Italian Wine Producers Turn to Brazil for Export Growth

Italian wine producers are looking more closely at Brazil as they search for new export markets, with trade officials, producers and industry specialists at Merano WineFestival saying on Saturday, November 7, that the South American country could offer room for growth despite tax, distribution and pricing hurdles.

The discussion took place during the festival’s 35th edition in Merano at a forum titled Brazil and Europe: New Frontiers for the Wine Business. Participants focused on a basic question for Italian wineries: how to reach new drinkers in a market that is showing interest in premium wine while remaining crowded, price sensitive and difficult to navigate.

Figures presented during the event put the size of the opportunity into clearer terms. Brazil imports about $561 million in wine and exports $13.8 million, according to data cited at the forum. The country also has 965 registered wineries and annual production of about 310 million liters. Those numbers suggest a market in which domestic production coexists with a strong flow of imported bottles, especially from Chile and Argentina. Among European suppliers, Portugal holds an important position, adding to the competition Italian producers would face.

Speakers at the event said Brazil’s consumer preferences are also shifting. Red wine remains established, but white, rosé and sparkling wines are drawing more attention than in the past. Participants also pointed to growing curiosity about lesser-known Italian regions and appellations, a trend that could benefit a country with a wide range of grape varieties and wine styles. For Italian wineries, especially smaller and midsize producers, that interest may open doors only if it is matched by the right market strategy, product positioning and pricing.

That matters beyond a single export destination. For beverage companies facing slower growth or changing consumption patterns in traditional markets, Brazil is being examined as a possible diversification outlet. At the same time, the discussion in Merano underscored that access to a large market does not automatically translate into sales. Wine producers still have to deal with local taxes, bureaucracy, logistics and a distribution system that can be hard to manage without experienced local partners.

A second major issue at the forum was the trade framework between the European Union and Mercosur, the bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Participants said a provisional commercial arrangement has been in effect since May 1 and is expected to gradually reduce barriers to trade and deepen economic integration between the two regions. For European wine exporters, that could improve market access and make their products more competitive. Even so, speakers cautioned that lower external barriers do not remove the need to understand Brazil’s internal tax structure and commercial rules. They also noted that Brazilian tax reforms could affect the conditions under which imported wine is sold.

Industry participants said that for Italian wineries, success in Brazil will depend heavily on execution. Producers need importers and distributors that fit their price segment and brand identity. They also need a clear message for consumers whose buying habits differ from those in Europe. In that context, price remains important, but so does the ability to explain quality, origin and style in a way that resonates locally. Trade fairs, tastings and direct business meetings were described as especially useful because relationships still play a central role in building a route to market.

The Brazil discussion fits into a broader international push by Merano WineFestival itself. Helmuth Köcher, the festival’s founder, said in an interview during this year’s event that the organization has continued to expand abroad even as the wine business deals with uncertainty and changing consumption. He pointed to initiatives in Japan and Georgia and to the second Brazilian edition of the festival. He also identified Canada as a possible destination in 2027, part of an effort to bring the Merano model directly into markets seen as strategic for Italian wine.

The festival is also tracking other changes in demand, including interest in lower-alcohol products alongside traditional labels. For Italian producers weighing where to invest sales and marketing resources, the conversations in Merano suggested that Brazil is no longer being treated simply as a distant prospect, but as a market that may reward careful, long-term work from wineries able to adapt to its tax rules, distribution channels and consumer tastes.