The Unicredit-Nomisma research and the 2026 edition of Sicilia en Primeur were presented

In an international market scenario full of uncertainty and complexity, there is an asset that is increasingly assuming strategic importance for wine companies' business and which has grown significantly in recent years: wine tourism .
Looking at tourist arrivals in Italy's main wine-producing regions (from Valdobbiadene to Valpolicella, from Langhe to Franciacorta, from Collio to Chianti), the last five years have seen growth rates far exceeding the regional average (excluding regional capitals/art cities). In the case of Sicily, taking the municipalities of Mount Etna (i.e., linked to the Etna DOC production regulations) as an example, tourist arrivals grew by 17.4% between 2019 and 2024, compared to an island-wide average of 12.4%.
This is one of the findings from the Nomisma Wine Monitor research for UniCredit , presented today in Palermo.
" The wine sector, a strategic pillar of the Sicilian economy, is currently operating in a complex global context, where old and new challenges are combined with significant opportunities, such as the rise of wine tourism, a strategic lever supporting the competitiveness, attractiveness, and development of the region, " said Salvatore Malandrino, Regional Manager for Sicily at UniCredit. " UniCredit renews its commitment to supporting businesses on this journey through credit, a dedicated service model, and specialized consulting."
" Assovini Sicilia is investing in wine tourism not only as a strategy but as an asset for our wineries, which are dynamically responding to the new challenges of the wine world," commented Mariangela Cambria , president of Assovini Sicilia. "Wine tourism allows us to showcase wine as a cultural product and part of a broader context where landscape, stories, producers, and gastronomy coexist. Sicily, the land of wine, today confirms its ability to intercept changes and anticipate strategies."
Nomisma Studio
The value that wine tourism generates for Italian wineries is approximately 3.1 billion euros, demonstrating that it is no longer a "Plan B" for producers but a strategic asset for valorization and economic growth.
This strategic lever takes on even greater significance in Sicily, as the Nomisma Wine Monitor research for UniCredit highlighted through a qualitative survey of wineries. It showed, among other things, that wine tourism on the island has a much more international character than the average in other Italian wine regions . According to Sicilian producers, the typical wine tourist who comes to Sicily is predominantly foreign—particularly American, German, and English—with an average age between 40 and 55, and is not necessarily a wine expert. This isn't a critical issue, but rather an opportunity to bridge a knowledge gap and enhance the wine culture of people who, after their wine tourism experience, can become ambassadors for the company brand and the Sicilian wine regions.
Looking to the future, according to the same companies, in the coming years wine tourists will primarily seek personalized experiences and exclusive offers, immersive and multisensory experiences but also ones integrated with cultural activities.
2025 was not an easy year for wine. Italian exports closed with a negative result (-3.6% in value) compared to the previous year. In absolute terms, the reduction equates to almost €300 million and 400,000 hectoliters. The most significant declines occurred in North America (-€204 million) and non-EU Europe (-€89 million), while exports to European Union countries (which still represent 40% of our total exports in value) are growing, mitigating the loss.
But Italian wine isn't the only one to suffer a decline in exports. All the major global exporters are seeing a decline: France -4.4%, Spain -5.1%, Chile -10.2%, Australia -14.6%, and the United States -36%. Only New Zealand is holding steady (-0.5%), but it was coming off a negative year-end 2024 (-6.1%).
Exporters' poor performance stems from international markets that have reduced consumption and purchases of wine from abroad. Looking at the top import markets, only Germany, Switzerland, and Brazil have seen growth in wine imports, while the United States (also due to the devaluation of the dollar) has lost 12%, the UK 6%, Canada 12%, and China 15%.
These reductions are also reflected in exports of our PDO wines. Few regional denominations are seeing growth: among these are Sicily's PDO still white wines, whose exports grew by 2.4% in value compared to the previous year. This growth is something that not even Trump's tariffs can stop: unlike the average Italian wine, which loses almost 13% in value in the US, Sicilian PDO white wines are increasing in exports to the United States by 8.4%.
On the other hand, Sicilian PDO red wines are experiencing a decline in exports, down 11% from the previous year, driven down by the US, their primary export market.
It should be noted, however, that ISTAT export data take into account the destination of shipment abroad, thus ignoring quantities of Sicilian wine that do not depart directly from Sicily for export, but depart from ports located in other regions, where these product volumes are counted as wine exports. Therefore, it is estimated that foreign trade in Sicilian wines and musts is actually higher than official ISTAT data.
The decline in red wine consumption is a trend that has been evident in our country for many years now, undoubtedly due to a reduction in the consumer base of Italians who drink wine regularly (daily or several times a week) and who represent the core of red wine consumption. This segment is progressively decreasing: just fifteen years ago, 70% of Italians over 60 declared themselves regular wine drinkers. Today, the figure is 54%.
Despite these developments, the region remains a priority in Italians' wine consumption choices: whether purchased for home consumption or consumed away from home, more than 4 in 10 consumers primarily look at the origin (regional or through the presence of a DOP/IGP).
Over the past three years , the island's wine production has stabilized at around 2.7 million hectoliters, with a denomination of origin (PDO and PGI) component close to 80% (the Italian average is 72%). White wines dominate, accounting for over 64% of regional production (the Italian average is close behind at 62%) and, as noted above, they are the category that has driven the island's wine exports in recent years: overall value has grown by 50% over the past decade, with the United States now the largest export market (22% of the region's wine exports), followed by Germany (12%), the UK (7%), the Netherlands, and Canada (both with a 6% share).