Trend Vino Italia – June 2025: Global Growth, Local Challenges and the New Face of Conscious Drinking

1. The debate on the “recommended price” and the risks for the market

At the heart of the European debate on the reform of the CAP, the French proposal to introduce a “minimum or recommended price” for wines with a Designation of Origin has raised serious concerns in Italy. Lamberto Frescobaldi (Uiv) warns: there is a risk of boomerang effects such as the reduction of margins for producers, market distortions and a devaluation of superior quality wines. The price of wine, reiterates Uiv, must be the result of supply and demand.

2. The global alcohol market is growing, but geography is changing

According to IWSR, the global alcoholic beverage market will grow by $16 billion by 2030 and $34 billion by 2035, with a major shift toward emerging markets. India, Brazil and South Africa are driving growth, with strong momentum for RTD, whisky and premium beer. Consumers, especially young people, are favoring lighter products and alternatives to traditional wine. Non-alcoholic beer and ready-to-drink cocktails (hard tea in particular) are on the rise.

3. Italian wine in contrast: more production, more exports

The Mediobanca 2024 report photographs a healthy Italy in the wine sector:

• Production increased by 15.1% compared to 2023 (226 million hectoliters);
• Domestic consumption stable (0.1%);
• Exports at the top for volumes (21.7 million hectolitres) and second place for value (8.1 billion euros, behind only France).

Veneto confirms itself as the driving force of Italian wine: it produces 25% of national wine and represents over 35% of exports. Tuscany, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Abruzzo are also growing, the latter with the best growth forecasts for 2025.

4. New consumer trends: less quantity, more quality

Wine consumption is increasingly conscious:

• We drink less but better;
• Wine tourism is growing (9% in 2024);
• Interest in natural (4.2%), vegan (31.7%) and local wines is increasing;
• The preference for wines with low alcohol content is spreading, especially among young people (11.5° considered ideal);
• Wine returns to being a cultural and relational vehicle, closer to food and less of an object of worship.

5. E-commerce and digital: the new face of wine

2025 is the year of full digital maturity of the sector:

• Online sales are growing;
• Platforms are born with personalized consultancy, subscriptions and wine clubs;
• Social media and influencers play a key role in promotion, especially among young people and women.

6. International pressure: WHO and new taxes on alcohol

WHO proposes new excise duties on wine and the introduction of a mandatory minimum price, to combat abuse among young people and improve tax revenues. However, fears are strong: for Italy, already struggling with a drop in consumption, similar measures could worsen the crisis.

7. The challenges of the Italian wine sector according to Assoenologi

Assoenologi has presented a plan for the future of wine to the Senate:

• Promotion of wine tourism as a structural lever;
• Support for ecological transition with European funds and tools;
• Clear regulation on dealcoholized wines;
• Strengthening the technical role of the oenologist;
• Including Artificial Intelligence in Supply Chain Strategies.

8. New markets and mergers: focus on Asia and the United States

The Grandi Marchi Institute conquers Tokyo and Seoul with Italian fine wines. Japan and South Korea confirm themselves as strategic hubs of the Far East, increasingly attentive to quality. Meanwhile, the sector consolidates with numerous M&A operations (Friuli, Tuscany and the Islands), also to resolve the issue of generational change.

9. Wine “re-export” is already worth 14% of global trade According to the OIV, approximately 14% of wine exported worldwide does not come from the original producing country, but is re-exported from strategic hubs such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Hong Kong and Singapore. The phenomenon is worth over 4.6 billion dollars and is redrawing the routes of global trade.

10. Conclusions: between challenges and opportunities, Italian wine remains the protagonist

Italian wine is facing a period of great transformation: between regulatory pressures, new consumer tastes, environmental challenges and digital opportunities. But it continues to confirm its leading role thanks to its ability to evolve, internationalize and innovate, without losing its deep connection with the territory. The future is made of bubbles beyond the borders, lighter glasses, authentic storytelling and a more inclusive and cultural approach to drinking well.