“Grandi Langhe”: quality and variety, the strength of Italian wine in the world, according to buyers

These are certainly not easy years for the world wine market, with consumption declining just about everywhere, amid difficulties in the economies of many important countries, growing healthiness, international tensions, climate change and more. Italy, however, on the whole seems to be holding up, and if in 2023 exports touched 7.7 billion euros, things may have been even better in 2024, as Istat data for the first 10 months speak of +5.6% growth over the same period in 2023. But from the different markets, from the U.S. to the U.K., from Canada to Northern Europe, via Mexico and Asia, come different sentiments, and not too negative ones. At least according to the many buyers from around the world, met by WineNews, at “Grandi Langhe” 2025, in recent days, in Turin, an event signed by the Consortium of Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani and that of Roero, in collaboration with Piemonte Land, which brought together under one roof most of the appellations of that Piedmont which, along with the Veneto and Tuscany, is firmly among the top three regions for export values, thanks to the blazon of its great wines. But behind which other Italian realities are also emerging, especially (but not only) from Southern Italy, which, in many mature markets, represent stimulating curiosities for the most passionate and historical consumers, but also interesting “first contact” wines with Italian production (also thanks to more advantageous prices) for those who are beginning to approach wine today. As told, in extreme synthesis (full video here), the reflections of Brian Larky (Dalla Terra) and James Bube (Master Sommelier) from the U.S., Loic Monti (Valmonti) from Canada, Penelope Edwards (Cellar Door Wines) from the U.K., and again, from Northern European markets, Niklas Bergqvist (Restaurangakademien) and Michael Mobach (Spring Wine & Spirits) from Sweden, Heidi Makinen (Vinitie - Finland), Marius Sobye (Nebbiolo Wines - Norway) and Eliana Napoli (KB Vin A/S - Denmark), while from Asia come the testimonies of Alan Kwok (Italian Wine Ambassador - Hong Kong), Le Hoang Khanh Vi (Vsa - Vietnam) and Stephanie Lee (Leading brands wine & spirits - Taiwan), with a Latin touch, from South America, signed by Giovanni Orlotti Macias (Importadora Y Exportadora Orfe, Mexico).
“In the US there is a huge market for Italian wine. Americans love Italy, for fashion, cinema, food and of course for wine, there is a great love story between Italy and America, a love that is growing more and more. And Piedmont wines are among the most desired and attractive wines for the American consumer”, comments from the United States Brian Larky, of Dalla Terra.
“I come from Chicago, and I think Italian wine has always been very important here, it will never disappear, at least in our area”, adds Master Sommelier James Bube again from the States. Who adds, “The demand for Piedmontese wines is really exceptional for us. Our customers really seem to like not only the more famous appellations, like Barolo and Barbaresco, but we also sell a lot of Barbera, which is really exciting and fun. And then talking about wines like Dolcetto and Pelaverga, as much as we can find them, has been really interesting. I think there is a lot of quality and diversity in this region”.
Staying in North America, from Canada comes the view of Loic Monti of Valmonti. “A general Italian wine continues to do very well in our market. However, things are slower than in the past for all wines, whether French, Italian or from any other country. This slowdown is related to the economic situation and new market trends, such as less alcohol consumption. In Quebec, which is my market, so in the French part of Canada, Tuscany dominates, but now Piedmont is getting closer and closer, certainly there is a big market for Nebbiolo, for Barolo and Barbaresco, but also for a variety of wines that are coming in such as white wines Timorasso or Gavi, but also varieties like Grignolino d'Asti, or Dolcetto di Dogliani”.
In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, explains Penelope Edwards of Cellar Door Wines, much of the success of Italian wine is also linked to the tourism of British people to Italy. “From England many people vacation in Italy, there are many connections. Particularly with Tuscany and Sicily. Piedmont has iconic wines like Barolo and Barbaresco, but it is also gaining ground as a good wine area for everyday wines, with large volumes. For example, I find Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo di Alba very interesting, wines that people can drink more regularly. I sell a lot of Primitivo from Puglia, which is a great grape variety but I would also like to differentiate and, still looking at Piedmont, introduce wines that are easier to drink like Dolcetto, Barbera, and also white wines like Favorita and Nascetta”.
Interesting signs, however, are also coming from Northern European markets. Such as Sweden, as Michael Mobac of Spring Wine & Spirits, a leading on-trade company and a major supplier to the monopoly Systembolaget, explains. “In Sweden, Italian wine has been a big success. Italy represents more or less 40-45% of the market in Sweden, and is the largest wine-producing country in our market. However, the focus is mainly on red wines, which make 80% of the volumes. Tuscany is very popular, but in the last 10 years, Piedmont has become one of the fastest growing wine regions in terms of Italian wine, but also in comparison to the whole market in Sweden”.
“I think we are in a situation where the economy is quite difficult. I think a lot of people are perhaps trying to save a little bit on what they buy”, adds Niklas Bergqvist of Restaurangakademien, “but I think Piedmont is in a very good position in Sweden. Italian wines are the dominant wines in the market, but of course a big part of what is sold are lower-priced Southern Italian wines, and a lot of Bag-in-Box packaging and the like. But I think particularly when it comes to the high end, Piedmont is very strong. There is a lot of interest, particularly in Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo, and so on”.
From Finland, however, comes the account of Vinitie's Master of Wine Heidi Makinen: “Italy is very interesting to many Finns. Of course, when we think of Italy, the wonderful Italian culinary scene comes to mind. There are also many Italian restaurants in Finland, as there are in other parts of the world. In general, Italy is a very interesting origin for the wines we drink. In the past, the most popular region was probably Veneto, but nowadays I think Piedmont is definitely growing. We love red wines, although, overall, the style of wine people are drinking is becoming a little lighter, and more and more people are choosing white wines”. From Norway, on the other hand, Marius Sobye of Nebbiolo Wines says, “In Norway, many people love Italian cuisine and love to come to Italy on vacation, so they also love Italian wine, and I think there is an incredible market to conquer, but there are also other countries that are growing, and there is competition. I started working in the wine trade, dealing only with Piedmont wines, around 2011-2012, and the market was very strong. But then, of course, especially among the younger generation, 5-6-7 years ago, there was a transition to more accessible, fruitier wines with a more “juicy” character. So there was a slight decline at that time, but now, in the last few years, I've noticed a big upswing for Piedmont wines in general, as well as for more structured wines like Langhe Nebbiolo, Barolo, Barbaresco. But in general, we like to have more acidity in the wines, because Norwegian food is often quite prone to acidity”.
“It's a very particular period, I would say transitional”, adds Eliana Napoli of KB Vin A/S from Denmark, “we need to get busy and do teamwork, always be on the cutting edge, and find new products. Piedmont is well-established in the Danish and Scandinavian market in general, with Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera, but even the great whites should be discovered a bit more. In general, Italian wine is doing well, in high demand, and always present in both restaurants and supermarkets”.
Looking at Asia, if as we have often reported in recent months China remains the great disappointment (just 71 million euros exported in the first 10 months of 2024, down -8.9% on 2023, Istat data), and Japan the certainty (157 million euros in the same period, +3.6%), there are many smaller markets from which interesting signals are coming. Starting with Hong Kong, explains Italian Wine Ambassador Alan Kwok: “in the market, of course, Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto and Sicily dominate. The possibilities for growth are there, especially for those who will expand their portfolio of offerings, introducing new products to the market in an appropriate way. The market for Italian wines in Hong Kong is growing every year, honestly, because customers want to discover more and more native varieties and venture into different Regions. “Vietnam”, says Le Hoang Khanh Vi of Vsa, Vietnam Sommelier Association, “is not a big market, but we are always talking about very high quality wines that are not readily available. The public is looking for these wines, such as Barolo and Barbaresco, but they want to know more about them. In general, we love Italian wine, from Southern Italy, but also from Valpolicella and Chianti, for example”.
An undiscovered market for Italian wine is Taiwan, explains Stephanie Lee of Leading brands wine & spirits: “here Italy comes after France, Chile, Australia and the United States, so there is a lot of work to be done to raise awareness, not just those from Piedmont, because people don't know how much variety of wines and grape varieties there is”. Finally, a breath of great optimism comes from South America and one of the most interesting emerging markets for Italian wine, such as Mexico, as Giovanni Orlotti Macias of Importadora Y Exportadora Orfe explains, “In our market all the main producing regions are now present, Tuscany, Veneto and Piedmont in the lead. Piedmont has always attracted a lot of attention in the market. Logically, when there are crises, especially the most expensive wines suffer a bit more. But I think 2025 will be a good year, hopefully. After the pandemic there was a great growth, the consumer understood the great diversity behind the Italian product, because before, the interlocutor between the importer and the end customer was the supermarket, which had little supply, or the restaurant. With the pandemic, private customers and online sales grew, and then you kind of realized all the potential that the Italian product had. From there, it kind of created this trail where the consumer who is a little bit more curious, wants different things day after day, and found in Italian wine an endless choice of wines. Italian wine is crazy, the diversity it has is incredible”.