Italian wine stocks rise 14.2% year on year to 41.04 million hectolitres

Italian wine operators held 41.04 million hectolitres of wine on 30 September 2026, according to the ICQRF’s Cantina Italia report. That was 14.2% more than the 35.95 million hectolitres recorded a year earlier, an increase of 5.09 million hectolitres. The figures are based on about 23,600 electronic wine registers.¹

Stocks nevertheless declined during the summer quarter, falling by 5.48 million hectolitres, or 11.8%, from 46.52 million on 30 June. Over the same period in 2025, the reduction was 7.66 million hectolitres, or 17.6%, indicating a slower seasonal drawdown in 2026.¹

White wines drive annual increase

All the main categories increased year on year. DOP stocks rose 12.8% to 23.29 million hectolitres, while IGP stocks grew 15.6% to 10.38 million. Table wines and other categories increased 16.1% to 6.67 million hectolitres, and varietal wines rose 20.2% to about 698,000 hectolitres.¹

White wines supplied much of the growth: DOP whites reached 10.44 million hectolitres, up 23.7%, and IGP whites reached 4.10 million, up 34%. Together, the 2 segments added 3.04 million hectolitres from a year earlier, close to 60% of the overall increase. Red DOP and IGP wines each rose 5.4%.¹

Stocks measure volume, not sales

The register data measure physical stocks held by operators but do not distinguish wine already sold from unsold wine. They therefore do not provide a direct measure of demand, exports or consumption and, on their own, are not evidence of weak sales.¹

Northern Italy accounted for 57.7% of national wine stocks. Veneto led with 10.21 million hectolitres, or 24.9% of the total, followed by Tuscany with 5.09 million. Prosecco was the denomination with the largest stock volume, at 3.31 million hectolitres.¹