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Issue 663 - January 8th - 12th 2024 - Expressly created for 4666 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world | |
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| | | It is certainly no surprise that so many celebrities are fascinated by the world of wine that they decided to turn what began as a passion into a real business. So did Cameron Diaz, one of the most famous and beloved U.S. actresses ever who, in 2018, decided to prioritize her wine business through the Avaline line, which includes four wines produced in Italy, “new entries” for a wine journey from North to South: and, thus, Pinot Grigio from Fidora; Italian Bianco, a white grape blend from Cantine Losito; Sangiovese from Villa Geggiano; and Lambrusco from Cantine Puianello. | |
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| | World trade slowing down, as well as purchases in the large-scale retail trade of different countries and consumption more generally declining, not only due to economic factors, but also health and generational ones, are the not very comforting summary of a 2023 told by more or less complete data. A scenario - to which must be added the macro theme of climate change - that, in view of the 2024 that has just begun, but also of the near future, leaves no room for Pindaric flights and who knows what optimism for the world of wine, which, driven by necessity, is beginning to question itself more deeply on issues that we have been telling and analyzing for some time. Which also emerge in the latest report, published by Ismea, where, net of the economic data already analyzed several times (between a low 2023 production, below 40 million hectoliters, but winery stocks never so high, stably above 40 million hectoliters, exports stable in volume but down in value and purchases in large-scale distribution down in volume and up slightly in value, but mainly due to price increases linked to inflation), it emerges how, looking to the future, the sector is questioning some critical issues that, by now, can be considered structural rather than conjunctural. So much so that “Italian producers have begun to question what the solutions might be given a demand that is becoming increasingly polarized: premium and low-end wine continue to have a precise target of consumption, while the whole crowded middle range could have problems. So there are questions about reshaping the offer also toward products with a lower alcohol content, toward less structured wines and with more appealing packaging especially for the segment of consumers who are entering the world of wine for the first time. And on supply management to avoid vintages of overproduction that might not be sustainable on the price front and therefore profitability”. Telling all these difficulties, as mentioned, in addition to the sentiments and reflections of many producers that WineNews interviews and meets throughout the year, there are the data, which put in black and white the drop in consumption, which is reflected in the slowdown of exports and consumption in large-scale distribution (in more detail). | |
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| | The decline in wine and spirits consumption, worldwide, is in the public eye. And while many think that it is a structural decline, linked, on the one hand, to a generational change that sees the “new” generations entering the market not replacing the “old” ones leaving it in terms of volumes consumed, and, on the other, to a growing healthism that leads to fewer glasses and goblets, according to others, on the other hand, the slowdown is mainly conjunctural and related to economic difficulties, with inflation hitting a bit all over the world, and the increase in salaries not keeping up, to a greater or lesser degree depending on areas and countries. At least, this is what the latest Bevtrac report from Iwsr - International Wine & Spirits Research - claims (in more detail). | |
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| | | Among the many year-end rankings dedicated to wine, it is now the turn of “Decanter”, a magazine of reference in the Uk market, which, for Italian wine, is worth so much (602 million euros in the first 9 months 2023, at +3.5% over 2022). And the list of “Wines of The Year” 2023 certainly does not lack labels from Italy. Among the best whites, here’s a must-have like the 2010 Rarity from Cantina di Terlano, a reference in Alto Adige, but also Tenuta del Conte’s Diversamente Greco Bianco 2019 from Cirò, in Calabria, and Elvio Cogno’s Anas-Cëtta Nascetta del Comune di Novello 2021 from Langhe. Among the reds, on the other hand, at the top come Claudio Tipa’s Bolgheri Superiore 2019 Grattamacco from the ColleMassari Group, now a great classic, but also Massolino’s Barolo Parafada 2019, again from Langhe, and Fontodi’s award-winning Flaccianello della Pieve 2013, via Tenuta delle Terre Nere’s Etna Calderara Sottana 2021, and Allegrini’s La Poja 2018. Then again Piedmont, with Tenuta Santa Caterina’s Grignolino d’Asti Monferace 2017, and Friuli Venezia Giulia, with Scubla Roberto’s Cràtis Verduzzo Friulano Colli Orientali 2019 passito. Also, wines from Ferrri, Sinefnis, Pieropan, Pietradolce, Cà del Magro, Monte del Frà, Cà dei Maghi, Di Prisco, Girlan and Orma. | |
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| | | It is called “Inspired by the classic, moved by the future”, the Consorzio Prosecco Doc’s new short film curated by director Carlo Guttadauro, which transforms Villa Contarini, in Piazzola sul Brenta, a jewel of the baroque Veneto, into a scenic labyrinth where the classical merges with the contemporary through the dance of Virna Toppi, the prima ballerina of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, and the art of parkour by traceur Davide Garzetti, the starting point of a journey that winds through iconic places, such as Venice.
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| | When agritourism rhymes with wine. This is also shown by the latest Istat report, “Agritourism Companies in Italy” 2022, where, among the eleven cities with at least 100 agritourism companies, most have an identifying link with wine, a product that also drives the local economy: from Montalcino to Montepulciano, up to San Gimignano, Cortona and Manciano in Tuscany, a region also present with Grosseto. In neighboring Umbria there is Assisi with the “top 11” completed by Appiano sulla Strada del Vino and Caldaro sulla Strada del Vino (Alto Adige); Noto (Sicily) and Castelrotto (Trentino Alto Adige). | |
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| | The U.S. reignites the engines of wine promotion, and among the many events coming to the States. Like the “Top 100 NYC Tasting” signed by the famous magazine “Wine & Spirits”, staged in New York on February 15, at the Metropolitan Pavillion. Protagonists, among great wineries of the world, many Italian wineries of absolute prestige, such as Adami, Fratelli Alessandria, Castello di Ama, Luigi Baudana, Biondi-Santi, Elvio Cogno, I Favati, Le Macchiole, Ornellaia, Petrolo, Pieropan, Pietradolce, Rocca di Montegrossi, Sottimano, Tasca d’Almerita, G.D. Vajra and Vietti. | |
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