RECORD GROWTH FOR MADE IN ITALY WINES ABROAD (+7%): IMPORTS MORE THAN DOUBLE TO CHINA (+115%) AND BOOM IN THE UNITED STATES (+9%)

A record growth of 7% has been registered in export values for made in Italy wines around the world. A boom in the United States (+9%), makes it the top market for national production, as well as significant success registered in the important emerging Chinese market, where imports have more than doubled (+115%).
This is what has emerged from an analysis by Coldiretti based on Istat data regarding foreign commerce in the first five months of 2006, and from which is also evidenced new and significant opportunities for growth for Made in Italy wines thanks to a 2006 harvest that has been estimated will reach 51.5 million hectoliters of wine and musts. This is an increase of about 2% compared to last year’s harvest, and according to the Assoenologi forecasts, quality is set to be high again as well, Production seems to confirm an equilibrium between red, rosé, and white wines, with a slight prevalence for reds. Almost two thirds of production is in the Veneto, Puglia, Emilia Romagna and Sicily regions, and 60% of wine will fall under 453 denominations of origin certifications (Docg, Doc, and Igt). This is a unique patrimony of high quality that has allowed Italy to become the primary wine exporter in the world, reaping almost one quarter of earnings worldwide.
And while EU countries absorb almost half of the exports (with Germany in the lead), and are also registering an increase in consumption of 2%, it is the growth in request from the United States that marked the real boom for Made in Italy wines (+9%) and is the reason why Italy has moved ahead of Australia and France. Interesting results as well on emerging markets like India (+70%) and China (+115%), where prospects look good (even if consumption is still marginal) and offer big opportunities for growth because Italian wine is a sort of status symbol for emerging classes that request medium-high level products. And in China, apart from the country’s huge divide between rich and poor, there are currently 300 million people with buying capacity, thus making it important to work on changing the data that claim the average Chinese citizen drinks only 0.3 liters of wine per year, making up only 1% of total alcoholic beverages consumed, far surpassed by the enormous consumption of beer.
The results for 2006 demonstrate new and important opportunities for the growth of made in Italy wines, which last year reached record earnings of 9 billion euros, 3 of which from exports, and which could now also benefit from the positive image conquered by Italy with its World Cup victory. This is an economic patrimony and positive image for national enterprises that must be defended in the face of unfair competition and imitation products, that prosper with the lack of transparency in information in regards to ageing processes and the techniques used, as is the case with the use of wood chips as a substitute for oak barrels. Without the use of transparent labeling consumers can easily be fooled and products that are committed to using the traditional techniques of ageing wine in wood are thus damaged.