Italians don’t abandon wine: 94% drink it (at least occasionally)

Wine continues to play a central role in the lifestyles of Italians, even as the ways they choose and consume it evolve. This is according to a survey of 1,038 consumers (carried out in 2024), the results of which were published in recent days in “CreAgritrend”, the quarterly bulletin produced by Crea through its Research Centre for Agricultural Policies and Bioeconomy. The latest issue also features the “Wine and Consumers Special Report”: 94.4% of respondents drink wine at least occasionally, with preferences and consumption patterns varying mainly by age and gender. Purchasing decisions are driven primarily by taste (82%), followed by denomination of origin (73.7%), while 41.2% of respondents are willing to spend more than 20 euros on a bottle, although the 4-8 euros price range remains the most sought-after.
The emerging picture is that of a consumer who pays attention not only to price, but also to quality, identity and territorial value. While 94.4% of respondents say they drink wine at least occasionally, 56.5% consume it at least once a week. Age significantly affects daily consumption patterns, which rise from 3.8% among 18-24 year-old to 24.6% among those aged 55-65. Conversely, the share of people who drink wine only rarely declines from 32.3% to 16.6% across the same age groups.
Age also influences the context in which wine is consumed. At-home consumption increases steadily, from 33.3% among younger respondents to 61.6% among those aged 55-65. Social occasions with friends or relatives follow the opposite trend, carrying greater importance among younger age groups. Consumption in restaurants, bars and wine shops remains relatively stable, ranging between 50% and 60% across different age ranges, notes the Crea bulletin.
Red wine is the most popular category, although gender-based comparisons reveal distinct consumption profiles. Red wine consumption is more prevalent among men, with 56.7% reporting that they drink it frequently compared to 47.3% of women. The picture changes for white wine, which is consumed frequently by 45.5% of women versus 36% of men. Rosé wine is consumed frequently by 20.5% of women and 15% of men.
How much do consumers spend on wine? The 4-8 euros price range represents the core of regular purchases, accounting for 45.8% of responses. A further 32.8% of preferences fall within the 8-15 euros range, while bottles priced below 4 euros account for 11.8% and those above 15 euros for 9.6%. However, when respondents are asked about the maximum price they would be willing to pay, 41.2% indicate more than 20 euros per bottle (27.8% between 20 and 30 euros, and 13.4% above 30 euros). The gap between regular spending and maximum willingness to pay suggests that, on certain occasions, a significant share of consumers is prepared to trade up to higher-priced wines.
Price is not the primary purchasing criterion, as taste records the highest average rating (4.22 on a scale of 1 to 5) and is considered important or very important by 82% of respondents. This is followed by denomination of origin, with an average score of 4 and 73.7% of respondents assigning it high importance, and by price itself, which scores 3.91 on average and is deemed important or very important by 71.1% of respondents. The producing winery also remains a significant factor (3.79; 66.3%), while vintage (3.48; 51.8%) and, above all, packaging (3.27; 42.6%) are considered less decisive. This trend, which places greater emphasis on factors such as taste and denomination of origin, highlights how the value attributed to wine depends not only on price, but also on perceived quality and product recognizability.