USA, wine imports reversed in the first three months of 2019: values decrease, volumes increase

Amidst commercial tensions and threats of more duties, 2019 wine imports in the US, the world's number one market, have started out with a significant decrease in value, -3.4% (down to 1.42 billion dollars), and a slight growth in volume, + 1.6% (3.07 million hectoliters). The average price of imported wines dropped quite a bit, from 5.4 US dollars per liter in 2008, to the current 4.7 US dollars per liter. These are the results of data from the US Department of Commerce relating to the first quarter of 2019 analyzed by the foreign commerce institute, ICE, in New York. Italy is following the same trend, although it is doing better than the market average because the loss in value was -1.6%, to 463 million US dollars, while instead it has registered a significant growth in volume, +8.1%, reaching 0.86 million hectoliters, for an average price per liter of 5.4 US dollars.
In further detail, Italian red wines, at more than 165 million US dollars, have bettered the white wine sector, which traditionally and in recent years has been the majority leader. The tumble in value (-2.5%) corresponded to a growth in quantity (+ 4.7%). Italy is the leading supplier and has a market share of 33.4%, followed by France, at 29.9%. White wines, at over 151 million dollars, plunged significantly in value (-5.9%), but grew in quantity (+4.5%). Italy is the leading supplier also here and holds a share of 39.1%, followed by New Zealand, which beats France, at 21.7%.
The sector of sparkling and effervescent wines continues to be dynamic, representing over a fifth of our exports to the USA, totaling about 105 million US dollars. Growth has been significant both in value (+ 9.8%) and in quantity (+ 20%). Italy is the second supplier after France and has a market share of 42.3%, marking only a 5-point difference.
The sector of rosé wines toppled in value (-7.4%), while instead it increased in volumes (+ 8.4%). Italy is the second supplier after France but significantly distant (market shares are 81.8% and 7.4% respectively).

In the general picture, Italy’s wine performance in the USA has seen a continuous growth of sparkling wines (+ 7.7% in value and + 18% in quantity), while red wines have fallen (4.1% in value and -3.9% in quantity), and instead white wines have grown only in volume (-3.7% in value and + 3.1% in quantity). After the unbridled growth in the last two years, rosé wines quantities have also decreased (-4.7% in value and -0.4% in quantity).

In general, ICE underlines, Italy is the leading supplier in value and has a market share of 32.5%, followed by France at 31.1%. In third place New Zealand (market share 8.2% and a significant decrease in value, -11.6%), while Spain ranks fourth (6.4% share and growth in value, +3.7%). Australia is in fifth place (6% share and a considerable decrease in value, -12.3%). Argentina has shown a negative performance in values ??(-5%) and so has Chile (-18%).
As far as quantity goes, Italy is the leading supplier and has a market share of 28%, followed by France (13.6%), Australia (12%), Chile (11.1%) and Canada (10.7 %).