Wine, in 2021 bottling and State seals are growing in the top Italian denominations

The Italian wine market seems to be back on top again and actively operating, mainly due to the fact that the measures imposed to fight the Pandemic have been eased, and the catering sector is restarting after having to struggle during the last very challenging year and a half. WineNews has recorded the sentiment of Italian wine shops, and export data for the first quarter of 2021, which both speak of recovery compared to the same period in 2020 (that started out booming until the Pandemic hit and closed the sector down), as well as registering numbers in line with 2019. The data on bottling and State seals that we have collected among the Consortiums of some of the top Italian denominations also confirm this trend. Obviously, parameters are different depending on regulations and the market dynamics of the various wines, but they all indicate that orders are restarting, too.
Plus, some of the territories are declaring their best numbers yet. The total amount of bottled wines of the 13 denominations protected by the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato, chaired by Filippo Mobrici, registered an increase of 5% in the first 5 months of 2021 (compared to the same period in 2020). The Consortium, led by Mobrici, has stated that this is the highest number in the last four years, registering increases of 1.4% for Barbera d'Asti, the pillar of the territory, and even + 32.5% for Nizza, the top quality wine of the Barbera system. Things are going very well also in Langhe, where the total amount in bottling, up to May, grew +19.7%, according to data from the Consortium of Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani, led by Matteo Ascheri. And there were peaks of +27% for Barolo, +28% for Barbaresco and +26% for Langhe Nebbiolo. Valpolicella is also soaring, as they have registered +18% overall, in bottling, compared to the same period last year (and +14% compared to 2019). Amarone, on the other hand, peaked at +38%, the best figure in a decade, underlined the Consorzio Vini Valpolicella, chaired by Christian Marchesini.
As far as fine red wines are concerned, Brunello di Montalcino continues to soar. According to data from the Consortium led by Fabrizio Bindocci, State seals delivered to wine producers were up +49% in the first 5 months of 2021 compared to 2020 (but also compared to the average over the last three years, noting a peak of + 91% from May to May). Chianti Classico also did well, and the Consortium headed by Giovanni Manetti registered + 31%, in terms of State seals delivered. The trend in Bolgheri is positive, too, as bottling, according to the Consortium led by Albiera Antinori, is up by +2.2%. The situation for the largest appellation in Tuscany, Chianti, is also positive. The Consortium led by Giovanni Busi, registered +9% growth in sales, (data referred to the first 4 months of 2021 compared to 2020, ed.). Among the great Italian denominations of red wines, DOC Sicilia closed on a positive sign, and data from the Consorzio DOC Sicilia, led by Antonio Rallo, marked + 6% growth in bottling. The same growth is in line with numbers of the Consorzio Vini Alto Adige, led by Andreas Kofler, which registered + 6.4% growth in bottling.
Furthermore, there are also positive data from some of the most important purely white Italian denominations. For instance, in the first 5 months of 2021, bottling grew +12% for Soave, according to the Consortium chaired by Sandro Gini, while the Marchigiano Tutela Vini Institute led by Alberto Mazzoni, announced that Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, grew + 7%. Collio, the white pearl of Friuli Venezia Giulia, also did very well, closing the first 5 months of 2021 in bottling with +15%. Lugana, instead, of the Consortium led by Ettore Nicoletto, registered +18.8% increase in bottling (in the first 4 months of 2021 compared to 2020).
In regard to bubbles, the Prosecco locomotive is running very well. The State seals of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, according to data from the Consortium led by Innocente Nardi, marked +5.2% increase, while those of Prosecco DOC, explained the Consortium chaired by Stefano Zanette, recorded an even higher growth - around +18%, thanks to the success of the new rosé typology. Regarding the great Classic Methods, +48% in sales really stands out (in the first 4 months) reported by the Franciacorta Consortium, led by Silvano Brescianini. Signs of restarting the wine market seem to be taking on more and more substance, month by month. So, looking at the summer that was already very positive in 2020, we are hoping that the upcoming one will really mark the definitive exit from the Pandemic tunnel.