The 21 Italian wineries worth over 100 million euros in turnover

The 21 wineries in Italy that had turnovers of more than 100 million euros in 2019, represent the top of journalist Anna Di Martino’s annual 100 major Italian wineries, published in the newspaper “Corriere della Sera - Economy”, and analyzed in depth by WineNews. Total turnover in 2019 was 3.85 billion euros, 2.6 billion from exports and 1.37 billion in bottles produced. Many wineries confirmed their positions and the general trend in growth, including sensational peaks and some slight decreases. The top private brands are Marchesi Antinori, Casa Vinicola Botter Carlo, Fratelli Martini, Zonin 1821, Enoitalia, Santa Margherita, Italian Wine Brands, Gruppo Ruffino, Marchesi Frescobaldi, Mondodelvino Group, Schenk Italian Wineries and Gruppo Lunelli. In the wine cooperative world, Cantine Riunite, Caviro, Cavit, Mezzacorona, La Marca, Cantina di Soave, Terre Cevico, Collis Veneto Wine Group and Gruppo Vivo Cantine. Let’s take a look at how the major Italian wine companies performed in numbers, in 2019, starting with the private brands. Marchesi Antinori is still the number one private market company boasting a turnover of 222.7 million euros (+4.2%) in the core wine business only. The Tuscan brand turnover reached 246 million euros, including the restaurant business and Biserno, a wine company in partnership with Ludovico Antinori. Total turnover would have been even higher if the company had not practically depleted its wine availability. It must be noted that turnover is based on a production of 22.7 million bottles, reflecting the value of its wines.
Casa Vinicola Botter Carlo registered 217 million euros in turnover (+11.2%). The Veneto-based company owned by the Botter family is in 4th place, gaining four positions within two years, and is today the number two private company in the Italian wine industry. The Botter company works mainly abroad, and is one of the most dynamic and attractive players on the market. Their capital includes 22.5% share in the Idea Taste of Italy (De Agostini Group) and it is not a mystery that the private equity fund Clessidra (Italmobiliare) is very interested, nor that the company is looking to further growth through acquisitions and landing on the stock exchange in the medium term.
Fratelli Martini, the big Piedmont company, has been running fast for years and is now firmly in fifth place, at 210 million euros. Its advertising on TV is very impressive, and makes Martini one of the biggest big spenders in the sector. The just as impressive investment for its production site was completed in 2019 (new plant, new wineries for sparkling and still wines), for a total commitment of 35 million euros in five years.
Zonin 1821 is in sixth place, and closed its first fiscal year at 205 million euros in turnover together with 21 Investimenti di Alessandro Benetton, who owns 36% of the capital. It has been confirmed a large production company counting almost 2.000 hectares of vineyards, the largest wine-growing property, after Antinori.
Enoitalia, the largest bottler in Italy, sold 109 million bottles in 2019, and climbed up two positions to take seventh position at 199.3 million euros in turnover.
Santa Margherita has gone up one place in the ranking, and is now in the number nine spot, at 189.4 million in sales, boasting growth of +6.78%. The Venetian group owned by the Marzotto brothers is going very strong in the US, Canada and Australia and has just elected a new CEO, Beniamino Garofalo.
Italian Wine Brands, the company listed on the Italian stock exchange, AIM, following a year of consolidation, stepped on the gas pedal and registered an increase touching 12%, which is one the most brilliant, bringing their turnover to 167.7 million euros (11th place) .
Ruffino Group, which belongs to the American Constellation Brands, gets the gold medal for the biggest increase in turnover in the “club”. The company’s performance yielded an increase reaching +21%, meaning they jumped up three positions and are in 14th place, at 133.2 million euros. This is an amazing feat, mainly due to the contribution of the Ruffino Ducal Farms of San Donà del Piave, which count 144 hectares of Prosecco DOC and Pinot Grigio the Botter family purchased in the Veneto Region just over a year ago. Today the group's Prosecco is number one in Canada, where they are showing 20% increases.
Marchesi Frescobaldi is in position 16, owners of a large wine estate and one of the top Made in Italy players on international markets. The Tuscan maison has repeated its growth results in 2018, reaching 126.5 million euros in sales, and growing + 5.8%.
Mondodelvino Group takes 17th place, at 111.2 million euros. This groups operates in Piedmont, Romagna and Sicily (and has foreign holdings as well), and has continued its regular growth (+2.4%) focusing heavily on exports and on a trustworthy relationship with its consumers, through innovative initiatives (the interactive museum, multi-channel platforms). One of its more important successes is entering the Elite circuit of the London Stock Exchange Group.
Schenk Italian Wineries registered 111.2 million euros in turnover and 18th place for the Italian branch of the Swiss group of the same name. It reversed last year’s drop with an above-average growth of +8.19%.
Gruppo Lunelli is one of the most consistent players in the sector, and completes the private sector of this exclusive club, at 106.9 million euros in turnover, growing +5.77% compared to 2018. The Trentino-based maison has returned to record growth results due to its Ferrari bubbles and Bisol in the on market channel, which today is completely locked down because of the pandemic crisis.
There is no big news in the cooperative wine sector, which is in the over 100 million club counts 9 companies, and reigns supreme on the Italian market, occupying both first and second places. In first place, and absolutely unreachable, there is the Emilian fortress, Cantine Riunite, at a consolidated 623.9 million euros, and the brightest light is its holding GIV, by far the largest single player on the Italian market, counting 10 wineries in the peninsula.
Caviro takes second place, at 230.2 million euros in turnover in just the wine section. This great consortium in Romagna alone represents more than 10% of the national grape production and has a much more substantial consolidated turnover, equal to 328.8 million euros, including businesses in the energy and distillery sectors.
Trentino Cavit Consortium has registered a turnover of 191.4 million euros (eighth position), and is preparing to climb the ranking next year, following the purchase of three branches of the former LA VIS GROUP (Cesarini Sforza, Casa Girelli and GLV), concluded in December 2019. Trentino Consortium Mezzacorona is in tenth place at186.6 million euros, and to complete this ranking, there La Marca wines and sparkling wines is number 12, at 140.8 million; Cantina di Soave 13th place at 136 million; Terre Cevico is 15th at 132.5 million and finally, Collis Veneto Wine Group and the Vivo Cantine Group are in 19th and 20th positions, and turnover of 109 and 107 million respectively. Vivo Cantine joined the club last year and has reached +5.5% increase in turnover, the largest growth of the cooperative wineries.