Ferrari, Berlucchi and Donnafugata: the top wine brands in Italy, according to “Wine Intelligence”

Wine market is also about brand. It is fundamental to distinguish oneself in a huge offer of labels and references. And, in Italy, the strongest are the Trentodoc brand, Ferrari, the winery that invented Franciacorta, Berlucchi, and Donnafugata, the Sicilian winery of the Rallo family, among the signatures of the wine renaissance in Sicily, which is now one of the most prominent regions of Italian wine. This is what the “Global Wine Brand Power Index 2021” by Wine Intelligence says, which, for the first time, also includes a focus on the Italian market which, it is worth remembering, is still one of the most important markets in the world for Italian wine, third in absolute quantity of consumption, according to OIV data, and with a weight of more or less half of the total volume and value.

In the Top 15 in Italy, there are many different brands, including small but prestigious labels, historic and more dimensionally structured companies, and large commercial enterprises. Scrolling down the list, just at the foot of the podium, there is one of the historical names of Barolo, such as Fontanafredda, led by the Farinetti family. In the sign of Prosecco, follows Mionetto, one of the historical wineries of Valdobbiadene, and again Feudi di San Gregorio, a reference winery of Irpinia’s viticulture, led by Antonio Capaldo. Then there is another winery which made Franciacorta great, Ca’ del Bosco, founded by Maurizio Zanella (and today under the aegis of Santa Margherita Group), and then one of the most important groups of Italian wine such as Antinori, led by the Antinori family for 26 generations (today at the top there are Albiera, Allegra and Alessia Antinori, guided by Marquis Piero Antinori and managing director Renzo Cotarella). Next is another historical name of Prosecco Docg and Valdobbiadene, such as Valdo, and in the “Top 10” there is one of the most precious and admired jewels of Italian wine, such as Tenuta San Guido, the cradle of Sassicaia, guided by the Incisa della Rocchetta family. To close the list of the best 15, there is another great group of Sicilian wine such as Duca di Salaparuta, as well as Sella & Mosca, one of the reference wineries of Sardinian wine, today part of Terra Moretti Group. Together with Marchesi di Barolo, a winery which is a piece of history of the great wine of Langa, of the Abbona family, San Michele Appiano, one of the pillars of the wine of Alto Adige, and Argiolas, the winery of the Argiolas family, among the most important wineries of Sardinia.

A ranking, that of “Global Wine Brand Power Index 2021”, which is the result of opinions collected from 25.000 wine consumers in 25 markets, and which, at global level, sees the confirmation of giants such as Yellow Tail, Casillero del Diablo, Jacob’s Creek, Gallo Family Vineyards, Barefoot, GatoNegro, J.P. Chenet, Mouton Cadet, Santa Carolina and Torres.

A rating, that of the “Power brand index”, made up of the “awareness index” (the percentage of those who recognize a brand from a list of names and logos), the “purchase index” (made up of the percentage of those who have bought a brand in the last three months or are thinking of doing so), and the “connection index” (the percentage of those who find the brand appealing to people like them, and those who would recommend it to a friend).

Among the curiosities, by looking at the national rankings, it is worth mentioning the presence of a historic and prestigious name of Italian wine, such as Antinori, at number 6 in Germany, the presence of Masi, a reference point for Amarone della Valpolicella and not only (and one of the very few Italian wineries listed on the Aim stock exchange) at number 12 in Canada, with the group led by Sandro Boscaini at number 6 in Sweden, where at number 8 there is another top name of Valpolicella such as Tommasi (one of the most important groups of Italian wine, with its heart in Valpolicella but wineries in many areas of Italy, from Tuscany to Basilicata and not only). In Mexico, still at the number 6 position, there is Cantine Riunite, thanks to Lambrusco of which they are one of the leaders, whereas the number 1 brand in Russia is Italian, that is Canti from Piedmont.