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Issue 741 - July 7th - 11th 2025 - Expressly created for 3702 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world | |
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| | | While waiting to learn the outcome of the negotiations on duties between the US and the EU, net of the letter from US President Donald Trump, European wine, which in recent days had tried to breathe a sigh of relief after rumors that the “alcohol” chapter would be spared, is once again up in arms. An appeal signed by the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV), led by Marzia Varvaglione, states that it “has learned with concern that wine and aromatized wines could be excluded from the EU trade offer currently being negotiated as part of a broader agreement with the US administration”. | |
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| | The first half of the year closed in deep red for the Liv-Ex indices, the leading platform monitoring the secondary market for fine wines. All indices are showing net losses in the first six months of 2025, with almost all of them recording double-digit declines over the 12 months. According to data analyzed by WineNews, the Liv-Ex 100, the platform’s benchmark index, is down 4.9% since the beginning of the year and 10.5% over the last 12 months (the index includes, for Italy, after the latest update, Bartolo Mascarello’s 2019 Barolo, Bruno Giacosa’s 2017 Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche Riserva, Giacomo Conterno’s 2014 and 2015 Barolo Monfortino Riserva, Biondi-Santi’s 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Gaia’s 2019 Barbaresco, and Tenuta San Guido’s 2019, 2020 and 2021 from Tenuta San Guido, Solaia 2021 and Tignanello 2020 and 2021 from Marchesi Antinori, and Ornellaia 2021 and Masseto 2020 and 2021 from the Frescobaldi Group, as well as the “new entry” 100% Sangiovese Toscana IGT 2019 from Soldera Case Basse). The same trend was recorded by the largest index in terms of numbers, the Liv-Ex 1000, which fell by 4.7% in the first six months and 10.1% in a year. This performance is heavily influenced by the negative trends of indices such as the Burgundy 150 (-5.6% in 2025 and -11.3% in 12 months), the Bordeaux 500 (-5.6% and -12%), and Champagne 50 (-4.9% in 2025 and -9.7% in 12 months). As has been the case for some time, the Italy 100 is performing less badly than others, but is still clearly in negative territory: -3.3% since the beginning of the year and -8% over 12 months, for the index formed, today, after the latest update, by Bartolo Mascarello’s Barolo from all vintages from 2011 to 2020, as well as Gaja’s Barbaresco, Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Monfortino Riserva, vintages 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015 vintages, Bruno Giacosa’s Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto Riserva 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017, and all vintages from 2012 to 2021 of Sassicaia from Tenuta San Guido, Solaia and Tignanello from Marchesi Antinori, and Ornellaia and Masseto from the Frescobaldi Group, as well as 100% Sangiovese Toscana IGT from Soldera Case Basse from the vintages 2009 to 2019 (excluding 2010).
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| | “No-Lo” wines (alcohol-free or low-alcohol) are now much more than an emerging trend: the demand for low-alcohol labels from a target market of younger consumers who are more health-conscious is growing, and now it is not only companies that are taking action, but also consortia. The Orvieto DOC consortium has announced a historic change: from today, it will be possible to produce Orvieto DOC wines with a minimum alcohol content of 10%, thanks to the final approval of the new regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture. With this change, the Consorzio Tutela Vini di Orvieto is a pioneer in Italy for a low-alcohol designation of origin, an increasingly strategic issue. A multidisciplinary research project has also been launched, covering oenological, agronomic, regulatory, and communication aspects. | |
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| | | The “Prosecco System” has been the most significant global wine phenomenon of the last 25 years. Its success has been fueled by the synergy between three key elements. The first is Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG, which represents the origin, history, vine-covered hills (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ed.), and culture of the product (and an average of 100 million bottles produced each year). Asolo DOCG, which is the identity and cultural history of one of Italy’s most beautiful villages and its vineyards nestled among the woods (and over 30 million bottles); finally, Prosecco DOC: “effervescence” on the market, both in terms of numbers and consumption style (in 2024, 660 million bottles on the market, with a turnover of €3.6 billion at source). But now, with the system having reached “maturity”, many believe that it is urgent to reflect on the distinctive characteristics of each of the three appellations. This reflection has been voiced by the “Conegliano Valdobbiadene Committee”, which, for its first official “outing”, wanted to initiate a discussion on the wine and territorial heritage of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG and its future, held in recent days in Farra di Soligo, entitled: “Awareness of the uniqueness of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG in today’s choices and for tomorrow” (in more details). | |
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| | | In an increasingly divided and divisive world, wine synergies are bucking the trend. Pasqua Vini, one of the leading wineries in Valpolicella, Verona, and Veneto, owned by the Pasqua family, is joining forces with Charles Smith, a leading wine producer in the rapidly growing state of Washington. Together, they will produce wines under the “Real Wine” brand, in which Pasqua will hold a minority stake (up to 20%). This comprehensive agreement will also see the Veneto winery become the exclusive international distributor of “House of Smith” wines. | |
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| | The 2025 harvest is approaching, with a market that is not helping to reduce the high stocks in the cellars. And while several regions important to Italian wine are already talking about evaluating measures such as crisis distillation, in addition to lowering the maximum yields provided for in the production regulations, in Tuscany too there are those who are beginning to call for discussions with trade associations, hypothesizing urgent measures such as green harvesting, support distillation, but also the “voluntary” uprooting of less suitable vineyards, as stated in a motion sent to the Tuscan Regional Council by the members of the Fratelli d’Italia Council Group. These ideas reflect a situation of general hardship, with Avito data for the first six months of 2025 (bottled and bands) showing a 2% decline compared to 2024. | |
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| | Prince Robert of Luxembourg, head of Domaine Clarence Dillon, one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wine groups, is the new president of Primum Familiae Vini (Pfv), the association that brings together the 12 most traditional and important wine-producing families in the world, including names such as Marchesi Antinori, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Joseph Drouhin, Domaine Clarence Dillon, Egon Müller Scharzhof, Famille Hugel, Pol Roger, Famille Perrin, Symington Family Estates, Tenuta San Guido, Familia Torres, and Tempos Vega Sicilia.
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