Taylor’s Wine Shop is Raleigh, North Carolina offers six-bottle sample packs of Italian wine, one of white wines (pictured) and one of red. (Photo by Taylor’s Wine Shop)
Italian wines are bucking industry trends nationwide this year with solid growth at the retail tier. Beverage alcohol retailers plan to carry this momentum into Italian Heritage Month this October. Italian table wine sales are up 6.4% year-to-date at Total Wine & More’s 286 superstores across 30 states. “We’re seeing great performance on crisp Italian whites, Super Tuscans, and lighter reds from Piedmont,” says Total’s Senior Vice President of Wine Brian Gelb. “Prosecco continues to perform strong as well. In general, we’re seeing a shift to lighter, crispier wines and away from bigger wines.”
Total Wine is experiencing the greatest sales of Italian wines in the $15-$20 a 750-ml. price range with the strongest geographical performances in the Northeast, particularly New York and New Jersey. “We are very optimistic on Italian wines based on the high quality, good value, and strong linkage between the USA and Italy at large,” Gelb says.
Other retailers are experiencing similar trends. At Taylor’s Wine Shop in Raleigh, North Carolina, Italian wine sales are on the rise this year and up significantly recently thanks to six-pack samplers featuring 750-ml. bottles from small wineries. Taylor’s has been offering two six-pack samplers — one white and the other red — of Italian wines this September. Taylor’s has also planned a “Small Vineyards Italian Wine Dinner” on October 9 with Jody Allen at Encore Ristorante in Raleigh. The five-course feast ($180) features five artisanal wines from family operated single estates. “We specialize in small, family-owned wineries,” says Cory Lyerly, store wine buyer and manager.
Italian wine is the most popular import category at Taylor’s Wine Shop (aisle pictured).
The white wine sampler ($116/six 750-ml. bottles) includes three wines from Campania — 2023 Terre di Valter ($23), 2024 Benito Ferrara Vigna Cicogna ($35), and 2024 Ciro Picariello Fiano Irpinia ($30)—and 2024 Argiolas “Meri” ($18) from Sardinia, Il Meridione ($11) from Sicily, and 2023 Ronchi Friulano ($23) from Friuli-Venezia Giulia. “I try to introduce Italian varietals that might be new to people but have been growing there forever,” Lyerly says.
The red sampler six-pack ($139) includes four offerings from Tuscany – 2020 Pagliarese Chianti Classico ($24), 2023 Piaggia Pietranera Toscana ($28), 2023 Altesino Rosso Di Montalcino ($29), 2022 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ($33) — and 2024 Tre Monti Campo di Mezzo Sangiovese ($22) from Romagna, and 2021 Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Rosso from Umbria ($26). “We are huge fans of small vineyard imports,” Lyerly says.
Italian wines are the top-selling import category at Taylor’s, and the most popular price point is in the $20-$25 a 750-ml. range. The Giovine family produces the most popular offerings for the retailer and range in price from $12 a 750-ml. of Giovine Valerio Rosso to $25 for 2021 Giovine Inno alla Vita Barbera d’Nizza. “It’s a tiny winery our local importer brings in,” Lyerly says. “We sell a lot of wines from them across the board. Everything from them is popular for us. We also do well with the big hitters like 2020 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino ($98 a 750-ml.).”
At Gary’s Wine & Marketplace’s four stores in New Jersey, Italian Wine Month will be celebrated with a robust mix of promotions and marketing initiatives. “We’ll be offering special discounts on a wide selection of Italian wines, as well as Italian gourmet foods that complement the wines,” says Gary’s wine buyer Cesare Martini. “This year, we’ve enhanced our digital outreach by creating educational video content highlighting top-performing varietals and regions—such as Valpolicella, Tuscany, Piedmont, and Sicily.”
Wine from Tuscany is driving the Italian wine category at Gary’s Wine & Marketplace in New Jersey (Chianti Classico shelf in Madison, New Jersey pictured). (Photo by Gary’s Wine & Marketplace)
The videos will be shared across Gary’s social media channels, and the campaign will also be supported with targeted email and text messages, spotlighting featured wines and offers. Prominent signage in Gary’s stores will identifying Italian Wine Month sale items, making it easy for customers to explore and discover the best of Italy. “Our same store sales for Italian wines have increased modestly since last year,” Martini says. “Italian wine continues to capture market share versus other wine categories and represent 11.4% of total wine sales in 2025, versus 10.7% of total wine sales in 2024.”
Italian wines in the $15–$30 price range remains the most popular at Gary’s, representing 35% of the stores’ Italian wine sales. “The $15–$20 segment represents 23% of Italian wine sales. Customers recognize the exceptional value Italian wines deliver in this tier,” Martini says. “At the same time, high-end sales continue growing year over year. This is thanks to consistent work with collectors and premium buyers, supported by events, curated dinners, and personalized client relationships fostering trust and loyalty.”
Wines from Tuscany continues to lead Gary’s Italian wines sales. “The last five vintages of Brunello and the last seven of Chianti have all delivered exceptional quality and generous quantity—a rare and fortunate combination given how unpredictable vintages can be,” Martini notes. “Super Tuscans also remain in high demand. Beyond Tuscany, we are seeing strong interest from Piedmont, Veneto, and Sicily.”
Regardless of a challenging economy, the outlook for Italian wines remains strong. “Despite tariffs and economic headwinds, our outlook remains positive,” Martini says. “We expect continued growth, particularly for reds and sparkling wines such as Prosecco, which are always in high demand during the holiday season. In addition, wines from Southern Italy—especially Sicily, Campania, and Sardinia—are gaining momentum and should be a strong driver of sales going forward.”
Dining and Cooking