THE ECONOMY OF WINE IN THE PROVINCES OF ASTI AND ALESSANDRIA

In a contingency that sees wholesale wine prices falling due to the decreased purchasing power of families and consequently the reduction in the purchase of wine from large-scale retailers, exports, as a consolidated three-year trend, register a constant rise.

Wine companies

The table below - source: Agricultural Registry of Piedmont - indicates the companies and areas planted with vines (wine grapes) in Piedmont: Asti and Alessandria, both in terms of number of companies and as extension of areas planted with vines, are respectively in second and third position (Cuneo is in first position). The merging of the territories of Asti and Alessandria, as the object of competence and activity of the new Chamber of Commerce of Alessandria-Asti, places the enlarged territory first in the ranking, with almost 26,000 hectares of vineyard area.

In Asti, Barbera leads by number of companies: 2,646, followed by Moscato Bianco (1,803), Cortese (840), Chardonnay (704); by extension of areas planted with vines, the ranking sees the first two positions unchanged: Barbera (5,706 hectares) and Moscato Bianco (4,401 hectares); in third place we have Chardonnay with 589 hectares and in fourth place Cortese with 463 hectares.

In the province of Alessandria , Barbera, Cortese and Dolcetto are in the first three places by number of companies: Barbera has 1,787 companies [1] , Cortese 1,045 companies, Dolcetto 1,043; by extension of vineyard area, Barbera always remains in the lead (3,064 hectares), Cortese maintains second position with 2,264 hectares, and Dolcetto - with the same number of companies as Cortese - with half the vineyard area of Cortese comes in fourth site: 1,225 hectares. In fact, Moscato Bianco, which has 616 companies, has a vineyard area that places it in third place: 1,711 hectares.

Wine exports

In 2022 (provisional ISTAT data) the value of exports from the territory of Alessandria and Asti is 10.5 billion euros , compared to imports of 6.3 billion euros : the trade balance is therefore positive, for 4 .2 billion euros .

The 2022/2020 comparison records a growth of 39.5%, for a value of 3 billion euros.

Exports from the province of Asti are led by automotive parts (810 million euros), general purpose machinery (550 million euros) and drinks (535 million euros, where wine is included).

The main destination countries for the export of beverages from Asti are:

• The United States, with an export value of 110 million euros, slightly down on 2021 (121 million euros); in 2020 exports are worth 108 million euros
• Germany, 59 million euros, slightly down on 2021 (56 million euros) and 2020 (50 million euros)
• France: 33 million euros; 27 million in 2021 and 28 million in 2020
• Russia: 30 million euros; exports to Russia have grown decisively in the three-year period: 14 million in 2020 and 18 in 2021

The main exports, for Alessandria , are jewelery (1.7 billion euros), basic chemical products (840 million euros) and plastic materials (440 million euros); the export of beverages (where wine is included) ranks seventh of exported products, with a value of 291 million euros . The main beverage export countries are:

• Germany, with an export share of 74 million euros, up compared to 2020 (61 million) and 2021 (65 million)
• The United States: 29 million euros, a sharp decline compared to 2021 (88 million euros) and 2020 (53 million euros)
• Austria: 14 million euros, a sharp decrease compared to 2021 (7 million) and 2020 (5 million)
• France: 14 million euros, up compared to 2021 (13 million) and 2020 (11 million)

The United States, Germany and France are therefore the main destination markets for drinks in the Asti and Alessandria area, with Asti leading the flow.