THE AMERICAN MARKET IS ON THE LOOK OUT FOR NOVELTY, WHICH ITALIAN WINES CAN GUARANTEE. PINOT GRIGIO IS A “MUST”, WHILE PROSECCO IS GROWING FAST, SAY THREE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPORTERS: WINEBOW (LO CASCIO), FOLIOWINE (MONDAVI), PALM BAY (TAUB)

The U.S. market? It is constantly on the lookout for novelty, and that’s where Italian wines have no rivals. This is the fundamental characteristic of the market, which is in slow but steady recovery after the global crisis. It promises great growth potential, even though currently wine consumption is only 9 liters per capita. Leonardo Lo Cascio, President of Winebow, one of the largest importers of Italian wines in the U.S.A. (Allegrini, Argiolas, Di Majo Norante, Falesco, Galardi, Leone de Castris, Mastroberardino, Montevetrano, Tasca d’Almerita, Valdipiatta, Valle Reale, Zenato), says that the profile of the average American consumer “is not sophisticated, and the culture of food and wine, outside the big cities, is just beginning to take shape.

Pinot Grigio, of good acidity and good value for money continues to grow, because there is no equally effective alternative to Chardonnay: not everyone likes the bariqued and slightly sweet white wine, which is how it is made in California. Prosecco sales soar, which may be surprising, but it has become the alternative, in sparkling wines to products of France and California. Then there is the whole area of the native Italian grapes, especially those in the South such as Aglianico, Negroamaro, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano, and Primitivo. It is not uncommon to go to a wine bar and find these products by the glass, a phenomenon that is expected to grow considerably in coming years. And, also wines from the Veneto region are enjoying great success because even less informed consumers take a liking to products that they can immediately understand.” Michael Mondavi, who is at the head of FolioWine, one of the famous wine importing companies in the U.S.A. (Caprai, Donnafugata, Frescobaldi, Masi, Ornellaia Estate), confirms, “Today Italian wines are very exciting. Americans also love their style: Italian wines are born as a complement to food. Prosecco is doing sensationally well. The American consumer that loved Champagne for years is now enjoying Prosecco more. Then there are the wines of Umbria, Tuscany, Sicily, Veneto, all with different styles, each with a variety related to their region. The average American consumer today is younger, he wants to find out what is behind a wine and Italian products from this point of view are unbeatable”.
“The American market is doing phenomenal things with Italian wine,” said Marc David Taub, CEO of Palm Bay, another important wine importing company in the U.S. (Cavit, Col d’Orcia, Ferrari, Feudi di San Gregorio, Fonterutoli, Mandrarossa, Mazzei, Planeta, Rocca delle Macìe), “and is recovering very well from the economic crisis. We are recording great increases across the board, from Fontanafredda, to all of our Piedmont wines, which are doing very well after a slightly difficult period because of the economic recession. Barolo and Nebbiolo wines are loved in America and in the on-premise channel they are doing extremely well. Pinot Grigio continues to lead the trend of all Italian wines in terms of overall growth and even Moscato is going through a particularly favorable period. Looking at the rest of Italy, there is great potential for growth in the Campania and Sicily regions with Falanghina, Greco di Tufo and Aglianico wines and there is great interest in the traditional wines of Sicily: Planeta has done a wonderful job of raising awareness about the Sicilian territory. We see an extraordinary overall growth for Italian wine and the promise of another great year for Italian wine in America”.