During the end of year holidays they were opened 95 million bottles of Italian sparkling wine. The Made in Italy product shines on the tables of our country, where, between Christmas and New Year’s, sales increased by 1% compared to 2022. This, in a nutshell, is the estimate made by the Coldirettiwhich highlighted how more than eight out of ten Italians – we are talking about 84% – they have not given up on making a toast with sparkling wine at the end of the year.
Coldiretti data are based on asurvey carried out by the Ixè Institute: this research has shown that the increase in demand in Italy and abroad has pushed domestic productionwhich this year is over 970 million bottles. The estimated turnover is almost three billion euros, of which at least two thirds was achieved beyond national borders.
Sparkling wine, the ranking of the most chosen
The Prosecco, without a doubt, leads the classification of our sparkling wine. Prosecco represents 70% of the made in Italy sparkling wine production, making it one of the most important Italian symbols abroad.
Whatever happens, all our local products are growing, from Franciacorta to Asti, from Trento Doc to the smallest productions, which are spreading rapidly along the whole peninsula, from Sicily to Abruzzo. Important productions, in fact, are found in Tuscany, in the Marches, in Lazio and in Umbria. Some examples consist for example Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Oltrepò all’Alta Langa, Moscato, Falanghina, Grechetto, Malvasia, Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Negroamaro, Durello, Vermentino, just to name a few. In 83% of cases they are productions with denomination of origin and in 6% Igt.
To weigh on the production of Italian sparkling wine are increases in direct and indirect production costs. Among these, the expensive energy. Only moles vineyards the increases were equal to 170% for fertilizerswhile in cellars a glass bottle has come to cost 70% more than in 2021.
The costs of caps, cap cages and labels have increased, the cost of which has increased by 35%. Packing cartons cost 45% more.
Made in Italy wins abroad
Italian spumante certainly wins abroad. According to a study carried out by thestatistical office of the European Unionin 2021, the three largest categories of non-EU exports were:
- Prosecco: 43% with 273 million litres;
- Champagne: 15%, 94 million litres;
- Quarry: 10%, 65 million litres.
The main destination areas for sparkling wine in non-EU countries were the United Stateswith 31% of total exports and the United Kingdomwith 28% of the total.
Overall, sparkling wine exports recorded a 29% increase in 2021 compared to 2020, reaching 636 million litres, against the previous 494 million litres. According to the study, the increase “comes after the first year of the pandemic, which significantly dampened the growth of the wine trade as many bars and restaurants were closed completely or partially throughout the year, leading to a 6% decline in the 2020 versus 2019”.