ITALIAN WINE IS IN GOOD HEALTH: DESPITE THE CRISIS, +7% TURNOVER IN 2011 (COMPARED TO 2010), MOSTLY THANKS TO EXPORTS. CANTINE RIUNITE & CIV TOP FOR SALES, ANTINORI TOP FOR PROFIT. "THE WORLD" SURVEY BY ANNA DI MARTINO

It’s not all sunshine and roses, but the Italian wine sector is one of the healthiest Made in Italy products. Despite the continuing global economic crisis, its turnover increased by 7% in 2011 compared to 2010 mainly thanks to exports: +4.4% in Italy, +10.6% over the border. These are the results of the journalist Anna Di Martino’s survey published in "The World", the weekly business journal of the RCS group, of which we can anticipate some of the salient points.

It’s a reliable picture, since the ranking consisted of a sample of 77 companies with a turnover exceeding 10 million euros in 2011, representing 40% of the turnover of the sector, and 50% of exports (2.198 billion euros out of the 4.4 billion total). The interviews, says the journalist Anna Di Martino, "reflect a major change of approach: wineries that earn a lot are no longer afraid to say so, because they are aware (and want to make it clear also to consumers) that the profits a business makes are not so much to get rich but rather to invest in the company, with long payback times - even up to 20 years for the new sustainable vineyards, for example. And there are also companies who sacrifice margins and turnover to support the brand or to improve the distribution network, which is one of the critical points of the sector. If they are properly structured and managed, especially abroad, they are also a major barrier to market fluctuations. Wineries that work, that belong to entrepreneurs do not "drain" money from the market, they reinvest it”.
Which wineries are leaders in turnover? First place on "The World’s" "top 10” is Cantine Riunite & Civ, 500 million euros (+11.8% on 2010), followed by Caviro, 171.1 (less 9%), then Cavit, 151.6 million (+11.4%). In 4th place, Fratelli Martini, 150 million (+8.7%), at number 5, Mezzacorona, 148.6 million (+2%), 6th place for Antinori, 145 million (10.1%). Then, Campari Group, 133.3 million euros (+1.1%), Zonin, 126 million (+19%), Giordano Vini, 118.3 million (less 4.6%), and Enoitalia, 95 million (+ 21.3%).
Overall, therefore, 2012 prospects are positive, although one of the major concerns is the rising cost of raw materials that reached up to 30% in 2011. The final price of the bottle has increased on average 5% since the beginning of the year, countered by a 2% drop in consumption in Italy. Italian wine is getting around, but we cannot sit on our laurels.

Focus - Wineries with the best "margins" in 2011

Sales volumes are certainly important, but so are and maybe even more so, returns on investments. From this point of view, according to the "The World" survey on the reality of Italian wine, the best EBITDA in 2011 was Antinori, at 40%, followed by Fratelli Lunelli (Cantine Ferrari) 35%, and Masi Agricola, 31.6%. At the bottom of the podium, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi 29%, Santa Margherita 28.3%, Cusumano 26%, Planeta 24% and Donnafugata 23.5%. And then, Barone Ricasoli 22.2%, Allegrini 21%, Ruffino 20.7%, Guido Berlucchi 20.5% and Argiolas to 20%.