The Italian wine market continues to experience challenging times, with tariffs, falling prices, and new cultural and commercial challenges.
US exports: mixed signals
In the United States, Italy’s leading trading partner, July 2025 saw a significant decline in value of 21.1%. In the first seven months of the year, the overall figure was down 1.1% (€1.2 billion), although volumes grew (6.1%). The average price per liter fell to €5.48 (-6.8%), further compressing margins.
Sparkling wines are holding up better: up 4.3% in value (€357.3 million) and 14% in volume, but with prices falling to €4.63/liter (-8.5%). Bottled wines are struggling (-2.7% in value, but down 4.3% in volume), while bulk wines are plummeting (-39.5%).
France in the lead
In July, France surpassed Italy in exports to the US: €185.2 million versus €148.2 million. In the first seven months of 2025, French exports grew by 16.8% (€1.4 billion), with an average price nearly double that of Italy (€11.97/liter). Sparkling and bottled wines drove the performance, confirming their greater ability to hold up prices.
The cultural front: the appeal to the UN
The International Wine Academy has launched an appeal to world leaders to defend wine as a cultural, social, and human heritage, against the risk of it being reduced to a mere health threat. Among the signatories are prominent Italian winemakers such as Gaja, Zanella, Cinelli Colombini, and Lageder. The Academy emphasizes the value of moderate consumption, supported by recent scientific studies, and the need to preserve wine’s cultural identity.
New consumers in the US
The future of Italian wine also depends on renewing its target audience. UIV-Vinitaly and IWSR analyses indicate that the next American “wine lovers” will be primarily young people (Gen Z and Millennials), with a strong presence of Hispanic, African-American, and Asian consumers. States like Texas, California, Illinois, and Georgia thus become key markets for tapping into these new, high-potential communities.
Consortium strategies and the impact of tariffs
The sector is preparing for Vinitaly.USA (Chicago, October 5-6), a strategic event to gauge market reaction and defend Italy’s role in the United States. Consortia are facing a generous and high-quality harvest, but US tariffs—which rose to 15% on August 7—risk costing Italian companies up to €460 million. According to the UIV Wine Observatory, in the first three months of application, the duties have already generated an additional cost of $61 million and a 13.5% drop in import prices.
In short: Italian wine remains a leading player in the United States, but 2025 marks a crossroads: on the one hand, the challenge of prices and tariffs, on the other, the urgency of conquering new consumers and defending the cultural dimension of wine globally.