Canada looks increasingly more to Italian wine, and Chianti Docg flies to Toronto and Montréal

The Canadian market, the fourth largest in value for Italian wine, represents a significant opportunity, especially in the current global context, to strengthen relationships and boost exports. As it is well known, following the tariff dispute, relations between Canada and the United States are at the lowest points: imports have collapsed after 2024, when Canada was the largest national market for U.S. exports of packaged wine, reaching 423 million dollars with an estimated value of over 1 billion dollars. The wall Canada has raised against the U.S. could therefore open up interesting prospects for other producing countries, notably Italy. In fact, in the first half of 2025, as shown by Istat data analyzed by WineNews, Italian wine exports to Canada rose to 197.7 million euros (+12.8%) and 34.9 million liters (+6.6%) compared to the first half of 2024.
A scenario that is becoming increasingly promising, and Consorzio Chianti Docg, historically attentive to international markets, with its “galaxy” of 2,200 producers, over 13,600 hectares of vineyards, and 75 million bottles sold annually, making it the largest and most popular red wine denomination in Tuscany, is ready to return to Canada. It makes that by hosting two high-profile events dedicated to industry experts and the specialized press, reaffirming the strategic importance of the Canadian market for the denomination. The North American tour includes a program which combines technical insight with the promotion of the different souls of Chianti. The first event will take place in Toronto, on September 22nd, at Aria Ristorante, featuring a masterclass led by Master Sommelier John Szabo. The theme will be “An immersive exploration of the denomination through a vertical tasting of its main production categories, styles and sub-regions”, a path guiding participants through the complexity and richness of Chianti through a curated tasting experience. The second event is scheduled for September, 24th in Montréal, at the Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec - Salle Mont-Royal, where Jacky Blisson, Master of Wine, will lead a masterclass on the same theme.
“These two meetings - explains Giovanni Busi, president of Consorzio Vino Chianti - are a key opportunity to strengthen our relationship with a dynamic market like Canada and to deepen awareness of Chianti Docg denomination among opinion leaders and industry operators. As a Consortium, we are committed in promoting the identity of Chianti in the most attentive and strategic international contexts, offering tasting experiences that convey the history, territory, and future vision of the denomination”.