Barolo 2021: "Prosecco shipments to the USA suspended for days. Serious situation." The three consortia write to Lollobrigida

Around 135 million bottles of Italian Prosecco are at risk of being wiped out in the US market due to tariffs of up to 200% announced by American President Donald Trump. As a result, Giancarlo Guidolin, Franco Adami, and Michele Noal, presidents of the three protection consortia (Prosecco Doc, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Docg, and Asolo Prosecco Docg), have written to the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, denouncing a "serious" situation caused by the threat of a trade war. This letter follows other requests sent to the Ministry of Agriculture in recent days, including from Chianti Docg and Nobile di Montepulciano.

Orders frozen over tariff fears

"Our production system," the document states, "has been witnessing the suspension of shipments to the US market for several days. The decision to freeze orders has been driven by the uncertainty we are facing today, even in the absence of a formal measure from the US administration. Given that our wines take several weeks to reach the USA, tariffs could soar up to 200% 'on the water'—meaning during the journey between Italy and America—potentially putting our importers at risk, not to mention the severe repercussions for the exporting companies."

The value of Italian Prosecco in the USA

In their letter to Lollobrigida, the three presidents provided figures "to illustrate the seriousness of the situation." Prosecco Doc exports around 130 million bottles to the United States, accounting for approximately 23% of the entire denomination's exports (which set a new record in 2024). These volumes generate production revenues of around 500 million euros. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Docg exports over 3.5 million bottles, exclusively targeting the high-end Horeca sector, ensuring the highest price range. For Asolo Prosecco Docg, the United States is one of the primary export markets, as the denomination exports about 75% of its total production, which reached 32 million bottles in 2024.

Alternative markets and declining value

"The loss of such a market," the three protection consortia stress, "would necessitate finding alternative countries to absorb these products, and in an emergency, this would undoubtedly lead to a significant reduction in value, with economic and social repercussions for our companies. Certain that you understand the severity of the situation," they conclude, addressing Minister Lollobrigida, "we hope for your intervention to implement appropriate measures at both national and EU levels to resolve the issue."