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Issue 675 - April 2nd - 5th 2024 - Expressly created for 4726 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world | |
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| | | Antinori is, once again, the most admired Italian wine brand in the world. And while it had been No. 1 overall in 2023, the group is at No. 4 in “The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands” 2024 by the international magazine “Drinks International”. On the top step of the podium returns Familia Torres, from Spain, ahead of the world-famous Catena Zapata, from Argentina, and Australia’s top brand, Penfolds. But there are many Italian wine names among the world’s top 50: at No.10 Gaja, at No. 30 Planeta, at No. 31 Ornellaia, from the Frescobaldi Group, at No. 39 Zonin, at No. 45 Frescobaldi, followed by another Antinori house jewel, Tignanello, at No. 46. | |
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| | Wine in Italy is a 13.8 billion euro production turnover sector, 10% of the total agri-food industry, involving 241,000 wineries and 33,000 winemaking companies, with 7.8 billion euro exports. But it is also, or above all, history, culture, widespread wealth and garrison of territories. This is why Italy, can and must be one of the great powers on the front line to protect a product that today, from many quarters, due to the social changes taking place but also to political wills with a neo-prohibitionist flavor, is put at risk. And that is why, on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Organization of Vine and Wine - OIV, chaired by Italian professor Luigi Moio, the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, has called together colleagues and representatives from 30 countries around the world, who will meet in the “Wine Ministerial Meeting” in Franciacorta, April 12, and then set course for “Opera Wine” by Wine Spectator, April 13, and on to Vinitaly, April 14-17, in Verona, “where we will show the world Italy’s ability to create value around wine, our excellence in controlling the supply chain, but also our history, our wine culture, including through works that will come from the Lungarotti family’s Wine Museum in Torgiano, and our ability to innovate, with exhibits and spaces more to be seen and experienced, than to be told today”. Words of the same Francesco Lollobrigida at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, in Sala Cavour, at the table with Veronafiere president, Federico Bricolo, and in connection with OIV president Luigi Moio, from Dijon, Ice president, Matteo Zoppas, and renowned nutritionist Giorgio Calabrese. And if the latter returned to emphasize how “wine is a liquid food, consumed in moderation, as part of a proper diet and a healthy lifestyle, not only is it not bad for you, as some people insist on claiming, but it is even beneficial”, Oiv president Moio stressed how this appointment that brings together the governments of the world’s most important countries for wine in Italy comes at an important time (in more detail). | |
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| | Turnover up 11%, although with an average number of visitors to the winery down 6%; a receipt per reservation that is getting “heavier” (109 euros, +18% over 2022), “deseasonalization” that is growing (as are the offers proposed and the “loyal” customers) with visits going increasingly “strong”, thanks to the willingness to open on weekends with wine-lovers increasingly eager for recurring experiences (96.5%) rather than to participate in events (3.5%). And then young people, they are the most “curious” and interested in visiting wineries. Appearing, therefore, healthy are the numbers of Italian wine tourism, as reflected in the data published in the “Report Wine Tourism and Direct-toConsumer Sales 2024”, produced by the technology company Divinea. | |
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| | | Bernard Arnault, patron of the luxury empire Lvmh (with an estimated wealth of $233 billion), who also controls many top wine brands such as Moet & Chandon, Krug, Cheval Blanc and Chateau d’Yquem, is the richest man in the world in 2024, according to Forbes. But there are many “rich men” linked (also) to wine, from Italy and beyond. Such as Brazilian André Santos Esteves (No. 417 in the ranking, with $6.6 billion), owner of Argiano in Montalcino, and Argentine oilman Alejando Bulgheroni (No. 626 with $4.9 billion) who, with the Alejandro Bulgheroni Family Vineyards Italia, puts together realities such as Dievole, in Chianti Classico, Poggio Landi in Montalcino and Tenuta Le Colonne and Tenuta Meraviglia in Bolgheri. Along with, among others, Brunello Cucinelli (No. 697, with $4.5 billion), who in his Solomeo, for some time now, has also been producing wine, the “Castello di Solomeo”, and Renzo Rosso, (No. 871 and $3.7 billion), patron of Diesel Farm and “Brave Wines” (with holdings in Benanti, on Etna, and Josetta Saffirio in Barolo). In addition, of course, to Francois Pinault, who, with Artémis Domaines, controls such realities as Château Latour in Bordeaux and Clos de Tart in Burgundy, and Luca Garavoglia, president of Campari (with brands such as Cinzano, Mondoro and Riccadonna, and Champagne Lallier), among others. | |
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| | | Prosecco remains by far the most exported Italian PDO wine in the world, with a total value approaching 1.7 billion euros. A ranking of the most sought-after was compiled by “Wine-Searcher”, a reference portal for preferences and price comparisons. And if Bottega’s Prosecco “Gold” takes the No. 1 position, in the top ten, in order, are La Marca, Le Vigne di Alice, Bisol, Mionetto, Freixenet, Ruggeri, Zonin, La Gioiosa et Amorosa and Le Colture. | |
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| | The Italia del Vino Consortium, which unites 25 leading Italian wine wineries with a combined turnover of 1.5 billion euros (Angelini Estates, Banfi, Bisol, Cà Maiol, Di Majo Norante, Diesel Farm, Drei Donà, Duca di Salaparuta, Ferrari Trento, Gruppo Italiano Vini, Mezzacorona, Librandi, Lunae Bosoni, Marchesi di Barolo, Medici Ermete & Figli, Mesa, Santa Margherita, Sartori, Tenimenti Leone, Terre de La Custodia, Terredora di Paolo, Torrevento, Zaccagnini and Zonin1821, and Le Monde), reappointed Roberta Corrà, managing director Giv. | |
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| | The best rosé wine in the world speaks Italian: the “Villa Cordevigo Gaudenzia” 2019 from the Veneto-based winery Vigneti Villabella won the “Vinolok Trophy” International Revelation, Grand Gold Medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, among the world’s most prestigious competitions, triumphing among 1,205 rosé wines coming from all countries. In addition to the International Revelation, two other Italian wines won the Grand Gold Medal: Cantina Frentana’s “Sangro Rosato” 2023 and “Anfora Chiaretto Classico Rosato” 2022. | |
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