Italian wine exports slow down: values rise in February but volumes drop. Russia collapses

Lights and shadows in Italian wine exports during the first two months of 2025. February closed with a 3.67% increase in turnover (reaching €1.19 billion), but with a drop in quantities by 1.7%, totalling 316 million litres. After the record year of 2024 and a strong start in January, the volumes shipped abroad during the two-month period fell behind compared to the same time last year. The average price per litre remains high, around €3.75, according to analysis by the weekly Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso, based on Istat foreign trade data.

Prosecco PDO still plays a key role

Bottled wine (in packaging under 2 litres) lost 3.3% in volume but gained 3.67% in value, nearing €800 million in February 2025. Wines in packaging over 2 litres grew in value (+2.6% to €51 million) but lost 2.4% in volume (58.7 million litres) compared to a year ago. Sparkling wine seems unaffected by the consumption crisis, reaching €322 million in value, up 4.57% year-on-year, and seeing a rise in quantity: +3.3% to 74.6 million litres, of which 56.5 million were Prosecco PDO (+7.3%), generating almost €250 million in turnover (+7.5%). In contrast, Asti Spumante PDO showed negative results (-8.5% in value and -5.4% in volume), while other Italian PDO sparkling wines (including Trento DOC, Alta Langa, Franciacorta) saw a 1.5% increase in value but a sharp drop in volume (-17%). Sparkling wines with PGI status saw a double-digit decrease in quantity (-33%) but maintained a stable turnover at €2.3 million.

Markets: positive signs from USA and Canada

The United States continues to import Italian wine during the first two months of 2025, following a trend already observed last year, now intensified by stockpiling due to import tariffs announced in the autumn (25% with a threatened rise to 200%) and implemented in spring by President Donald Trump (an additional 10%). Over the two-month period, Italy shipped 57.8 million litres of wine to the US, an increase of 8.2% from a year ago, while the value rose sharply from €278 million to €335 million, up 20%. About €237 million refers to bottled products in packages under two litres. The average export price of Italian wine to the US is €5.8 per litre. Prosecco PDO alone achieved +40% in value and +37% in volume.

Italian wine is also more expensive in Canada, where volumes rose by 1.5%, but values increased by 15% to €62.3 million.

Mixed performance in Germany and the UK

Shipments of Italian wine to key European markets were down for the two most important clients of Made in Italy: Germany (-2%) and the UK (-1%), as well as Sweden (-2%) and Austria (-2%). Meanwhile, growth was recorded in Switzerland (+2.9%), Belgium (+2.8%), Poland (+8%), and was stable in France and the Netherlands in the first two months of 2025. The overall picture improves when looking at value: Germany +2.3%, but the UK remained negative with -1.45% in the first two months, reaching €107 million in wine sales. Exports to France and the Netherlands grew by 1%, Belgium and Sweden +2%, Switzerland +1.5%, and Poland +10%. Austria, on the other hand, saw a significant drop (-6.6%).

Russia collapses

Istat data also shows that the Russian market came to an abrupt halt in February 2025. Exports of Italian wine to the former Soviet market—which in 2024 recorded the best performance among all Italian wine customers—reached just €20 million, compared to €47 million in the first two months of 2024. That’s a 57% drop. This confirms the downward trend already noted in January. In terms of quantity, shipments fell from nearly 16 million litres a year ago to 5.1 million litres, a collapse of 68%.

Among other reference markets: in South America, Mexico saw a -40% decline in volume and -25% in value; Brazil, on the other hand, grew by 33% in volume and 30% in value. In Asia, Italian wine revenues are disappointing: down 26% in China, slightly negative in South Korea (-1%), and in negative territory in Japan as well, with -7% in the cumulative result for the first two months of 2025.