VINITALY 2007: AC-NIELSEN SURVEY REVEALS CHIANTI TO BE THE TOP SELLING DENOMINATION IN SUPERMARKETS. LARGE-SCALE DISTRIBUTION AFFIRMS ITSELF AS THE MOST IMPORTANT SALES OUTLET FOR WINE, REACHING A MARKET QUOTA OF 69.2%

Chianti was the number one selling denomination of origin (Doc, Docg, Igt) for 2006 in large-scale distribution centers like supermarkets. The most popular denominations after Chianti are as follows: Montepulciano d\'Abruzzo, Sangiovese, Nero d\'Avola, Merlot, Pinot, Bonarda, Barbera, Vermentino and Barbera d\'Asti. This is the top ten classification according to an AC-Nielsen survey for Vinitaly, the annual wine expo that is set to open its doors in Verona on March 29th (www.vinitaly.com).
This year’s top ten wines have always occupied the top of the classification lists, but it is interesting to note that the wines that registered the highest growth rates in 2006 were in the following order: Brunello di Montalcino, Nero d\'Avola, Gewurztraminer, Morellino di Scansano, Verdicchio di Jesi, Dolcetto d\'Alba, Bonarda Oltrepò, Barbaresco, Chardonnay e Rosso di Montalcino.
“The fact that among these wines that have increasingly rapid sales rates, there are high quality wines like Brunello or Morellino” - explained Vincenzo Carbone of the directing board of Federdistribuzione, the association that represents the majority of large-scale distributing companies - “is confirmation of the attitude of consumers towards buying DOC wines off the shelves of large-scale distribution outlets”.
And large-scale distribution is affirming itself as the most relevant channel for wine sales in Italy: in 2006 the market quota for wine sold by large scale distribution reached 69.2% in volume, a growth of 0.2% in respect to 2005 (and an increase of 2.5% for sales value). More than half of wine sold in supermarkets is wine with denominations of origin (Doc, Docg, and Igt), which in 2006 reached a quota of 52.9% of total volume for large scale distribution sales, with a growth of 2% in respect to 2005 (with value at 74%).
All of the data regarding Italian wine sales in Italy, foreign wine sales in Italy, and Italian wine sales abroad through large scale-distribution channels will be presented at the traditional Vinitaly round table meeting that is held each year.
The round table discussion titled, “The role of large-scale distribution in promoting Italian wine on the national and international market”, will take place on March 30th. While on March 29th the GDO Buyer’s Club, a place for large scale distributors to meet wine producers, will open its doors.