Italian wine attains 22 percent of the global market

According to ISTAT, Italy’s national statistics office, the export of Italian wines has increased by 12 percent, equaling a value of 4.4 billion euro. The volume increased by 9 percent and amounted for 24 million hectoliters. In value, the USA was the most important export market, followed by Germany and the UK. Prosecco, which gained 17 percent in volume in the USA alone, is on the first rank of exports.

“Our wine industry has become more professional”, Giovanni Mantovani, general director of the Veronafiere and organizer of the annual VinItaly, comments the gratifying increase. “It is no longer only the great names but more and more smaller producers achieve to sell their wines to restaurants and wine bars in the whole world - gratifyingly, they have discovered market niches that they are easily able to serve with their potential.”

The figures give evidence that, in 2010 (the latest year we have figures for) Italy has superseded France as biggest wine producer in the world. A total of 5 billion liters of wine were bottled. Encouraged this way, more than 4,200 producers from all wine growing areas in Italy are presenting themselves from 25th to 28th of March at the VinItaly fair in Verona. (red.yoopress)