Italian Wine Inventories Rise 5.8% as Cellars Face Persistent Surplus

Wine stocks in Italian cellars remain high, with little change in the overall trend. According to the latest update from “Cantina Italia” by the ICQRF, as of February 2026, wine inventories are up 5.8% compared to the same month in 2025. This follows a similar increase of 5.9% reported at the end of January 2026. The total volume of wine stored in Italian cellars now stands at 58.6 million hectoliters. In addition, there are 6 million hectoliters of must, which is up 34.2% from last year, and 421,711 hectoliters of new wine still fermenting, an increase of 38.4%.

The data shows that wine consumption in Italy continues at a steady but slow pace, which has led to stable but elevated stock levels. The composition of these stocks has not changed much over the past year. Wines with Denomination of Protected Origin (DOP) make up 53.7% of all wine held in cellars, with white wines accounting for 49.3% of this category. Wines with Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) represent 26.6% of stocks, mostly red wines at 53.6%. Varietal wines account for just 1.6%, while generic wines make up the remaining 18.1%.

There is also a high concentration in terms of origin among these stocks. Out of the 531 registered DOP and IGP denominations in Italy, just 20 account for 58.5% of all wine held under geographical indication labels. The top three denominations alone represent 20% of these stocks. Prosecco DOC leads with 11.5% of all DOP or IGP wine stocks, totaling 5.3 million hectoliters. This is followed by IGP Puglia with 2.1 million hectoliters (4.6%) and IGT Toscana with 1.8 million hectoliters (3.9%).

The continued accumulation of wine and must in Italian cellars reflects ongoing challenges for producers who face slow domestic consumption and fluctuating export demand. The data suggests that while there is no dramatic increase in stockpiles compared to previous months, the sector remains under pressure to balance production with market demand and avoid further surpluses that could impact prices and profitability for winemakers across Italy’s diverse regions.