Italian wine export sales touched the €8 billion mark, reaching €7.9 billion in value in 2022 (+9.8 percent compared to 2021) despite substantial stability in volume sales (22 million hectoliters, -0.6 percent).
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According to the analysis of the Observatory of Unione Italiana Vini, Ismea, and Vinitaly, the market has also withstood inevitable price increases. However, escalating production costs have eroded the supply chain’s profit margins considerably, especially for entry-level and popular products (up to 6 euros per liter). The end result, all things considered, is undoubtedly positive for one of the Italian F&B sectors with the most virtuous trade balance, which closed 2022 in surplus by more than 7.3 billion euros.
Among competitors, France is confirmed as the world leader with export sales of 12.3 billion euros (+11% value and -5% volume compared to 2021), while Italy maintains its position as the leading supplier in terms of volume, and second in value ahead of Spain (2.98 billion euros).
TOP MARKETS
In 2022 export sales of Italian wine increased in all major markets, starting with the United States (+10%), which remains the first market with a 23% share. The top buyers were followed by Germany (15% share), where sales increased by +5% to €1.2 billion; then the UK (+10%), Canada (+11%), Switzerland (+3%), and France (+25%).
Volume sales, however, were down or stationary in all major markets (US -6%, Germany -2%, UK -4%). Notable exception for France (+16%, thanks to the mighty growth of Prosecco: +20%).
TOP-RATED ITALIAN WINES
As for the types of Italian wine most appreciated abroad, the boom in sales of sparkling wines continues (+19% in value, Prosecco at +22%, with +6% growth in volume). In contrast, sales of bottled still wines were stationary or declining (-3% by volume), with exports of red wines at -4% by volume and +4% by value, compared with +12% for whites. Within red wines, however, sales of premium wines are growing. This is particularly true for wines from Piedmont (+9%), Veneto (+4%), and Tuscany (+6%).