Italian wine exports fall 6.2% in value in the first half of 2026
Export value declined alongside shipment volumes in the first six months of 2026. Veneto remained Italy’s leading wine-export region, while later improvements outside the EU were not enough to prevent a 3% decline over the first nine months.
Exports weaken in value and volume
Italian wine companies recorded a 6.2% year-on-year decline in export value during the first half of 2026, according to figures highlighted by Fondazione Qualivita on November 4. Export volumes fell by 4% over the same period, showing that the downturn affected both shipment levels and the value generated abroad.1
Veneto retained its position as Italy’s largest wine-exporting region, with foreign sales of €1.3 billion, although the total was 8.4% lower than a year earlier. Trentino-Alto Adige’s exports dropped by 12.2%, while Friuli Venezia Giulia moved in the opposite direction, increasing by 2.5% to €121.4 million.1
Prosecco and white wines support the Northeast
Fondazione Qualivita attributed the Northeast’s continuing leadership in international markets largely to its strength in still white and sparkling wines. Its analysis referred to approximately 670 million bottles of Prosecco DOP, whose scale helps explain the area’s greater resilience compared with other parts of the Italian wine industry.1
Christine Mauracher, professor of agrifood economics and director of the Agrifood Lab at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, said Prosecco benefits from strong recognition and an integrated supply chain capable of innovation, including the development of rosé. She argued that other wine categories need to recover momentum through reinvention and a broader division into price segments, including more affordable products.1
Immediate pressures and structural change
After decades of growth, the sector is facing a combination of short-term and structural pressures, Mauracher said. Tariffs, inflation, weaker purchasing power and geopolitical tensions are among the immediate difficulties, while changing consumer habits and climate change represent longer-term challenges.1
Mauracher also called for greater diversification of export destinations because sales are frequently concentrated in a small number of foreign markets. She said production would have to be restrained as inventories continued to accumulate.1
Wine stocks in cellars reached 16 million hectoliters at the end of July, compared with 13.6 million hectoliters one year earlier. The increase has heightened concerns among producers at a time of unpredictable international demand and increasingly uneven regional performance.1
Later indicators offer limited relief
Some indicators improved later in 2026. Exports to non-EU markets increased by 8% in the third quarter, and the United States showed renewed strength. Nevertheless, Italian wine exports remained 3% below the previous year’s level over the first nine months.1
September bottlings of DOC and DOCG wines rose by 5%. Sparkling wines and still whites led the increase, each advancing by about 7%, while stronger wine tourism was also identified as a supportive factor for the industry.1
Calls for coordinated action
The results carry particular weight because Veneto is Italy’s principal wine-export platform, and changes there can influence production decisions, pricing and destination strategies across the wider drinks trade. The figures indicate growing pressure on a model based on a few large foreign markets and established labels as consumption patterns shift and volumes and margins come under strain.1
Industry representatives cited in the analysis called for broader structural measures and stronger coordination. Their concern is that even regions supported by internationally recognized products cannot depend solely on previous export success while producers seek to align output with softer demand and a more fragmented market.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
