The president of Confagricoltura, Massimiliano Giansanti, underlined the importance for Italy of defining priorities and investment sectors in the wine sector, especially considering the intense heat of July and August, which will reduce the quantity of grapes available. Climate disasters, including hailstorms and floods, have hit some important wine-growing regions such as Marche and Emilia-Romagna, worsening the situation.
The Italian wine sector is also plagued by diseases and fungi, such as Peronospora, which represents a real emergency in 2023. Giansanti emphasized the need to invest in internal production to guarantee quality and competitiveness on the international market, while economic uncertainty requires reassurances for the internal market.
Other challenges include a record stock of Italian wine in cellars at the end of July and a decline in exports to countries outside the European Union, particularly the United States. The Uiv-Vinitaly Observatory reported a contraction in non-European demand in the first half of the year, with a decrease in exports to countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Norway, China and South Korea, while only Russia showed an increase in imports of Italian wine. Italy is therefore faced with the challenge of having an excess of unsold wine on the international market.
