The unwritten rules which inspire the majority of Italian wine producers are based on five distinctive characteristics: the significance of the brand, the fame of the area the wine is sourced from, the quality of the vine, the vintage and the quality/price ratio. These are all genuine benchmarks for anyone who aspires to work seriously with wine in Italy and to export successfully. "Thanks to these cornerstones - explains Lamberto Vallarino Gancia, who for more than a year has been at the helm of Federvini, the industry federation of manufacturers, exporters and importers of wines, spirits, liqueurs, vinegars and related products - we have first and foremost witnessed significant resilience in the wine sector at the current stage of the global economic crisis. This also applies to exports, where our sector continues to be by far the leading product within the food industry". Indeed, the sector in 2008 generated 3,919.4 million Euros, exceeding both the confectionery (2,274.9 million Euros) and pasta (2,016.5 million Euros) sectors. Despite a crisis that has not spared any sector, the numbers confirm that Italian wine is enjoying good health and continues to be a flagship product among Italian exports, representing all that’s excellent about Italian business.

One should not be particularly apprehensive either about the fact that domestic wine consumption has been constantly falling in the last 9 years, going from 31 million hectolitres in 2000 to 25.4 million hectolitres today. First and foremost because this is a phenomenon common to all wine-producing countries. And secondly, adds Vallarino Gancia, “the data confirms a consumer trend which puts quality products at the forefront. There has been a move in Italy towards a prudent and responsible drinking culture which is absolutely as it should be. In other words, people in Italy drink less but in a more responsible manner, in what has been termed the “Mediterranean style” (also common in other countries like France and Spain). Therefore not only is the fall in volumes which has been detected insignificant but it is clearly in line with our expectations.” At the same time, Gancia stresses that “the economic outcome can be considered positive without a shadow of a doubt”.

Meanwhile, the 2009 grape harvest is moving ahead at full speed and building expectations of bumper commercial, quantitative and qualitative results. "It is very much going to be a vintage year - the Federvini chairman continues to highlight - both in terms of quality and quantity of grapes. A good part of the credit can undoubtedly be attributed to particularly favourable weather conditions, which should help Italy to confirm its position as the second largest producer country. The grape harvest is therefore giving confidence to the forecasts and optimistic hopes of all the operators in the supply chain. As Vallarino Gancia concludes: “we also expect some excellent wines within the local product sector".