After South America and Asia, Chianti tour moves to Africa: focus on Angola and Nigeria

Chianti, one of the most famous worldwide Tuscan red wines, continues to explore emerging and potentially attractive markets for Italian wine. After the “tours” to South America, from Cuba to Brazil, from Mexico to (also) Asia, the Consorzio Vino Chianti is ready to start a new adventure in a still unexplored continent, which is the African one. The debut of “Chianti Lovers African Tour” 2024, in its first edition, touches the city of Luanda, in Angola (today, November 19), and will continue with Lagos, in Nigeria, November 21-24, in the framework of “The week of Italian cuisine in the world”, promoted by the major Italian diplomatic institutions.
Therefore, it is the first time in Africa as an Italian denomination and historical Consortium of Chianti Docg, in a scenario of markets, and wine culture amongst the most virgin ones at a global level. Istat data, analyzed by WineNews, about wine export to Africa talks about 23.67 billion euros in 2023, with Nigeria, which, in the first 8 months of 2024, stopped at 1.35 million euros (in the twelve months of 2023 it reached quota 3.2 million euros), and Angola, which is still an immature market, but it is growing anyway, with 730,523 euros of export from January to August 2024 (but, the entire 2023 summed up 585,890 euros). The Consortium reminded that the Nigerian wine market is amongst the most consistent ones in the continent taking into consideration the alcoholic beverage consumption per person, spread mainly amongst young generations, and that in Lagos, there are many wine shops, and wine clubs. Angola market is dominated by Portuguese wines, but Italian wine is rather well represented, being at Position No. 3 referring to consumption; moreover, its distribution benefits both from logistic supports, arriving by road from South Africa, and from social supports, because the consumption and the sale of alcohols are free from monopolies and limitations. Wine is consumed in the main urban areas, beginning from capital Luanda, where a fourth of Angola population is concentrated, representing 50% of wine market.
“With its 54 nations and economies, African continent is showing signs of vivid interest also in wine sector, and in general, in the Italian product. Growth signals, caught by the Consortium, also throughout the various experiences of associated companies, pushed to structure a first promotional activity in the continent, pursuing the aim to have the possibility to educate an increasing number of wine enthusiasts”. The tour in African land will focus on institutional and educational meetings, and therefore, on seminaries, and private wine tastings addressed to local wine experts, wine press, and wine lovers. Masterclasses will be conducted by Luca Alves for the Consortium, and will be focused on the narration, and on the tasting of a wide range of Chianti wines, including all product categories, and origin. The program will be then enriched with other occasions of wine tastings combined with Italian and local cooking.
“We invest in the future wine market - explained the president of the Consortium of Vino Chianti, Giovanni Busi - Chianti is one of the greatest expressions of made in Italy, our wine is becoming more and more an ambassador in the world”.