The latest Ismea Qualivita Report of 2022 highlights the exceptional performance of Italian wine, with bottled production reaching close to 27 million hectoliters, representing a remarkable 10.9% year-on-year growth.
Exports also soared to 6.29 billion euros in 2021, indicating an impressive 13.0% growth in just one year. The driving force behind this success is led by the prominent denominations, with Prosecco Pdo, Conegliano Valdobbiadene – Prosecco Pdo, and Delle Venezie Pdo securing the top three positions in Italy.
THE FAVORITE SPARKLING WINE
Prosecco stood out as the preferred choice, with 7 out of 10 bottles sold in Italy originating from the two Docgs (Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Asolo) and the Pdo, covering five provinces of Veneto and four of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italian Wine Union-Ismea Observatory). The Prosecco Doc Consortium reported a record-breaking 638.5 million bottles sold in 2022, witnessing a 1.8% increase in production volumes over 2021 and a significant 11.5% increase in values.
The United States emerged as the leading market for Prosecco, importing 134 million bottles and experiencing a 5.8% growth. Other top buying countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany, also demonstrated strong growth rates. Additionally, France secured the fourth position, with particularly significant increases of 19% in volume and 30% in value. The USA continues to be the reference market for Amarone as well, surpassing other top buying countries such as Canada and Switzerland, which nevertheless saw growth of 16% and 2%, respectively. Despite a drop in volumes (-7.2%), sales values in Italy and the world for 2022 continued to grow.
CONSOLIDATE THE GROWTH
The President of the Consortium for the Protection of Valpolicella Wines, Christian Marchesini, expressed optimism about 2022, stating that it will serve to consolidate growth with significant results. The trend is further supported by a 12% increase in bottlings compared to pre-Covid levels (2019), with over 17 million bottles placed on the market.
Moving to the great white wines of the Veneto Region, Pdo delle Venezie continues to be highly appreciated and in demand on international markets, with nearly all of its bottled wine (around 96%) being exported. In the first quarter of 2023, the bottling trend saw a 3% year-on-year increase, with 1.7 million more bottles. Notably, March stood out, with 148,400 hectoliters of Pinot grigio delle Venezie Pdo bottled – almost entirely from the last production season (94%) – representing a 6% increase compared to the same month in 2022. Certifications also performed well, showing an 8% increase in the first three months of last year.