Italy’s wine exports fell as domestic sales cushioned the industry

Italy’s wine industry is holding up better at home than abroad, according to data presented in Rome at Federvini’s annual assembly, where producers, trade officials and government ministers described a market split between weaker exports and a domestic business supported by supermarkets, sparkling wine and higher-end restaurants.

The meeting, titled “Wines, spirits and vinegars facing the new world disorder,” focused on the pressure facing Italian beverage producers in 2026. Industry leaders said exports remain under strain because of tariffs, currency swings and softer global demand, even as Italy has performed better than several other major wine-producing countries.

Denis Pantini, head of Nomisma Wine Monitor, said the first quarter of 2026 opened with a broad slowdown across the world’s leading wine exporters. On 12 key international markets, the value of wine imports fell 17.1% from the same period a year earlier. The sharpest drop came in the United States, where import value fell 38.9%, followed by China at 10.6% and Canada at 10.5%. In that context, Italian wine exports declined 13.3% by value, a weaker result than producers wanted but still better than the overall contraction in demand.

Federvini President Giacomo Ponti said companies had been tested by an unstable trade environment that shifted from reciprocal tariffs to a suspension and then to a 10% tariff regime set to remain in place until July 24. He said businesses were also dealing with confusion in the United States as importers tried to recover duties from suppliers after some Trump-era tariffs were ruled unlawful by U.S. courts. Ponti said uncertainty had become the new normal for the sector and urged a quick ratification of an agreement between the European Union and the United States.

He also said Italy could not realistically replace the American market, which remains central for premium Italian wines, but needed to diversify exports and keep pressing its case in Europe. Ponti welcomed changes in the European Union’s wine package that remove a three-year cap on funded promotion campaigns in foreign markets. At the same time, he warned about proposed cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027, with resources projected to fall 20% from the current cycle and with concerns that wine could lose some of its specific treatment within broader farm policy.

Italian officials used the assembly to argue that diversification is now essential. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, speaking from South Africa, said Italy was promoting its wine sector there as part of a wider effort to strengthen established markets and open new ones. He said his ministry had committed more than €16 billion to the primary sector, alongside support from ICE and the Foreign Ministry, and framed wine as part of a broader strategy to defend and promote made-in-Italy food products.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy’s goal remained export growth and pointed to India, China, Mercosur countries, Australia and several Asian markets as areas where trade agreements could create new opportunities. He said total Italian exports across all sectors had passed €650 billion and were now targeting €700 billion. On wine, he said conditions in the United States had been less severe than feared, though he criticized tariffs and defended free trade. He argued that many American consumers who value Italian wine are willing to pay more for it because they see it as hard to replace.

Matteo Zoppas, president of the Italian Trade Agency, offered a more cautious view. Speaking from South Africa as well, he said the situation was not only about tariffs or the euro-dollar exchange rate but about a decline in consumption that was becoming structural. He said U.S. demand continued to weaken into 2026 and that it was still unclear how much of that reflected tariffs, currency effects or broader changes in drinking habits. He said ICE was responding with more promotional activity, including stronger support for trade fairs such as Vinitaly and Vinexpo Paris.

Albiera Antinori, who leads Marchesi Antinori and chairs Federvini’s wine group, said problems in the United States could not be blamed on tariffs alone because demand was falling more broadly. She pointed to a weak dollar, pressure on U.S. distribution channels and lower purchasing power among American consumers. She also noted that the three-tier system adds costs at each step before wine reaches drinkers. Even so, she said the United States remains indispensable for Italy’s fine-wine segment and cannot be replaced quickly by newer markets.

While exports have weakened, domestic sales have shown more resilience. Federvini’s observatory, working with Nomisma, reported that Italian supermarket sales in the first quarter of 2026 showed mixed but generally stable trends. Wine volumes slipped 1%, but value rose 2.2%, suggesting consumers are still spending even if they are buying slightly less. Sparkling wines stood out again, with sales value up 8.7%, extending a growth trend that has lasted more than five years.

The same research found stronger momentum in spirits sold through large retail chains. Volumes rose 2.9%, helped by alcoholic aperitifs and soda-based drinks. Gin also gained ground, while grappa remained weak. Vinegar sales also increased in both value and volume, rising 2.4% and 1%, driven by apple cider vinegar and steady demand for Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP.

The picture outside retail is more uneven but still important for wine producers. Federvini’s observatory, working with TradeLab, estimated that Italy’s broader away-from-home food service market closed 2025 at €102 billion. Independent restaurants led the sector with about €55 billion in value, slightly above the previous year.

TradeLab’s survey of 1,000 consumers found that wine consumption in restaurants depends heavily on spending power and venue type rather than on simple age-based rejection of alcohol. Among diners at high-end restaurants, 55% said they always drink wine or sparkling wine there. That share dropped to 25% in mid-range restaurants and 11% in lower-priced venues. The same pattern appeared for digestifs and after-dinner drinks.

The survey also suggested that wine remains central to how many Italians judge a meal out. Some 67% of respondents said choosing a good wine plays an important role in the overall quality of their restaurant experience. At the same time, younger consumers showed interest in newer categories rather than abandoning wine altogether. Among people ages 18 to 24, 62% said organic or natural wines were appealing. Alcohol-free or low-alcohol wines drew interest too, though more selectively.

That distinction mattered at an event where speakers pushed back against claims that younger consumers are simply turning away from wine for cultural reasons. Several participants argued that weaker consumption often reflects reduced purchasing power as prices rise faster than incomes, especially for discretionary products such as wine and spirits.

Antinori said those figures should be read positively because high-end Italian dining continues to work well as a place for quality-wine consumption. She added that food-and-wine tourism gives Italy another advantage at a time when producers need stronger links between agriculture, hospitality and travel.

The discussion in Rome made clear that Italy’s wine sector is entering a period shaped less by one-off shocks than by lasting changes in trade flows and consumer behavior. For now, supermarkets and upscale dining are helping cushion export losses, while sparkling wines continue to provide one of the clearest signs of strength in an otherwise difficult market.