Usa market smiles to Italian wine, but not without difficulties. And, duties seem to be farther

There is no doubt that for Italian wines, the US market is, historically, a guarantee and synonym of solidity. Determining figures state that which express more than a certainty: up to today, according to data by Observatory Federvini, in collaboration with Nomisma, Italian wines exported to the Usa correspond to 29% of total exports for a value of 939 million of euros in the first semester 2024, growing both in value and volume (2.5%) compared to the same period 2023. And, if, as recent Istat data shows, analyzed by WineNews, that in the first 11 months of 2024, abroad expeditions of Italian wines overcame 7.5 billion euros at +5.4% compared to the same period 2023 for 2 billion of liters (+3.3%), the significant weight of the Usa is relevant confirming to be, by far, the first partner market for Italian wineries with a 9% in the first 11 months of the year translating into 1.76 billion of euros in value. But, figures have to be analyzed deeply, and be interpreted. And, this is because, despite it is leading, American market is far from being simple. Italian producers are in front of rules changing from State to State, experience fear, which, at the moment, is only a hypothesis about duties (it is always worth remembering that, while, in the meantime, hopes about the non application arrive), on the contrary, trends and tastes are already in phase of transformation guided by young people who lost their feeling with wine, in a scenario, in which it appears evident how there is a communication problem that wine sector is not capable to cope with in an effective way. And, then, there is the competition with American wineries, with which Italian wine producers share many problems such as the consequences of climate changes, and the difficulties in finding manpower. Many are the themes dealt at Slow Wine Fair 2025, at BolognaFiere, during the conference “Il vino italiano negli Usa: stato dell’arte, aspettative e paure” - “Italian wine in the Usa – status of the art, expectations and fears” where people asked if “the Usa will continue to be the first market for Italian wines”.
Moderated by Roberto Fiori, journalist of “La Stampa” and “Il Gusto”, the meeting saw the alternation of the contributions by Mirella Menglide, International senior trade analyst food & wine at Italian Trade Commission New York (Ice), Giuseppe Lo Cascio, co-founder & managing partner Lucidity Wine, Luca Venturelli, account director Colangelo & Partners, and Alessio Piccardi, founder and CEO Fieramente.
During her speech, Mirella Menglide, International senior trade analyst food & wine at Italian Trade Commission New York (Ice), explained how for Italian wines, Usa market grew in the last year, with 2024 which should close with a growth “by 6% in value and volume. Importers said us that not everyone stocked up in the last months, and this because there is trust that duties will not applied for Italian wine, and agri-food products, even if, at the moment, there is no official nature. But, consumption dropped, people think more about wellness, and, therefore, about consuming less alcohol and fat food. Today, young people don’t drink, particularly Gen Z, and Millennials: maybe, they buy a good bottle a month, or every two weeks, but this does not bring consumption high. They drink less, but better. There is also the matter of legal marijuana which does not bring behind negative comments (for alcoholic, it happens, on the contrary, ed) such that for young people, it seems to be an ideal solution. White wines represent the half of important Italian wines in the Usa, and, moreover, there is the growth of no and low alcohol products to be registered. The phenomenon of premiumization exists, but it doesn’t make consumption take off, and also restaurants are in difficulty with prices. We, as Ice, push towards wine consumption during meals, and not as a particular occasion. What can we do to change course? First of all, know the players on the market; moreover, in the US, the wines of some regions such as Piedmont, Tuscany, and Lazio are known, but not the products of the smaller ones: we should bring them to the Usa to make them know. Anyway, investments in the American market are needed, and the contribution by producers can bring benefits to anyone. Italian wines will be always good, or at least less bad than others. We advise companies to have a curated website, and do investments in promotion, and communication”.
Giuseppe Lo Cascio, co-founder & managing partner Lucidity Wine brought his point of view in a perspective of import and supply. “The market of the Usa remains essential for Italian companies. It has to be dealt in an other way, differently from twenty years ago, when it sailed with a tailwind. Changes are needed”. According to Lo Cascio, the figure of importer has to be considered as “a partner, and not as a customer” while as to the market scenario “America is dynamic, and I don’t think we will see a recession shortly. Demographic change has to be dealt seeking to return to the joy to share a bottle of wine. We made a product increasingly more complicated which was already that way, young people don’t want to go to a wine shop, and make their heads be full of concepts: simplify the message is fundamental”. Regarding the actions following up on the fear of eventual duties, Lo Cascio explained that “we filled a container of pouring wines between 5 and 9 euros, i.e. those of lower price range, while the most expensive ones weren’t touched. On the contrary, regarding restoration, I can’t see a replacing effect with American wines because Italian restoration is high-quality, and allows us to be winner towards countries such as Argentina and Chile, for example”.
Luca Venturelli, account director Colangelo & Partners, one of the agencies of reference for wine marketing in the Usa, “every year, two million of Boomers go out from the market, and for those who enter, right language is not found. Too much complicated, it is necessary to simplify. The willingness to stand out is good for premiumization, but we have to maintain also the level of entry to lure the consumer. It is necessary to be able to narrate the history of wine, sustainability is appreciated by young people, but a unique message for everyone doesn’t exist anymore, it is necessary to learn many languages because every person is receptive in something different. Many people come to Italy for a trip, and don’t stop making a happy hour, but go to the restaurant: bottle has to be followed until the end, and we must be always ready to narrate wine”.
According to Alessio Piccardi, founder, and ceo Fieramente, at this point reference of Italian wine logistics, but also importer to the Usa, “it is necessary to restart through communication, today that optimism, of which young people are full, misses. Logistics services have to be considered not as concurrence, but as an opportunity of communication. I see wine increasingly more linked to hospitality, direct sales, and, here, Italy has a great advantage, I insert also restoration entering in this branch. Let’s leave the word fear, and transform it into opportunity. Today, the average consumer has a more important wine culture compared to the past, an other aspect which can favor Italy, but it is necessary to know well the market”.