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Issue 453 - December 30th - 3rd January 2020 - Expressly created for 11.897 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world |
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After weeks of negotiations, Farnese Vini, as confirmed to WineNews by its president Valentino Sciotti, officially passes into the hands of the US private equity fund Platinum, from Rb Renaissance, which in 2016 became the majority shareholder of the group by acquiring shares of 21 Investimenti of Alessandro Benetton. “We have just signed an exclusive agreement with Platinum - explains Sciotti - which will lead to the purchase. It is a 180 million euro operation, a fund change that rewards the great growth of the company in recent years and it will give us great impetus in the overseas market and in our ambitions for growth, also through new acquisitions”. |
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Between the threat of US duties that frightens producers in Italy and Europe, the Brexit that is now certain, and a European and Chinese economy that is no longer flourishing as before, making economic estimates on the evolution of the wine industry is more complex than ever. More plausible, perhaps, to investigate the preferences of the consumer who, despite changes in the economic scenario, go their own way, influenced, perhaps, by other factors, such as trends, current affairs and, last but not least, the “simple” taste. And so, in this exercise, Nomisma, with its Wine Monitor, directed by Denis Pantini, asked consumers in Italy, which remains the first absolute wine market in Italy, the USA and Germany, primary international markets and fundamental in terms of value and volume for the wineries of the Belpaese, what will be the types of wine whose consumption will grow more. With substantial differences, but a fact that, looking at the two foreign markets, can only increase the concern of producers, namely the substantial preference for wines produced in their respective homelands. In both countries, two macro-categories that are universally recognized as the strengths of Italian wine are not at the very top of the list: the native grape varieties and sparkling wines. In the Italy of a thousand grape varieties and territories, according to consumers, wines from native grape varieties (20.3%), followed by organic wines (16.4%), sparkling wines (13%), sustainable wines (12.8%) and wines from specific territories (12.6%) will be on the crest of the wave over the next three years. In the USA, President Donald Trump’s motto “America first” seems to have convinced wine consumers, given that, according to those surveyed, the wines that will grow most in consumption will be “domestic wines” (15.7%), ahead of organic wines (14.7%) and sustainable wines (10.3%). Wines from autochthonous grape varieties will be further away, with 8.6%, and sparkling wines, with 7.3%. In Germany, sustainable wines (14.9%) are at the top of the “future preferences”, ahead of national wines (14.7%) and organic wines (13.6). Also among Germans, categories such as wines from native grape varieties (12.9%) and sparkling wines (5.8%), close the ranking. |
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Defusing the duty time bomb, threatened by the Trump administration and already on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s shortlist, is the big challenge of 2020. That many overseas have decided to fight on the front lines. After Sotheby’s and Zachy’s, who officially supported the petition against the tariffs, in the last few days came the clear stance of James Suckling, also supported by Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of “Wine Spectator”, who explained his point of view in the article “The New War Against Wine”, in which he points out that “the biggest threat to the wine business today is the increase in tariffs on imported wines”. In danger there is an entire supply chain, starting with importers and involving distributors and retailers, who would be hit hard by a dispute that has nothing to do with wine. |
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The “circus” of wine, with its many events, will come back to life. Piedmont will open the dances with the edition n. 5 of “Grandi Langhe”, on stage on January 27-28, in Alba, an event signed by the Consortium of Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani (with that of Roero), which on February 4-5 will be the protagonist in New York, with Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening, between great tastings and a gala dinner with the cuisine of Massimo Bottura, the conduction of Alessandro Cattelan and the music of Il Volo. In Italy, the Anteprima Amarone will be staged on February 1-2 in Verona. In Florence, on February 7-8, will be staged the edition n. 10 of Buy Wine, while on February 15 it will be the turn of PrimAnteprima, with all the less famous Consortia of the Region united (and with the presentation of the Consortium that will deal with the IGT Toscana), followed, on February 16, by Chianti Lovers, and then, the Chianti Classico Collection (February 17-18). On February 19, all in San Gimignano, with the new vintages of Vernaccia, while on February 20, in Montepulciano is the turn of the Anteprima del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, with the grand finale, which touches Montalcino, with Benvenuto Brunello, on February 21-22. While in Umbria, in Montefalco, on 24-25 there will be Anteprima Sagrantino. |
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Italy places 7 labels among the top 100 by number of searches on the Wine-Searcher portal. First the Sassicaia at no. 7, followed by Tignanello by Antinori at no. 24, and the Masseto, at no. 37. At n. 45 there is Ornellaia, followed, at n. 46, by Solaia, by Antinori. At n. 50 there is the Barolo Monfortino Riserva by Giacomo Conterno, while at n. 82 there is the Flaccianello delle Pieve of the Chianti Classico Fontodi brand. At no. 101 there is Gaja, with its Barbaresco, followed by Bartolo Mascarello’s Barolo, then, Chianti Classico of San Giusto in Rentennano. |
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If there is a time of year when culinary tradition resists the passage of time, it is Christmas. Religious and family feast, as Mario Soldati defined it in the Rai documentary “Il pranzo di Natale - cibi genuini” of 1958, today it has become something else. Soldati’s work is fundamental to rediscover how we were, through the gastronomic traditions of the Belpaese. It starts from the definition of the Christmas Lunch, but the common thread is that of an almost spasmodic search of roots, ties and traditions. The result is a history of the country through the cuisine, tortelli made with pumpkin all washed down by Lambrusco di Sorbara, to the Sicilian pastizzo from Pachino, from the agnolotti From the Canavese area, with the Passito di Caluso, to the rich cuisine of Abruzzo, from crustoli to nougat, up to the richness of Tuscan gastronomy. |
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China, for Italian wine, is still a great promise. Nevertheless, concrete growth can be achieved through investment and market surveillance. As the case of Piccini, one of the best known realities of the Chianti galaxy, and with estates also in Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Maremma, Etna and Basilicata. The winery, led by Mario Piccini, who recently opened his own stable garrison in Shanghai, has recorded a growth in exports to China of 50% year on year, with the Dragon Country alone covering 8% of its turnover. |
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