NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS DON’T HOLD BACK ON THE “BUBBLY”. GIAMPIERO COMOLLI, THE HEAD OF THE OBSERVATORY ON THE ITALIAN SPUMANTE FORUM: “80 MILLION BOTTLES WILL BE CORKED, 7 MILLION FOREIGN ONES, FOR A VALUE OF 600 MILLION EUROS”

Italians popped the corks of 120 million bottles of sparkling wine with a total value of 850 million euros over the winter holidays. While Champagne sales fell, Spanish Cava increased. And, abroad, Italian sparkling wines were more increasingly used during celebrations with total value increasing by 29% and quantity by 11% for 1.6 billion euros in earnings from 163 million bottles sold. And the divide between French and Italian sparkling wine imports is narrowing.
Asti is the export leader with 60 million bottles sent abroad.
In 2008 over 250 million bottles total were sold (+8% over 2007), 100 million of which were Prosecco Spumante alone. Spumante as a holiday gift increased by 7% while gift baskets that include spumante fell in demand. Franciacorta and Trento are the top selling names in restaurants, wine bars, and wine shops. First place goes to Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene for domestic sales. Asti, however, continues to reign when accompanying desserts like panettone and during holiday dinners.

Large-scale distribution sold 6 out of 10 bottles. Spumante was most often requested during aperitifs at bars (+10% in quantity and +18% in value). 72% of Italian consumers concentrated their consumption between 10 December and 6 January (it was 84% in 1980). As for New Year’s Eve – according to the National Observatory on the National Consumption of Spumante and Sparkling Wine Forum – about 80 million corks were popped, 7 million of which were of foreign production, for a total value of 600 million euros.
Giampietro Comolli, a patron of the Italian Spumante Forum explained that, “For the first time exports have surpassed national consumption. Europe absorbs 74% of total exports. Italy is the third largest producer in the world, with 310 million bottles in 2008. A global boom because it is a very modern drink, young, balanced, lower alcohol. The labels favor consumers. The mission of the Italian Spumante Forum is to push for a conscious and national consumption: to un-combine and un-seasonalize consumption. It is necessary to create a consumption culture. Sparkling wines are normal wines”.
The price is the main reason for choice in restaurants, it falls to second place when bought as a gift in wine bars. In wine bars, consumption has increased in the 4-6 euro range while it has fallen in the 2-4 euro range. At parties, sweet sparkling wines like Asti are still the leader, while in restaurants there is a tie between the metodo classico (Franciacorta and Trento leading the list) and the metodo charmat (Valdobbiadene-Conegliano). Among the younger drinkers, sparkling wine for an aperitif has surpassed cocktails, and extra brut-brut prevails.

There are increasing requests from emerging markets like Russia and Brazil, as well as from Georgia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Israel. Italian spumante appears to be much appreciated because it is fresh, modern, not excessively high in alcohol, fruity, and costs the right amount.

Overall, earnings have increased more than volume. “It is a sign” – commented Comolli – “that the world market recognizes a value for Italian spumante that is higher than in the past, it is acquiring new markets because consumers are falling in love with it, it is becoming a competitor for the most important names because the world market is, today, compressing prices towards the bottom. Certain products have exploited prices and media speculation. Italian sparkling wines work because they have not ‘disillusioned’.
The quality recognized and the competitiveness of the price responds to the current demand. We defend the Italian product, we aim towards a united message for new and emerging markets”.