In the suffering wine market, whites go against the trend. Like the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie

If red wines suffer the most in a market that is generally not glitzy, those who fare better, in addition to the by-now classic bubbles, are white wines. And, in particular, those that are fresher, lighter, and less alcoholic, as today’s consumers demand. A trend that has been underway for some time now, as described here, in which the growth of Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Doc fits perfectly, one of Italy’s largest and most important denominations, with a trend in bottlings that marks +10% over the same period in 2022 in the first half of 2023. It was June, in particular, that marked the best performance of a six-month period that was always positive in 2022, propelling the denomination, which bottled 38% more Pinot Grigio Doc in the same month of 2022, for a total of 898,951 hectoliters since the beginning of the year. Foreign bottlers – led by the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany - have, in fact, taken charge of over 100,000 hectoliters since January, of which 22,621 hectoliters in June. Certifications are also doing well, with a reassuring +4% over the first half of 2022 to predict continuity in the coming months in the period January-June 2023, despite a slight slowdown at the end of spring.
As a result, the interregional Doc, which brings together the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie production chain operators from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino, and Veneto, is keeping its foot firmly on the accelerator. A positive moment confirmed by availability data, which guarantees product bottles in stock - almost entirely 2022 - until the end of the year, at an average of slightly less than 150,000 hectoliters/month. With the exception of imbalances or unexpected reclassifications by other denominations, the next vintage is expected to be a positive passing of the baton, making up almost entirely of the new availability.
“It has been confirmed that our Doc represents a valid support for all companies and producers in terms of international positioning, quality, and, most importantly, a guarantee of system balance for the Northeast wine-growing chain”, says Albino Armani, president of the Consortium. “We are witnessing day after day the process of recognition of the Denomination of the Venezie, he adds, which has been achieved in the first instance thanks to the dynamism of our domestic and foreign bottlers, as well as the trust of all national and international operators who continue to believe and invest in the intrinsic values of the territory, certification, and traceability that define our Pinot Grigio Doc. No less important is the role of large-scale distribution and thus of global consumer choice, capable of appreciating the product and its characteristics of versatility and simplicity that distinguish it from other world productions of this variety. Behind the scenes, a Consortium and a Board of Directors that carry out constant monitoring and management activities: the reclassification of the stored product from the 2022 production season has been approved, a measure that aims to support the economic value of the Doc, the mercurials of the Chambers of Commerce show a trend of stability in value that has lasted for the past two years”.
It is therefore critical to continue collaborating with the other Triveneto Denominations for a broad and shared availability planning policy; a dialogue moderated for years by the Consortium delle Venezie which, together with the other territorial consortiums, undertakes to maintain a high level of quality and to guarantee system balance through common supply management strategies; The usual pre-harvest meeting of the major Pinot Grigio denominations from the Northeast is scheduled for the end of July. Finally, the adoption by the Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia Regions of the measures relating to the now upcoming 2023 production season is being published, which sees the management of the production yield per hectare and administrative storage confirmed, as for 2022, which translates into a maximum permitted production of 160 quintals per hectare with 30 quintals per hectare stored, excluding organic products and Sqnpi sustainable productions for possible diversified management at the time of their release.