Italian wine exports slump in January

Italian wine exports started 2026 sharply lower, with January sales abroad falling to 470.4 million euros, down 18.7% from the same month a year earlier, according to Istat data analyzed by WineNews. The decline amounts to about 108 million euros in lost value and reflects a difficult opening to the year for one of Italy’s most important food and beverage sectors.

Volumes also weakened. Shipments fell to 133 million hectoliters, down 13.3% from January 2025, a drop of more than 20 million hectoliters. The figures are significant, but they also need context: January 2025 was unusually strong because many buyers, especially in the United States, rushed orders ahead of tariffs that later took effect under President Donald Trump. That front-loading made the comparison with January 2026 especially harsh.

The United States remained the largest market for Italian wine, but exports there fell to 105.3 million euros, down 35.2% from a year earlier, a loss of 57 million euros. Volumes shipped to the U.S. also declined, reaching 21.76 million hectoliters, down 19.3%. The drop in the American market was the main factor behind the overall contraction.

The slowdown was not limited to the U.S. Germany, Italy’s biggest European customer for wine, imported 75.6 million euros worth in January, down 15.1% from January 2025. The United Kingdom fell to 41.4 million euros, down 18.6%, while Canada slipped to 31.1 million euros, down 8.68%. Switzerland imported 23.58 million euros, down 20.8%.

France, which had been one of the positive surprises in 2025, was nearly flat at 19 million euros, down just 1.5%. The Netherlands totaled 16.18 million euros, down 11%, and Belgium came close to 15 million euros, down 17%. Japan remained relatively stable at 11.6 million euros, down 1.2%, while Russia rose to 12.7 million euros, up 38.4%. China also posted growth, though from a low base, with imports of Italian wine reaching 5.4 million euros, up 8.6%.

For producers and exporters, the January numbers confirm what many had already feared: a weak start to the year shaped by trade tensions, higher costs and a difficult comparison with early 2025’s unusually strong demand from the U.S. market. The coming months will show whether growth in markets such as Russia and China can offset losses elsewhere and whether broader economic pressures continue to weigh on demand for Italian wine abroad.