The Italian wine industry is facing a difficult stretch as trade tensions, weaker consumption and new regulatory pressures converge, according to speakers at Vinitaly in Verona on Sunday.
At an event titled “Wine Under Examination: Diagnosis and Treatment of a Sector in Transition,” organized by the Morellino di Scansano protection consortium with oscarwine, industry figures and lawmakers described what they called a severe crisis for one of Italy’s most important agricultural exports. Livio Buffo, founder of oscarwine, said the sector was going through one of the darkest periods in its history, pointing to higher costs for glass and packaging after the war in Ukraine, the impact of U.S. tariffs, the spread of Italian Sounding products and a decline in drinking tied to changing lifestyles.
The numbers presented at the meeting showed the strain. According to the Uiv observatory based on Istat data, Italian wine exports in 2025 fell to 7.78 billion euros, down 3.7%, while volumes slipped to 21 million hectoliters, down 1.9%. The United States, one of Italy’s most important markets, recorded a 9.1% drop in value after tariffs were introduced in August 2025.
Italy remains the world’s largest wine producer, with more than 47 million hectoliters, but the sector is now dealing with about 60 million hectoliters of unsold wine, a sign of how production and demand have moved out of balance. Coldiretti estimates that Italian Sounding products, which imitate Italian brands and labels abroad, take away about 2 billion euros in potential exports each year.
Political leaders at the event said Europe’s internal market still creates obstacles for producers because of different rules and added costs that make it harder to sell across borders even within the bloc. Gian Marco Centinaio, vice president of the Senate, said those barriers remain a major problem for companies trying to compete abroad.
Silvia Fregolent, a senator, said the trade dispute with the United States had already cost producers about 300 million euros in lost exports in 2025. She said some categories, including still red wines, saw declines as steep as 28%, while producers cut prices by 13.5% to absorb part of the tariff burden and stay competitive.
The discussion also turned to changing attitudes toward alcohol. Speakers said consumption is falling not only because of economic pressure but also because younger consumers are drinking less and health concerns are shaping buying habits. Massimo Ciccozzi, an epidemiologist, argued for a balanced view of wine consumption, saying moderation can fit into a healthy lifestyle but that no level of alcohol is entirely risk-free.
Concerns about abuse remain especially acute among young people. Doctors cited weekend emergency-room cases linked to alcohol and traffic accidents. Roberto Gualtieri, a cardiologist, said stricter road rules and wider use of breathalyzers have helped reduce risky behavior, but he added that education and prevention are still needed.
For producers gathered in Verona, the message was clear: tariffs, regulation, shifting consumer habits and reputational pressure are all weighing on a sector that has long been central to Italy’s economy and identity.
Dining and Cooking