“Cantina Italia”, still exceeding wine stocks on 2025: 42.6 million hectoliters (+6.9%)

While the grape harvest has already begun in many wine regions, although for most wineries the official start is expected in the coming weeks, wine stocks held in Italian cellars remain particularly high, showing a slight increase compared to 2025. On July 31st, 2026, according to the latest “Cantina Italia” report prepared by the Icqrf on the basis of the electronic cellar registers, and available on the Italian Ministry of Agriculture website, Italian wineries held 42.6 million hectoliters of wine, 3.1 million hectoliters of musts, and 42,027 hectolitres of new wine still in fermentation (Vnaif). Compared to July 31st, 2025, wine stocks were higher (+6.9% from +6.7% in the previous monthly report), as must stocks (+31.5%), while Vnaif volumes were lower (-28.5%). Compared to June 30th, 2026, inventories declined for wine (-8.6%), musts (-17.4%), and Vnaif (-24.4%).
Northern Italy accounts for 55.9% of total wine stocks, with the largest share located in Veneto. Of all wine inventories, 55.4% are PDO wines (predominantly red wines at 53.8%), while 25.8% are PGI wines; varietal wines represent just 1.7% of total stocks, while 17.1% fall into the category of other wines. Geographical Indication wines remain highly concentrated: just 20 denominations out of 523 account for 57.6% of total stocks.
Prosecco DOC alone represents 9.4% of all Italian wine stocks in cellars, equivalent to 3.2 million hectoliters, followed by Toscana IGP and Puglia IGP (1.5 million hectoliters each, or 4.4% of total stocks), Chianti DOCG (1.2 million hectoliters, 3.6%), Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (1.13 million hectoliters, 3.3%), Terre Siciliane IGP (1.11 million hectoliters, 3.2%), Sicilia DOC (1.11 million hectoliters, 3.2%), Salento IGP (1.0 million hectoliters, 3.1%), Veneto IGP (984,446 hectoliters, 2.9%), and Delle Venezie DOC (963,076 hectoliters, +2.8%).
Overall, this snapshot of Italian wine stocks presents a picture marked by more than a few concerns, particularly in light of the growing pressure on winery storage capacity that is expected to intensify as the harvest season moves into full swing.