Italian wine and export: still difficult framework, but is improving in the first 7 months of 2026

Italian wine exports are still declining, but are recovering compared to 2025, at least in terms of volume. By July 2026, the gap with the previous year performance had narrowed, thanks above all to a rebound in the United States, which nevertheless remains firmly in negative territory. The same trend can be seen across all major North American and European markets, while significant signs of growth, after years of decline, are emerging from Asia, South America and, above all, Russia. According to Istat data for the first 7 months of the year, analyzed by WineNews, global exports of Italian wine reached 4.35 billion euros (-5.3% compared to July 2025) and 1.19 billion liters (-0.8%), improving on the mid-year figure, which showed exports down 6.2% in value and 4% in volume. With volumes now almost back on par, evidently at the expense of the average ex-cellar price.
Among individual countries, the reduction in the gap with the first 7 months of 2025 was particularly significant in the United States, where imports of Italian wine reached 997.4 million euros up to July (-11.2% compared to 2025, but improving from -14.1% at mid-year), for a total of 196.1 million liters (-5.7%). Remaining in North America, Canada also showed signs of recovery, limiting its decline to 229.5 million euros (-5.5% on the first 7 months of 2025) and 41.8 million liters (-1.6%).
European markets remain under considerable pressure: Germany recorded 632.7 million euros (-6.6%) and 266.6 million liters (-11.9%), while the United Kingdom stood at 420.9 million euros (-6.3%) and 135.1 million liters (-5.7%). Switzerland reached 204.1 million euros (-10.7%) and 36 million liters (-8.6%), while France slipped to 186.5 million euros (-1.84%) and 56.2 million liters (-5.70%).
Strongly positive signals, however, are coming from Russia, where imports surged to 177.3 million euros (+82.4% on the first seven months of 2025) and 31.9 million liters (+19.9%). Positive trends are also emerging from Asia, where Japan has almost returned to parity in value terms (106.4 million euros, -0.9%) while increasing in volume (29 million liters, +9.4%). China, although starting from lower levels, is also showing a strong recovery, with imports rising +22.6% in value to 46.6 million euros and +7.4% in volume to 8.7 million liters. Looking at Mercosur, Brazil delivered mixed results, posting solid growth in value (+6.7%, to 25.5 million euros) while declining in volume (-3.2%, to 6 million liters).
These are just some of the most important and promising markets for Italian wine, whose figures paint a picture which remains clearly challenging, yet progressively improving, for Italian wine exports overall. They offer a measure of hope that the end of 2026 may prove less negative than the first months of the year had suggested.