Italian wine continues to be much more than an agricultural supply chain or an identity symbol: it is a major national economic engine, an industrial and cultural asset capable of withstanding shifts in consumption and international tensions. The latest figures released by the Uiv – Vinitaly Observatory, presented ahead of the 58th edition of Vinitaly, portray a solid, widespread and still central system within the structure of the made in Italy economy. A system that in 2025 generated 14 billion euros in revenue, 870,000 jobs, 530,000 companies and a direct and indirect impact exceeding 45 billion euros, accounting for 1.1% of the national Gdp.
The economic weight of Italian wine
The snapshot of the sector is clear. With 670,000 hectares of vineyards and land value estimated at 56.5 billion euros, wine remains one of the highest‑performing segments of made in Italy. Beyond production alone, its systemic weight includes the entire supply chain: related industries, employment, exports and distribution.
Italian wine revenue in 2025 reached 14 billion euros, while total revenue including related industries—referring to 2024—amounted to 31 billion. Overall direct and indirect impact reached 45.2 billion euros. Completing the picture is a positive foreign trade balance of 7.2 billion euros per year.
This critical mass reveals a sector capable of holding together agriculture, industry, export, distribution and territory. It is precisely this cross‑sector nature that explains why Italian wine continues to occupy such a prominent position in the country’s economic system.
Italian wine production 2025: 44.4 million hectolitres, with Veneto leading
On the production front, the 2025 harvest is estimated at 44.4 million hectolitres. Veneto leads with 12.4 million hectolitres, followed by Puglia with 8.42 million and Emilia‑Romagna with 6.44 million. These three regions alone illustrate the weight of Italy’s production geography and the ability of its vineyards to generate critical mass without losing territorial diversity.
The overall figure confirms the resilience of a sector that maintains significant scale even in a context marked by more selective consumption and volatile foreign markets.
Sales in Italy: stable value, declining volumes
While the structure of the sector remains robust, the domestic market shows more complex dynamics. In 2025, shelf sales in Italian large‑scale distribution and retail generated 3.07 billion euros, essentially stable year‑on‑year. However, the internal mix is shifting: sparkling wines grew by 2.6% to 726 million euros, rosé wines also rose by 2.6% to 132 million, white wines remained almost unchanged at 982 million, and red wines fell by 2.2% to 1.167 billion euros.
The real turning point comes from volumes. Total sales in large‑scale distribution and retail dropped to 719 million litres, down 2.9%, marking the fourth consecutive year of decline. The market holds in value but loses quantity, confirming a clear trajectory: less wine purchased, but with greater attention to quality, type and consumption occasion.
Italian wine consumers: nearly 30 million, but more occasional
Internal demand also reflects a structural shift. In Italy, wine consumers number 29.4 million, equal to 55% of the population. The figure confirms the centrality of wine in the country yet also highlights a profound transformation in habits. Daily users are now 11.4 million, representing 39% of the total, while occasional consumers have risen to 61%. In 2006, daily drinkers accounted for 57%: the reversal is striking and shows how wine has gradually moved away from being an everyday food to becoming an increasingly hedonistic and cultural symbol of Italian cuisine.
This is perhaps one of the most significant insights: wine does not disappear, but its function changes. It enters less into routine and more into chosen moments, experiences, conviviality and perceived value.
Italian wine export 2025: the US slows down, Europe holds
The international chapter remains crucial, although 2025 closed with a slowdown. Italian wine exports reached 7.78 billion euros, down 3.7% in value compared to the previous year, while volumes fell by 1.9%. The decline is driven mainly by extra‑EU demand, which dropped by 6.4%, affected by decreases in the UK, Switzerland, Canada and especially the United States. The US, the world’s largest market for Italian wine, generated 1.76 billion euros for Italy but ended the year with a 9.2% decline in value, partly due to tariffs.
The EU area performed differently, closing the period with +0.5% in value and +0.7% in volume. Germany, the leading European market for Italian wine, remained stable at 1.14 billion euros with +0.6%. Positive signals also came from France, the Netherlands and Sweden, which closed the year at +3.6%, +5.6% and +5.3% respectively. The UK ended at 817 million euros.
Wine categories abroad: sparkling wines more resilient than still wines
Export data also confirm a hierarchy among categories. Sparkling wines closed 2025 at 2.3 billion euros, down 2.5%, but showed better resilience than bottled still and semi‑sparkling wines, which fell by 4.3% to 5 billion euros. Bulk wine limited losses to -0.2%, reaching 299 million euros.
