The 2025 Piedmont Wine Vintage Presented

The 2025 harvest in Piedmont was characterized by dynamic weather patterns that accelerated grape ripening and brought forward harvest times in many areas. A rainy spring followed by a hot, early summer resulted in lower-than-average yields, but yielded good-quality grapes, confirming the Piedmontese vineyard's ability to adapt to a period of increasingly evident structural changes.

Regional production exceeds 2.15 million hectoliters , of which 2 million hectoliters are PDO, equal to 93% of the total. This figure represents a 7% to 10% decrease compared to 2024. With an economic value of €1,180 million (2024 data) out of a national total of €9,062 million, Piedmont remains the second-largest Italian region in terms of impact on wine revenue, demonstrating a sector that remains strategic for the local economy. Exports of Piedmontese PDO red wines show a varied trend: Sweden and Canada are growing , while decreases, albeit limited, are recorded in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. However, an analysis of the last five years outlines a positive and well-distributed trajectory across international markets, with significant increases in both established and emerging countries. Spain stands out with 202%, France with 86% and Australia with 62%, while the most dynamic markets include the United Arab Emirates (196%), South Korea (165%) and Brazil (76%), a market destined to become even more interesting with the expected reduction in duties under the Mercosur agreement.

Piedmont remains among the most advanced regions in Italy in the development of wine tourism and direct sales , thanks to a model that combines strategic vision and organizational skill. Recent data shows a 20% growth in bookings and average receipts, a seasonality that extends into October and November, and a strong presence of domestic tourism, now one of the most significant catchment areas for the sector.

This snapshot is included in L'Annata Vitivinicola in Piemonte 2025 , the annual publication edited by Vignaioli Piemontesi and the Piedmont Region, which brings together climate data, technical analyses, economic assessments, and observations from industry professionals. Since 1992, this work has constituted the most comprehensive observatory on the Piedmontese grape harvest, thanks to the systematic collection of information on grape ripening and the coordination of oenologists, agronomists, and technicians present in all of the region's winegrowing areas.

This year's edition was presented at the Castello di Costigliole d'Asti, confirming this event as an indispensable tool for interpreting the evolution of Piedmontese viticulture and the sector's future challenges.

CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR PIEDMONT WINES IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET

In his presentation, Denis Pantini, head of Nomisma Wine Monitor, outlined a complex market landscape, in which wineries are operating in an international and national environment marked by economic uncertainty and increasingly pressured consumer purchasing power. In Italy, slowing spending and a continuing weak climate of confidence are negatively impacting wine purchases, both in retail and out-of-home consumption, where increased attention to Highway Code regulations is also a factor. In the first nine months of 2025, sales in large-scale retail trade recorded a decline in volume of more than 2%, particularly for still wines, especially reds and PDOs, while sparkling wines showed the opposite trend, growing by almost 6%.

The outlook remains weak even in the main importing markets: between January and September, wine imports showed an overall decline, with a few exceptions, such as Germany, Japan, Switzerland, France, and Brazil. Regarding Italian wine purchases, only Germany, Canada, and Brazil recorded increases. This situation is reflected in Italian exports, which in August decreased by 2% in value and 2.8% in volume, with still and sparkling wines below average and sparkling wines holding steady.

The slowdown, Pantini emphasizes, isn't limited to Italy: more significant declines are affecting France, Chile, Australia, and, most notably, the United States, penalized by trade retaliation from Canada and China. In this context, some Italian PDO wines are performing well, including Piedmontese reds, which grew by 3.8% in value (3.2% in volume) in the first eight months of the year.

For Piedmont, Sweden and Canada remain the most dynamic markets for PDO red wines, while the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland saw moderate declines. The American market was particularly volatile: the introduction of tariffs and the devaluation of the dollar led to a spike in purchases in the early months of the year—with importers stockpiling before the new tariffs took effect—followed by drops between May and August and a marked decline in average prices. A similar phenomenon affected Piedmontese PDO red wines, with exceptional increases in value at the beginning of the year, concentrated in the premium segments, and subsequent downward adjustments.

Pantini highlighted how dependence on the US market represents an unsustainable vulnerability. From this perspective, growth over the past five years in both established and emerging markets points the way forward: Spain (202%), France (86%), and Australia (62%) among mature countries; the United Arab Emirates (196%), South Korea (165%), and Brazil (76%) among growing markets, the latter potentially destined to become even more competitive with the future reduction in tariffs linked to the Mercosur agreement.

THE US MARKET AND PIEDMONT WINES: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN THE MAIN IMPORTING COUNTRY

In his speech, Francesco Ganz highlighted how the US market is becoming increasingly selective and competitive, with consumers influenced by new consumption trends and a growing variety of gastronomic cultures. In a context of increasingly demanding international competition, Italian wine, including Piedmont, which enjoys a recognized position in the US, must decisively strengthen its communication and promotional strategies.

Ganz emphasized the need for a joint public-private effort to increase the visibility and perceived value of Italian wine among key market players: importers, buyers, wine directors, sommeliers, the international press, digital opinion leaders, and training centers. A coordinated effort, actively involving the most specialized importers and the Italian regions historically most present in the United States, including Piedmont, can help consolidate the reputation of Italian products and make them more competitive against strong competitors like France and California.

According to Ganz, it's crucial to overcome self-referentiality and work to ensure that American consumers spontaneously choose Italian wine. Only by directing demand toward the "Italy section," both on wine lists and on shelves, will the entire sector benefit: from Piedmont to Friuli, from Alto Adige to Sicily, in a collective journey of growth and strengthening the Italy brand.

WINE TOURISM AND DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER AS GLOBAL COMPETITIVE LEVER

Another crucial theme that emerged during the conference was the slow pace with which Italy is developing direct sales at wineries and the wine tourism industry, despite the sector's extraordinary potential. Lavinia Furlani, president of Wine Meridian and co-founder of Wine Tourism Hub, highlighted how one of the main challenges lies in companies' lack of strategic awareness: wine tourism and direct sales are not yet perceived as true business lines, with continuity, professionalism, and the ability to generate value.

Using national benchmarks and a comparison with the virtuous case of the Langhe, Furlani presented data confirming highly interesting trends: a 20% increase in bookings and average receipts between 2023 and 2025; an atypical seasonality, with peaks in October and November, demonstrating the importance of deseasonalization and year-round operations; greater weekend opening compared to the rest of Italy, a factor that prompts reflection on how supply can drive demand; and the prevalence of bookings in the 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. time slots, while evening experiences are less significant.

The strong domestic tourism component is also significant, a sign that local tourism today represents a key driver of direct sales growth. The presentation concluded with practical examples and real-world cases that demonstrate the complexity of wine tourism and the crucial role of human resources in ensuring quality, positioning, and profitability. This body of evidence highlights the many unexplored opportunities for boosting bookings, average receipts, and the overall value of the wine tourism experience in Italy.

2025 HARVEST DATA

Let's briefly review the data for the 2025 harvest. The 2025 harvest in Piedmont was characterized by dynamic weather patterns that accelerated grape ripening and brought forward harvest times in many areas. Among Piedmont's vineyards, wine production is estimated to have decreased by between 7% and 10% compared to the previous year, settling at over 2.15 million hectoliters.

Based on the analyses and evaluations conducted regularly by the technical service of Vignaioli Piemontesi, the vintage can be assessed as very good overall. The technicians awarded "nine stars" to Arneis, Favorita, Brachetto, Nebbiolo (Langhe and Roero), and Sauvignon Blanc; "eight and a half stars" to Cortese, Nascetta, Dolcetto, Pelaverga, and Chardonnay; "eight stars" to Erbaluce, Moscato Bianco, Barbera, Freisa, Ruché, Vespolina, and Pinot Noir. Seven and a half stars to Grignolino and Nebbiolo (Alto Piemonte).

The final data on the vineyard area in Piedmont will be available in January, but the first estimates indicate 43,792 hectares in 2025, confirming a further reduction compared to the 44,471 hectares of 2024 and the 44,285 of 2023 .

Considering the evolution of the last decade, the Piedmontese vineyard shows a trend composed of a phase of expansion followed by a more recent slowdown. After stabilizing in 2016 (43,500 hectares) , the sector has experienced constant growth: 44,202 hectares in 2017 , 44,449 in 2018 , 44,677 in 2019 , 44,737 in 2020 , up to the record values of 45,420 hectares in 2021 and 45,823 in 2022 , the highest point in the series.

Starting from 2023, however, a progressive contraction emerges: 44,285 hectares in 2023 , 44,471 in 2024 (a figure slightly recovering but still lower than the peaks of the previous two years), until the 2025 estimate which drops below 44,000 hectares.

In this updated picture, the Piedmont vineyard sector remains generally stable over the medium term, although it has shown a reversal of the trend over the last three years, indicating a downsizing after the expansionary phase of 2017–2022.

The estimated production of wines with a designation of origin (DOP) is 2.00 million hectoliters (93%). There are 60 denominations , including 19 DOCGs and 41 DOCs , which account for approximately 83% of the region's production; almost all of them are made from historic native grape varieties.

According to the latest data from the Piedmont Region, the value of Piedmontese production is €1.18 billion (2024 value) out of a total of €9.062 billion. Piedmont remains the second-largest region in Italy in terms of revenue impact.

Exports account for approximately 60% of the wine produced in Piedmont, of which 70% goes to EU countries and 30% to non-EU countries.

33% of Piedmont's wine production comes from cooperatives: 33 Piedmontese cooperative wineries are associated and represented by Vignaioli Piemontesi, with approximately 6,000 members.

For the 2024/2025 campaign, Piedmont can count on 18.25 million euros from the National Support Programme for the Wine Sector (CMO Wine).

The resources have been allocated to three strategic areas: €7.5 million to promote Piedmontese wines on third-country markets, €6.55 million to renovate and convert vineyards, and €4.2 million to the Investment measure, designed to support innovation and technological improvement within companies.

In addition to these sums, a further 6 million euros have been allocated by the Piedmont Region for the promotion of quality products under the 2025 call (Intervention SRG10 of the Rural Development Complement 2023–2027).