WINENEWS POLL- FOR THE 25 MOST IMPORTANT ITALIAN WINERIES (HISTORY, ANNUAL REVENUE, IMAGE) 2009 INCOME FELL FROM 5% TO 10%. “FEELINGS” ABOUT 2010 “SPLIT” IN TWO (NEGATIVE / QUITE POSITIVE)

Annual Revenue dropped between 5% and 10% in 2009 but some wineries registered even more significant decreases. The general “feeling” about the wine world of 2010 was divided in the sample between those who view it as quite positive and those who see it as negative. These are the results of the poll taken by www.winenews.it, one of the most clicked web sites in the Italian wine world.
The poll asked 25 of the most important wine farms in Italy (historically, turnover and image) to trace a possible forecast.
Looking at their home fronts the wine farms are betting heavily on their potential, highlighting an “optimism of the will” capable of defeating the “pessimism of reason”: 63% expect 2010 to be fairly positive while 37% expect it to be positive. To support this optimism the forecast of sales in 2010 indicate in 75% of responses an increase in turnover and 25%, at least stable revenue. Exports continue to be a reference point for 2010, with the same percentage: 75% estimating an increase and 25% estimating they will stay stable.
The year 2010 then, seems to be a year of recovery, if not at the same pace as in 2007, at least it should be able to compensate for the erosion of the margins that occurred in 2009. The 25 wineries however, believe that 2010 needs to be monitored with special attention to fully comprehend the magnitude of the recovery. However, the first six months are considered by most as very difficult because they represent the most delicate moment for recovery.
What is worrying the Italian wine producers even more is the continued overproduction that still has not been completely absorbed (46%), weakness in consumption, especially domestic (32%), uncertainty about the future (15%), the economic unknowns and loss of International competitiveness (4%), followed by competition from other producing countries and currency problems (3%).
But the 25 most important Italian wineries for history, turnover and image who took the survey have also indicated a “recipe” to deal with 2010 in a safer way, which has a clear pass word: synergy. Finding cohesion among all operators in the industry, bringing together the various players in the wine world, from institutions to the growers, from the wine communicators to the sellers, so that the so called “Italian way” can finally develop concrete actions, can no longer be put off.”
Moreover, the sample analyzed by WineNews almost unanimously indicates the need for “ to build a shared strategy between the companies themselves and to determine the specific weight of the wine world of Italy is far more important and capable of making the above promotion on markets around the world more effective and consistent.”