Last year on mondosapore I noted a more subdued atmosphere at Vinitaly. The relative scarcity of Americans was one of the big differences I saw between Vinitaly 2009 and previous years.
Photo: Campania pavilion, a world upsidedown
The exhibition pavilions seemed less crowded too, although the official organ of Veronafiere claimed that attendance was higher than in 2008. Maybe I wasn't paying sufficient attention.
I won't be surprised if the show is even more subdued this year. Consider a few points gleaned from the web site Consigli di Vini:
* The good news: On March 12, it was announced that DOC and DOCG (the more prestigious and expensive classifications) had reversed a trend and were selling at a brisker pace in Italian supermarkets. Like Americans in many states (though not New York), Italians buy a lot of their wine in supermarkets due to convenience and aggressive pricing. That they are turning away from ultra-cheap, appellation-free plonk is a good thing. The piece begins with this paragraph:
Sales of DOC and DOCG wines returned to growth in the year 2009 in supermarkets, after the stagnation in 2008, an increase of 3.9% in volume and 4.9% value over the previous year. The preview includes the research that institute Infoscan IRI has done on behalf of VeronaFiere and that will be presented in full to Vinitaly (8-12 April, www.vinitaly.com).
* The bad news: On February 20 this decidedly mixed bag of news regarding Italian wine exports was published:
Crisis or not, exports of Italian wine abroad grows in the past year, according to data from Ismea; wine exports registered an increase of +10.2% in volume compared with a decrease of 5,4% in value on 2008. Trend driven largely by the increase in bulk wine exports (+18%) which now represent one third of total exports of Italian wine. For bottled wines, the performance is positive only in the quantities (+5%) while reducing significantly the values (-4% on 2008).
* Now consider that in the context of a piece from Reuters on March 11, 2009:
Exports to Germany, the biggest consumer of Italian wine in terms of volume, dropped 10 percent to 5.6 million hectoliters, while exports to France and Austria plunged 27 percent and 26 percent respectively, UIV said.
Sales of Italian wine on the U.S. market, its biggest export destination in terms of value and the third-largest in volume, fell 4 percent to 800 million euros. Sales volumes eased 2 percent, UIV said.
(Emphasis mine)
So, here it is in summary:
* Germany buys the most in volume. They soak up a lot of bad wine, bless 'em.
* We in the USA buy the most in value -- in short, the good stuff upon which Italy builds its worldwide reputation. We are buying less due to the economic crisis, which has hit this country far worse than some of Italy's major European markets (Germany, Scandinavia). The 2009 figures (as reported in the Consigli di Vino article of February 20, 2010) show further weakening:
The main goal of Italian wines is the United States, despite the decline in demand in 2009 (-4% -10% in volume and in value).
I sincerely hope Italian wine producers take these numbers to heart. I hate to keep beating the same old drum, but once the producers realize that America can keep them afloat with cashflow (and northern Europe with profitability), the more swiftly they will enter a new era of modest prosperity. By responding cannily to these home truths, we might see a far more buoyant Vinitaly 2011.
* * *
Vinitaly this year takes place from April 8 to 12, at Verona. Numerous "Vinitaly Fringe" events will be taking place in greater Verona, which contribute to making the "big show" even more of an essential venue for all who are involved with Italian wine. Click here for Vinitaly details in English.
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