“Italian wine production will stop at 44 million hectolitres”. The downward estimates by Legacoop Agroalimentare

New downgraded harvest forecasts for Italian wine, still in the middle of the 2025 harvest. After the first estimates released in September by Ismea, Uiv and Assoenologi, which quantified the harvest at 47.4 million hectolitres, Legacoop Agroalimentare has also released its own forecasts on wine volumes for this vintage, which is “over 75% completed at national level.” The overall estimate is around 44 million hectolitres, three million hectolitres less: “A more realistic figure compared to pre-harvest expectations,” said president Cristian Maretti, stressing that the vintage is shaping up to be one of “qualitative excellence, although the quantities produced are lower than initial forecasts, in line with last year.” But, as always, we will have to wait until the end of the campaign to know the actual quantities brought into the cellar.

Drops also of 10% and 20%

“Thanks to the moderate night-time temperatures, which favoured the right balance between alcohol content and acidity, we can confirm that the quality of the wine will be exceptional,” Maretti reiterated. What affected the volumes were drought in some areas of Southern Italy and rainfall during flowering in other parts of the North. “In particular – according to the estimates released by Legacoop Agroalimentare – the regions that had recorded very abundant productions in 2024 saw a reduction between 10% and 20%, contributing to a general rebalancing between supply and demand and discouraging speculative practices aimed at unfairly low prices.”

Lower volumes discourage speculation

Looking at the international situation, with France and Spain down compared to historical averages, Maretti pointed out that “the lower quantity, if confirmed, could create a fundamental balance for the market.” A scenario that “leaves no room for speculation – underlines in conclusion the president of Legacoop Agroalimentare – for those operators who work to obtain unfairly low prices, to the detriment of the valorisation of the vine and wine supply chain.”