitz Cellar changes its grape sourcing strategy . After 60 years of exclusive contracts with grapes from Martha’s Vineyard, Heitz will open to outside suppliers for the 2025 harvest. This is a strong signal of the changing supply chain logic in the United States.

Trends, data and scenarios to watch

  • Super-rich investing in European wine A Knight Frank survey reports that 46% of the world’s top fortunes are considering moving to Europe with an interest in wine or olive oil properties—conceived as “hybrid” assets, halfway between lifestyle and income.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Wine Sustainability A recent study (preprint) shows how AI is entering the winery, with applications in precision viticulture, system monitoring, irrigation optimization, and personalized wine tourism experiences.
  • Vinitaly.USA 2025: Strengthening the Bridge with the US Market. Vinitaly.USA returns to Chicago on October 5–6, with approximately 250 companies and 1,500 buyers expected. The event will be accompanied by wine2wine, a business forum with thematic sessions on the future of the sector. Italian Exports Suffer / US Tariffs / Trump Duties. Trade tensions between the EU and the United States are impacting European wine: French and Italian companies are already feeling the effects of the tariffs and are seeking compensatory measures.
  • Emerging Phenomena: Wine-Producing Sweden Bucking the trend of many stagnant markets, Sweden is emerging as an “atypical” wine region, with growing investment in the supply chain and local production.
  • Regulatory Perspectives: Minimum Taxes and Minimum Tariffs An academic study assesses the impact of policies such as the introduction of a minimum price per alcoholic unit (MUP) compared to volumetric taxation, highlighting potential effects on the profits of wineries of different sizes.

Wine press review for Friday, October 3, 2025!

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News on Italian wine and oenology.

Italian Wineries

  • Cantina di Venosa is investing in wine tourism. Starting in 2027, a new architectural and functional structure will increase visits, direct sales, and business meetings. A €3.4 million investment, including funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
  • Cantina Segreta in Eboli (SA), a journey through flavors created by Andrea Nanna. A restaurant created from an ancient cellar, where tradition and creativity blend in the chef’s cuisine.
  • Castel de Paolis celebrates 40 years in the Castelli Romani area. Official celebrations with artwork and a calendar of events showcasing the Santarelli family’s winemaking excellence.
  • The La Torre winery turns 100. Since 1925, a journey of family and territory, now the fourth generation and certified organic. The heart of the production: the rare Groppello di Mocasina.
  • Cantina Valtidone, Tre Bicchieri 2026 for Arvange Metodo Classico Pas Dosé An internationally prestigious recognition for the pure Pinot Noir sparkling wine.
  • Celli Winery awarded by Gambero Rosso. The Sangiovese Riserva Bertinoro “Bron&Ruseval” wins the Tre Bicchieri 2026 award: a first for this wine and the only Bertinoro wine on the podium.

Italian Wine

  • Prosecco, a superstar in the US, is consolidating its overtaking of Champagne: $531 million, a 178% increase in seven years. It now represents 31% of the value of Italian wine consumption overseas.
  • Etna, a region looking to the future. The Etna Wine Consortium and leading companies are focusing on quality, great reds and new whites, with a strong push towards wine tourism.
  • Walking among the ungrafted vineyards of Carignano in Sulcis. A slow journey through the sea, mines, and ancestral identities of Sardinia, with Carignano del Sulcis as the protagonist.
  • Tre Bicchieri 2026, the best wines of Lombardy. 34 wines awarded by Gambero Rosso, with a section dedicated to rare wines, confirming Lombardy among the leading regions.
  • AGIVI’s voices: sustainability and new entrepreneurial visions. Young producers from North to South share an approach to wine that combines environmental and social impact with quality of life.
  • Argea: ecodesign and biosymbiosis. The group, founded in 2021, presents its 2024 sustainability report and aims to create a new wine industry model.

Italian Oenology

  • The glass makes the difference: Italesse launches the one for Amarone della Valpolicella. The result of the Senses Project, a glass designed with sommeliers, technicians, and oenologists to best enhance the characteristics of the great Veronese red wine.

International

  • Spain: Harvest down 10-15% According to the Spanish Wine Federation, 2025 will bring lower quantities but higher quality.
  • Giorgio Locatelli’s Locanda collection up for auction (London) Over 400 fine lots up for auction at Bonhams, including vertical tastings of Sassicaia and rare bottles of Barolo Monfortino.

Wine Events

  • “Colline ad Arte”: a contemporary art prize in the UNESCO hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. A long-term project that will transform the landscape into an open-air collection.
  • “Vini ad Arte” 2025 in Faenza The Romagna wine region has overcome the consequences of the 2023 flood and is restarting with energy.
  • “Di…Vino, d’Olio e Dintorni” in Nocera Terinese (CZ) On November 8th, a food and wine trail in the ancient village with wines, oils and typical Calabrian dishes.
  • Centenary of the Marino Grape Festival (Rome) A special edition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the historic Castelli Romani festival, famous for its wine fountains.
  • “Between Villages and Cellars” in the province of Siena From October 16th to November 27th, six events in Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Montalcino and other Tuscan villages.
  • “Cantine e Trattorie in Cantina” in Romagna From October 21st to December 2nd, four evenings of local cuisine and wines, in “theatre season ticket” format.
  • Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2025 – Sweet and Fortified Wines Session In Catania, Italy shines with 26 medals, dominated by Sicilian wineries: Ben Ryé 2022, Marsala Lombardo 2011, and Single Barrel di Pellegrino.

This was the wine news for October 3, 2025. We’ll talk to you again tomorrow, again with QUIDQUID – powered by WINEIDEA.IT .

Wine Report of October 3, 2025

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with updated useful insights as a basis for the wine/cellar sector:

Recent Key Trends (5–7 points)

  • The 2025 harvest in Italy is expected to be around 47.4 million hectoliters , up 8% compared to 2024, with quality judged to be “excellent / good” (Unione Italiana Vini)
  • Some denominations in central and northern Italy are reporting reduced yields (-10-20%) compared to the previous year, with the desired effect of rebalancing supply and demand.
  • On Italian domestic markets, sales in the large-scale retail channel show 0.7% in value but –2.5% in volume (August 2024-July 2025) — sparkling wines are holding up better than the rest (1.9% value, 2.5% volume)
  • In the first half of 2025, Italian wine exports recorded 1.5% in value but -3% in volume; the greatest difficulties are evident in the United States and Germany
  • The uniform US tariffs of 15% for European wines (which came into force in summer 2025) put strong pressure on the entry and medium segments, in the absence of specific exemptions (valuation of premium wines)
  • The EU-Mercosur agreement, now authorized by the European Commission (to be ratified by the Member States), provides for the progressive elimination of wine duties for Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, with a potential strategic opening for Italian wine in Latin American markets.
  • Globally, the bulk wine market appears “sluggish”: grape prices are struggling to recover, while stocks are high and demand is weak, penalizing negotiations for bulk and blended wines (Ciatti report September 2025)
  • On the technological horizon, Artificial Intelligence is also gaining ground in sustainable viticulture and wineries, with applications in environmental monitoring, resource management and production process optimisation (study “Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Wine Industry”, 2025)
  • M&A Radar
Operation / RumorParties involvedValue (if known)Geography / focusSource / date
Accolade Wines and Pernod Ricard Merger → VinarchyAccolade Wines & Pernod Ricardnot communicatedwide-ranging (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain)official announcement 2025
Italian wine operations in the Mediobanca reportvarious national wineries and operatorsnot available in the main casesItaly“M&A Strategies in Italian Wine: Mediobanca Report 2025”
(Rumor) Italian acquisitions in the US in 2025Italian wineries targeting the USunspecifiedUnited StatesKPMG article “The Italian Presence and M&A in the USA”

Prices & Harvest (mini-box)

Region / varietyGrape price / reported trendNotes on yield / performance vs last year
Italy (national average)Grape prices do not show general increases: the market is “calm” and prices are still uncertain (in September 2025)High cellar inventories: ~36 million hectoliters as of July 31, 2025 (potential drag on prices)
Tuscan denominations (Chianti, Langhe, Barbera)There are no recent public quotations for specific varieties, but some consortia have approved yield reductions to protect value (e.g. Chianti from 75 to 65 quintals/ha).In some areas (Morellino, Montecucco) yields are lower than initial estimates, with healthy grapes and good qualitative balances
International bulk marketBulk wine and grape market prices show weakness and a tendency to stabilize at a low level; general increases are expected only if demand picks up again.Oversupply and high inventories limit negotiations and the ability to obtain better prices.

Wine Trends in Italy Week 29 September – 3 October 2025

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The sector is in a “reorganization phase”: weak global demand for reds, US tariffs slowing purchases in Q2, inventories still high, but signs of stability in some markets (Canada, Germany, Japan, Brazil) and volume leadership confirmed in the USA.

Prosecco is the undisputed star. Domestically, consumer confidence is slightly up; more inclusive pricing policies are needed in the Ho.Re.Ca. channel to attract Gen Z and new wine consumers.

Wine Trends in Italy Week 29 September – 3 October 2025

Executive summary

Strategic priorities: export diversification, selective premium repositioning, inventory management, anti-counterfeiting traceability, and a push for data-driven “family” wine tourism.

Exports first semester 2025 (source Nomisma: monitored markets)

  • USA : leading market but pre-tariff “pre-stocking” halted → from 22% (Jan–Mar) to -7% (Apr–Jun) . Italy: 2.5% in the first half thanks to Q1. Court of Appeals decision on legitimacy of tariffs pending.
  • Canada : 11% imports from Italy; strong substitution of US wines on the shelves ( –65% ).
  • Germany : 10.3% in value (still and sparkling goods: 14.2% ).
  • Japan and Brazil : positive performances.
  • United Kingdom : –7% in value ; sparkling wines –6.6% , still/sparkling wines –8.1% .
  • Others in decline : Switzerland, South Korea, Norway, China ( -10.5% for still/sparkling wines).
  • Italian sparkling wines (12 markets): growth slowed to 1% value / 6% vol ; dynamic Japan, USA, China . Weak UK, France, Australia .

Production, inventory and structure

  • Supply chain: 30,000 processing companies (1,800 industrial), 250,000 agricultural; turnover €16 billion (excluding related industries), 2024 exports €8.1 billion , 74,000 employees.
  • Italy: world’s leading producer (average 47 million hl ), leading exporter by volume ( >22 million hl ).
  • Production volatility: peak 55 million hl (2018) ; minimum 38 million hl (2023) ; 2024 rising but below average; 2025 UIV estimate: 47.4 million hl ( 8% on 2024).
  • Inventories : 2023 > production; July 2024: 40 million hl (–20% y/y with production –23%); 30 June 2025: 43.6 million hl (0.3% y/y; –6.4% on May), 2.7 million hl must and 63,926 hl new wine .
  • Areas : Italy 728k ha (0.8%) ; national structural decline –15% (2000–2023) . EU27 3.2 million ha ; Spain 930k ha (–15%) , France 783k ha (–0.7%) ; China 753k ha (–0.4%) ; India growing 185k ha , CAGR 4.5% (from 2019) .

Prices, US tariffs and their impact

  • Average export price (still in bottles): Italy €4.43/l , below France €7.81 , Australia €5.56 , New Zealand €5.86 .
  • USA : worth ~ €2 billion (24% of Italy’s export value). Average tariff 2.9% until Jan 2025 → 15% from Apr 2025 .
  • Estimated UIV impact : €317 million (up to €460 million with a weaker USD). Final markup from origination: estimated from 123% to 186% .
  • Apr 2025 : Italy → USA –7.5% vol / –9.2% val . Jun 2025 : Italy €169.8 m (–4.2% m/m vs Jun ’24) ; France €191.3 million (5.9%) .
  • Volume leadership confirmed: June 2025 Italy ~33 million liters (3.5%) = 32.6% of US imports; H1 2025 Italy 188.9 million liters (7.5%) > France (20.1% vol).

Focus Prosecco (UIV–Vinitaly / IWSR / SipSource)

  • In the USA it is worth 31% of the value of Italian wine consumption ( $531 million in 2024 ).
  • Awareness 40% (vs Champagne 52% ), but conversion to purchase 31% (Champagne 24% ).
  • Sparkling wine share in the US (first 7 months of 2025): Prosecco 30% , Champagne 28% .
  • Drivers: average price < $18 , strong penetration among women and Gen Z , use in mixology/RTD .
  • Challenge: Growth in multi-ethnic communities (competitor: cocktails, hard seltzer, RTD).

Domestic demand and confidence (ISTAT, September 2025)

  • Consumers : index from 96.2 → 96.8 ; economic climate 97.0 → 98.8 ; current 99.2 → 99.9 ; future 92.2 → 92.6 ; personal ≈96.0 .
  • Businesses : 93.6 → 93.7 (stable); construction 101.3 → 101.5 , services 95.1 → 95.6 ; manufacturing stable 87.3 ; retail 102.7 → 101.6 .
  • Wine implications: propensity for durable goods purchases slightly improved, but retail suffers; need to push by-the-glass , experiences, and entry-level pricing.

Ho.Re.Ca channel and distribution (Partesa interview)

  • Excessive markups on entry-level labels are driving young people away.
  • Virtuous model: wine by the glass with pouring technology, minimum quantities and continuity of supply, expansion of Italian labels.
  • In 2025 price lists: avoid both drastic increases and decreases; focus on fresh whites and “pure” appellations with high quality/price ratios (Verdicchio, Garganega, Sangiovese, Chianti, Morellino).

Wine tourism and territorial branding

  • International attraction for family-run wineries is growing: intention to visit on next trips → USA 78% , UK 74% , Germany 61% .
  • Preference for family-run businesses : USA 68% , UK 57% , DE 49% ; very strong interest from Gen Z USA (82%) .
  • Priorities: digital communication , multichannel promotion , AI to design experiences and manage flows. Key role: specialized consultant for omnichannel positioning and sales.

Policy, risks and operational proposals

  • Safeguard Package (Eurispes): revision of Consolidated Law 238/2016 , yields/specifications/controls more in line with demand; labeling with ingredients and nutrition information ; simplification of inspections.
  • Multi-level anti-counterfeiting : serial QR , RFID , NFC anti-tamper ; testing of new fiscal stamps started from 28 July 2025 .
  • End-to-end AI : precision viticulture, winery (controlled fermentations, blends), marketing and CX.
  • Plant authorizations : 1-year suspension of fines for non-use before January 2025; extension of replanting period to 8 years .
  • Insurance/guarantees : evaluate an export coverage scheme similar to Cap Francexport; yield mutualization fund to stabilize prices (avoid sell-offs, dispose of surpluses, including through juice/distillation).
  • US Tariffs : USWTA mobilizes industry with survey for economic evidence; leverage for negotiating pressure.
  • Uprooting : German pan-European plan proposed (based on the 2009–2011 model); Italy more cautious → preference for reconversions and active vineyard management.

Opportunity to be seized immediately

  1. Rebalance export portfolio : boost Canada, Germany, Japan, and Brazil ; monitor the UK and China with targeted plans.
  2. Selective premium : communicating value (territory, sustainability, winemaking precision) to close the €-/l gap with the French.
  3. Prosecco : defend US share (mixology, RTD, non-Caucasian communities, West & East North Central).
  4. Family-friendly wine tourism : packages bookable online, transparent pricing, CRM and AI-driven UGC content.
  5. Ho.Re.Ca : inclusive price lists, by-the-glass , menus under €20–25 for quality entry-level options.
  6. Supply/Inventories : harvest-sales plans, cuvée segmentation, alternative channels for surpluses.
  7. Trust & Anti-Fake : Progressive rollout of QR-RFID-NFC new tags; storytelling on product security.

Final route note

2025 is the year for “active selection”: less product dispersion, more focus on markets and channels that boost margins and reputation, with Prosecco as the battering ram, wine tourism as the catalyst, and the digital/AI supply chain as the neural network. This is where the competitive advantage for the next 24 months will be built.