cellars, wines and general trends in Italian wine.
Wine Report of September 13, 2025
Italian wineries
- Strategic Moves – Several cooperatives and family businesses are rethinking their business models in light of declining consumption and price pressures. There is a growing focus on diversification, with expansion into hospitality and experiential tourism.
- New memberships in protection consortia – Wineries from Oltrepò and Campania aim to strengthen their collective identity, taking a cue from historic clubs (such as Buttafuoco Storico) that have successfully built shared value.
- Sustainability Investments – Projects related to renewable energy and regenerative agriculture are starting to impact budgets: no longer “ethical choices” but competitive levers.
Italian wines
- Sparkling wines increasingly central – Bubbles confirm their resilience, both in large-scale retail trade and in exports: many regions are experimenting with native grape varieties.
- Minor Grape Varieties Being Rediscovered – From Pallagrello Nero to Magliocco, the desire to differentiate oneself on international markets by showcasing typicality and territorial narrative is growing.
- Awards – Italy consolidates its presence in the 2026 guides (Slow Wine, Gambero Rosso forthcoming), with a particular focus on Sardinia, Calabria, and emerging areas of the South.
Trend of Italian wine
- Exports in precarious balance – Following ISTAT data for the first half of the year (-0.4% in value, -3.1% in volume), consortium analyses indicate that the second half of the year will be crucial in determining whether exports will hold up in 2025.
- Domestic consumption – The domestic market continues to show contractions in volumes, partially offset by the slight increase in values (inflation and premiumization effects).
- Key markets – USA and Canada remain in positive territory; Europe struggles with Germany and the UK, Asia slows; Russia declines sharply.
- Industry Reflection – More and more voices, from Slow Food to consortia, are calling for the need to reduce overproduction and focus on quality and agroecology.
Summary of September 13, 2025 : Italian wineries are undergoing a reorganization phase, amid economic pressures and the search for new avenues for growth. Native wines and sparkling wines remain the strongest assets, but the challenge remains balancing production, declining domestic consumption, and struggling exports.