Ovse: During the weeks of the holidays will fly 90-92 million corks (+4.9% over 2016)

3 million bottles a day, for a total of 90-92 million bottles of sparkling wine (+4.9% on the 86 million bottles of 2017) in the month from 8 December to 6 January, the end of the year, plus 3.5 million international sparkling wines, of which 3.1 million are Champagnes: The estimates of Ovse - Osservatorio Vini Spumanti Effervescenti (Effervescent Sparkling Wines Observatory), led by Giampietro Comolli, which expects peaks of 10-12 million bottles on Christmas Day and 28-30 million for New Year’s Eve, are as accurate as they are every year. In economic terms, we speak of value at the origin of 370 million euros (+3% on the 356 million euros of 2017), for a record turnover of 860 million euros (+6.3% on the 805 million euros of 2017).
Among the Italian sparkling wines, Franciacorta is the leader of the classic method, which confirms a faithful choice, at now stable prices and a well-established target. A significant exploit is announced by Trentodoc, which comes out of an interregional consumption and grows in price at origin and consumption: +5-6%, for a price trend better than Franciacorta, albeit with different numbers and a ratio of 1:3 in uncorked bottles.
The most popular varieties include millesimati, pas dosé and even organic cheeses. However, the 2018-2019 celebrations will also be remembered for the exploit of the traditional regional sparkling method, the local ones, linked to the proximity between the place of production and the place of consumption, such as Alta Langa, Alto Adige, Durello, but also Lambrusco, Nebbiolo and sparkling wines from vines to southern Italy.
This demonstrates that the Italian wine industry is still receptive, ready to grow in volume, provided that sparkling wines of quality, remains the unknown of sweet Italian method sparkling wines, such as Asti and Bracchetto d’Acqui, which have fallen over the years, now stable, but without great prospects.
Interesting data of appeal for the 150-180 labels of bubbles produced in the regions of Central-Southern Italy: few bottles per company and with only one maximum two labels (from 3,500 to 12,000 bottles on average). For Prosecco in the different versions, from nature to demisec, it is popular in every room or environment, at home or away from home, at the table and in occasional toasts, in direct and online purchases, in off-premises as well as on-trade.
Detachments with other competitors on the national market, in all forms of “Prosecco” that in the dry and demisec version has replaced many other general sparkling wines, with a fancy name, at a low price, almost completely disappeared, even those made with Moscato and other aromatic white grapes: 3 bottles out of 4 uncorked during the holidays are Prosecco Doc and Superiore.
Talking about international sparkling wines, in these weeks will fly just over 3.5 million corks, 400,000 of which are not of Champagne, between French and Spanish, with some sparkling wines from far away. Of the total uncorked bottles, 60% will be gifts or toasts outside the home, while for Champagne, the dynamics of consumption is extremely polarized: on the one hand brands and bottles of very low price, on the other hand, labels super-selected, exclusive, little known, rare. In this period, those who feel the seasonality of consumption are the Champagne and the Cava, which represents a very limited share of several tens of thousands of bottles.
Gifts continue to be an important driving force, this year even more according to rumors even from wine shops, especially for a medium-high and mature people, while among young people (aged 16-40) consumption in pubs, family dinners and in the restaurant, especially for groups.
This year, interesting Christmas and New Year’s menus are offered by the hotel and caterings, in fact, there is a significant increase of top dinners based only on sparkling wines, from the beginning to the end. For the second year running (it did not happen since 2010), the consumption in star-hotels and famous restaurants is very good. The restaurateurs are now offering them again, perhaps with a smaller number of references, but in this period prices are decidedly high. The success of large-scale purchases for home consumption continues, thanks to promotions: 22 million Italians will buy at least 1.7 bottles each for these holidays on the shelf.