Autochthonous in Italy, “national” in the USA, sustainable in Germany: consumers’ favorite wines

Between the threat of US duties that frightens producers in Italy and Europe, the Brexit that is now certain, but all to be clarified, and a European and Chinese economy that is no longer flourishing as before, making economic estimates on the evolution of the wine industry is more complex than ever. Crystal ball stuff, or almost. More plausible, perhaps, to investigate the preferences of the consumer who, despite changes in the economic scenario, go their own way, influenced, perhaps, by other factors, such as trends, current affairs and, last but not least, the “simple” taste. And so, in this exercise, Nomisma, with its Wine Monitor, directed by Denis Pantini, asked consumers in Italy, which remains the first absolute wine market in Italy, the USA and Germany, primary international markets and fundamental in terms of value and volume for the wineries of the Belpaese, what will be the types of wine whose consumption will grow more. With substantial differences, but a fact that, looking at the two foreign markets, can only increase the concern of producers, namely the substantial preference for wines produced in their respective homelands. In both countries, two macro-categories that are universally recognized as the strengths of Italian wine are not at the very top of the list: the native grape varieties and sparkling wines.
In the Italy of a thousand grape varieties and territories, according to consumers, wines from native grape varieties (20.3%), followed by organic wines (16.4%), sparkling wines (13%), sustainable wines (12.8%) and wines from specific territories (12.6%) will be on the crest of the wave over the next three years.
In the USA, on the other hand, President Donald Trump’s motto “America first” seems to have convinced wine consumers, given that, according to those surveyed, the wines that will grow most in consumption will be “domestic wines” (15.7%), ahead of organic wines (14.7%) and sustainable wines (10.3%). Wines from autochthonous grape varieties will be further away, with 8.6%, and sparkling wines, with 7.3%.
In Germany, on the other hand, sustainable wines (14.9%) are at the top of the “future preferences”, ahead of national wines (14.7%) and organic wines (13.6). Also among Germans, categories such as wines from native grape varieties (12.9%) and sparkling wines (5.8%), close the ranking.
“It’s interesting to note that for Italians sustainable wines are still something “indefinite” unlike the Germans and Americans - comments Pantini - while sparkling wines don’t seem to have finished their run yet. More worrying, instead, the “nationalist rediscovery” towards their wines of Germans and Americans, in a moment of duties and economic slowdown like the current one ...”.