Over two billion litres of wine were exported in 11 months (+3.3%), generating a turnover of €7.52 billion (+5.4%). The analysis of Istat data on Italy's foreign trade between January and November 2024 confirms the trend observed since the summer months and raises the possibility of surpassing, for the first time, the €8 billion threshold. This would be a record for Italian wine, a milestone that has remained out of reach for several consecutive years due to negative economic conditions. The average price per litre remains stable at €3.70, compared to €3.60 a year earlier. However, the entire wine sector is well aware that 2025 will bring many uncertainties, so while the data is positive, it should be taken with caution.
The top 10 markets
The top three markets, in terms of value, are all in positive territory: the United States (+9% at €1.76 billion, though the threat of tariffs looms large), Germany (+4%, exceeding €1.1 billion), and the United Kingdom (+1.3% at €805 million). Canada continues its recovery (+14.7% at €413 million), while exports to Switzerland show a negative trend (-1.7% at €377 million).
From fifth to tenth place, results vary among Italy’s wine clients. France saw a decline of -1.66% to €286 million, while the Netherlands recorded a 9.4% increase to €234 million. Russia continued its climb (+52% to €216 million), while Belgium lost ground (from €213 million to €210 million). Japan, in tenth place, rose to €204 million (+3.2%), just ahead of Sweden, which remains outside the top ten but increased from €174 million to €178 million (+2.7%).
Outside the top ten, China's decline continues (€124 million), while Brazil, the leading Mercosur country for Italian wine purchases, grew from €39 million to €44 million. Poland also showed strong performance, increasing from €159 million to €169 million (+6%).
In terms of volume, Istat data indicates decreases for the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium, while shipments of Italian wine to the United States and Germany both grew by 6%.
Prosecco saves the sparkling wine sector
The positive trend in sparkling wines continues, but it is entirely driven by a single category: Prosecco Dop. Sparkling wine exports reached 516 million litres (+12.6%), with values rising significantly to €2.21 billion (+9.4%). Prosecco Dop alone accounts for a staggering €1.7 billion (+11.9% in 11 months).
Asti Spumante Dop saw a slight decline (-3%), falling from €157 million to €152 million, with volumes also dropping by 3% (to €40 million). Other Italian Dop sparkling wines, including Alta Langa, Trentodoc, and Franciacorta, lost value, decreasing from €90 million to €80 million, with volumes falling from 13.3 million litres to 11.3 million litres.
IGP sparkling wines also recorded a decline in export value (from €15.2 million to €13.4 million), with volumes dropping from 4.8 million to 4.2 million litres.
The group of bottled Dop red wines from Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Sicily showed an increase in both value (from €1.26 billion to €1.35 billion) and volume (from 150 million to 155 million litres). Similarly, bottled Dop white wines from Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany, Lazio, and Sicily recorded a positive balance over the 11-month period, with values rising from €617 million to €656 million and volumes increasing from 162 million to 175 million litres, marking respective gains of 6.3% and 8% between January and November 2024.
Performance by wine category
Nearly €4.9 billion of the total €7.52 billion exported by Italy comes from bottled wines (packages under 2 litres). Between January and November 2024, this segment grew by 4.2%, with volumes reaching 1.1 billion litres—an identical 4.2% increase.
For wines packaged between 2 and 10 litres (including bag-in-box wines), the segment declined from €108 million to €100 million in 2024, with volumes decreasing from 46 million to 43 million litres.
As for grape must, Italy exported 17.4 million litres during the period, compared to 15.5 million litres in the same period in 2023. However, values dropped from €34.7 million to €28.6 million—a decline of over 17%.
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