The Agricultural Agency of Veneto states that in 2016 the region registered a 9.1% growth in wine export, confirming itself as one of the Italian regions leader in exporting their products, with more than two billion of revenues outside Italy.

Sparkling wines appear to be the leading category as their turnover grew by 25.1% in just one year. United Kingdom, United States and Germany bought 56% of the exported wines, but also the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Austria and France registered a decent growth. UK is still the biggest market, as in 2016 the country increased the purchase of wines from Veneto by 17.7%. Also, Prosecco has now overtaken Champagne as the go-to drink for big occasions.

This trend is also confirmed by the leading supermarket chains in UK. Lidl ’s sales of prosecco on private label grow by 79% in January 2017 compared to January 2016. Marks and Spencer’s prosecco sales saw a 25% rise from 2015 to 2016. Waitrose saw a 12% increase in sales since last year, whereas 5 million more bottles were sold by Asda in 2016 (compared with 2015), not to mention a 40% year-on-year growth for Sainsbury’ s own label, as well as 26% more prosecco was bought by Tesco customers in 2016 compared to 2015.

A confirmation of the fast pace, maintained and accelerated in the early 2017, comes from Villa Sandi . “Our group registered a three-year-long growth – says Giancarlo Moretti Polegato – who saw sales going from 62 to 88.7 million euros at the end of 2016”.

Sources: Monica Rimmer, BBC News

PambiancoNews, http://wine.pambianconews.com