Italian wine, export doubled in 20 years thanks to public-private synergies in the promotion

Today, Italian wine, like the global wine industry as a whole, is going through a period of deep difficulty, driven by well-known factors: US tariffs, affecting what remains the leading export market for Italian producers, inflation, international tensions, health-conscious consumption trends, demographic shifts, changing consumer preferences, and so on. Yet it is worth remembering that, over the past 20 years, Italian wine exports have grown by 169%. According to Istat data analyzed by WineNews, exports rose from 3 billion euros in 2005 to a record of 8.07 billion euros in 2024, before easing slightly to 7.7 billion euros in 2025 (while figures for the first half of 2026 show a -6.2% decline compared to the same period in 2025, a negative result which nevertheless represents a marked improvement on the start of the year, when losses were still in double digits, ed). This remarkable growth has come despite the challenges of recent years and after weathering major crises such as the 2008-2009 financial downturn and the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2023. It is largely the result of the work of Italian wine companies themselves, but also of support from EU Ocm funds and close cooperation with institutions and their agencies. In this regard, a leading role, especially in recent years under the presidency of Matteo Zoppas and the general management of Lorenzo Galanti, with Brunella Saccone heading the Agrifood Office, has been played by Ita-Italian Trade Agency, formerly Ice. The agency, which celebrates its anniversary No. 100 in 2026 and reports primarily to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, while collaborating with all ministries depending on the sector involved, has significantly intensified its support for the industry, aided by increased government funding.
Figures talk for themselves. In 2025, 9 million euros were allocated to the wine sector alone, more than doubling to 19 million euros in 2026, according to Ita data provided to WineNews. In 2025 alone, Ita Agrifood Office organized 158 promotional initiatives worldwide, including 50 dedicated to wine and other alcoholic beverages. Looking specifically at wine, these included 14 collective and institutional activities abroad, four communication campaigns (in China, Taiwan, South Korea and the US), 12 direct promotional activities including exhibitions, tastings and workshops, 10 incoming buyer and trade professional programs in Italy, and six training courses with wine as the primary focus, involving 959 companies from the sector. This doesn’t include promotional activities and partnerships abroad with large-scale retail and e-commerce operators. An already extensive effort which expanded further in 2026, with more than 240 initiatives planned for the agrifood sector by the end of the year, 63 of them dedicated to wine, across 26 international markets through communication campaigns, retail agreements, direct events, enhanced trade fairs in Italy and incoming buyer programs. Particular attention is being paid to the United States, but also to France and Germany, the United Kingdom, China and Japan. At the same time, numerous initiatives and tools are being developed to open new markets for wine and agrifood products in the Gulf countries, the Balkans, Asia, Latin America and Africa, creating fresh export opportunities.
On the wine front, one of the most important initiatives in the coming weeks will be “Italian Wine Week”, taking place from October 12th to 25th across the New York metropolitan area. The two-week campaign will involve more than 100 wine shops across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Jersey City, highlighting the diversity, tradition, value for money and excellence of Italian wine production. “Italian wine is a cornerstone of New York vibrant food and beverage culture - declared Erica Di Giovancarlo, director of Ita US Office - with “Italian Wine Week”, we are showcasing wine shops where consumers can discover the extraordinary variety of Italian wines through special discounts and exclusive tastings. On the occasion of the debut of Vinitaly.USA in New York, more than 300 Italian wine producers and over 400 qualified trade professionals will come together for two days of tastings, networking and business opportunities. Together, these initiatives connect Italian producers, US wine trade operators and consumers, while highlighting the diversity and quality of Italian wine”.
“Italian Wine Week” will serve as the prelude to the edition No. 3 of Vinitaly.USA, which, after two editions in Chicago, will take place in New York on October 26th and 27th. The event has long been sold out, thanks in part to Ita efforts, with the agency supporting 100 exhibiting companies and an incoming program for trade operators from the US, Mexico and Canada. The Italian contingent, including companies, regional and trade association groups (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Sardinia, Umbria, the Emilia-Romagna Regional Wine Enoteca, Italia del Vino and the Matelica Winegrowers Cooperative) and consortia (Asti Docg, Brunello di Montalcino, Prosecco Doc, Vini dell’Elba, Lugana Doc and Vini delle Venezie Doc), has reached 300 exhibitors, who will present 2,500 labels in New York. In addition, among the various business and educational initiatives of the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum on October 26th, the US magazine Wine Spectator will announce the wineries selected for Vinitaly OperaWine 2027, the flagship tasting event that traditionally precedes Vinitaly (Mercatali Galleries, Verona, April 10th).
The US initiative represents an important milestone in the partnership between Ita and Veronafiere, at the heart of a strategy which sees the government agency making significant investments in Vinitaly, the leading platform for the internationalization of Italian wine. Ita has allocated 1.5 million euros to support the American event as part of a total 5.8 million euros investment backing Vinitaly activities in Italy and abroad, marking a 66.1% increase compared to 2025. It is a clear sign of the agency strong commitment to the sector and its confidence in the work that the Verona trade fair has been carrying out for years in support of Italian wine.