Italian wine exports are growing despite the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first two months of 2020 a new sales record was set, even though April’s figures are among the worst ever. This is confirmed by the latest Vinitaly – Nomisma Wine Monitor data. Considering the 10 top importer countries, sales of Italian wines increased by +5.1% over the same period of 2019. All this thanks to the excellent performance in the USA (+10.8%, and +40% in the first 2 months of 2020), and Canada (+7.1%). French wine sales, on the other hand, fell (-10.1%) both in the East and in the West.
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Last April Italian wine sales decreased in all the markets considered, except Canada, Russia, and South Korea. In fact, exports ranged from -5.2% in Japan to -12.5% in the USA (+6.8% for sparkling wines), from -26% in Switzerland to -48% in China, for an overall drop of -7.2% (compared to -22.2% for French wines).
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OUTLOOK FOR THE COMING MONTHS
According to Nomisma Observatory, in the coming months the exports crisis will continue to weigh heavily, due to a lower demand and to the disposal of unsold wine in restaurants and importers’ warehouses. Without considering the trend of EU market demand in April, which promises to be more markedly negative.
WINE IMPORTS IN THE TOP MARKETS (change in values 1st quarter, 2020 vs 2019)
| Country | World imports | Imports from Italy |
| USA | +1.8% | +19.1% |
| UK | -11.5% | -20.2% |
| China | -18.6% | -12.1% |
| Germany | -6.6% | +1% |
| Canada | +3.2% | +0.7% |
| Japan | +2.7% | -2.2% |
| Switzerland | -10.6% | +2% |
| Russia | -1.6% | -3.1% |
| France | -14.3% | -1.5% |
| Norway | +2.6% | -8.4% |
In the meantime, however, Italy is gaining market shares in almost all importing countries. Significant increases were recorded in Switzerland (from 33.1% to 37.7%) and in the USA (from 31.4% to 34.2%) where from March to the beginning of May sales in the off-trade rose by 31%. This is particularly true in the medium-price segment (11-20 dollars), where Italy is very competitive.
THE LOCKDOWN EFFECT: WINE IMPORTS IN MARCH (change in values, March 2020 vs 2019)
| Country | World imports | Imports from Italy |
| USA | -21.9% | -18% |
| UK | -16.1% | -22.6% |
| Germany | -18% | -11.9% |
| Canada | -3.8% | -0.5% |
| China | -14.9% | +2.5% |
| Switzerland | -10.1% | +3.7% |
| Japan | +3.8% | -3.8% |
| Russia | +6.1% | +8.7% |
| France | -17.2% | -5.1% |
| Norway | +6.8% | -5.8% |
THE FUTURE OF ITALIAN WINE ON GLOBAL MARKETS
According to the Director General of VeronaFiere, Giovanni Mantovani, “this is a decisive moment for the future of Italian wine. The global crisis requires important choices to be made that will also affect the long term. This is why Vinitaly has multiplied its observation points. In the months leading up to the Wine2Wine Exhibition&Forum in November it will lead companies and institutions on a shared, multi-channel reading of the market dynamics of our wine in the world.”