A podium for Italian Spumantes

What, where and how in 2005 Italians have consumed wine
2005, although with some economic difficulties and a repositioning phase characterising luxury goods, bestow to high qualities wines a national level success.Docg-Doc wines had a strong recovery against table and labels wines. White wines have been the more requested aperitifs in summertime. Expensive bottles, from €20 to €30, have been the more spread gifts among “oeno-nautas”, virtual or real travellers sharing the great passion for wines. Quality red wine is the most required in Italian restaurants, wineries and wine shops: the choice on the typology and on the Doc is made thanks to guides and specialised magazines recommendation. In the whole Country is rising a strong interest also on wine personal choice and on auction purchases.

ITALIAN SPUMANTES ARE PREVAILING
According with the Forum of the Italian Spumantes’ Observatory, Spumantes won hands down the foreign competitors in the domestic market.Booking orders from the US and Japan had a total rise of 7%.In general, December 2005 has been an exceptional month for what concerns domestic traditional food production (+10%) with a very high interested in directly knowing the old fashioned world of food and drink, in learning and testing healthy local food productions with an affordable cost.
Consumption of imported and luxury goods is in strong decrease, as Istat data and Coldiretti’s end of the year survey detected: -12% with a particular negative trend on the foreign sparkling wines.According to Coldiretti, in December Italians spent almost €1.5 billion just for Doc and Dop wines, and 40% of such where spent on wines and Spumantes.In fact, the 97% of bottles purchased during Christmas Eve just for home consumptions (toasts and presents) were domestic wines and Spumantes. Foreign Spirit labels were strongly decreasing.
According to a survey carried out by Ismea-Ac Nielsen (partner of the Forum of the Italian Spumantes’ Observatory), 6 bottles purchased over 10 were domestic productions of sweet sparkling and flavoured wines (Asti Docg and Prosecco Doc Conegliano Valdobbiadene ahead with 30 million bottles sold) and 35 million of other Martinotti Method Spumantes were sold too.Over 10 million bottles of Classic and Trento Spumantes, were the top one sold (Franciacorta Docg and Trento Doc).In addition, according to another survey carried out always by the Forum of the Italian Spumantes’ Observatory, Spumantes and Champagne prices in Gd have not significantly increased since 2004. Therefore, against steady prices, the volumes of sold wines raised, which means that costs are strategic factors in relation to the selling appeal of a bottle of Spumante if compared to high quality and well known red wines for which is decisive the Doc knowledge.
However, Spumantes are not perceived as wine drinkable daily and continuously and a Spumante bottle is still linked to celebrations for over the 80%, as much that, over the 70% of its total consumption has been concentrated in less than a month.Another Forum of the Italian Spumantes’ Observatory survey confirms this data.

YOUNG PEOPLE DEMANDS
In restaurant, wine cellars and shops, the positive trend has been stronger for what concern red wines.On the opposite, in bars and pubs, over 60% of aperitifs were made with white wines and domestic Spumantes.2005 is the year of younger wines, which are less engaging because they have a lower alcohol percentage, have a more affordable price, are easily matched with several dish combinations, are easier to be consumed and they have a less vinous taste. These are all aspects that need to be considered carefully because they point towards important changes in consumption costumes.Young up to 30 year of age, who are regulars of trendy and happy clubs but not of restaurants, are seeking for an ‘easy and young’ way to drink, especially looking for local wines instead of cocktails and spirits.Moreover, according to the survey, they would like a wine charts on wines that are easy and less engaging (35% of interviewed); they also do not trust wine’s guides but prefer friends’ words-of-mouth information or pay a personal visit to wine cellars (75% of interviewed).70% of ‘oeno-tourists’ ask for an increasing on events such as “Open wine cellars” along the year.

WHO CONSUMES WINE?
Always from the survey pursued by the Forum of the Italian Spumantes’ Observatory (completed with 2005 Istat, Ismea, AcNielsen, Saone del Vino Observatory, Nomisma, etc data surveys) emerges that the more numerous wine consumers are located in North Italy (with a clear decrease in Champagne and foreign wines consumption).
However, in general the heavier wine consumers are between 35 and 55 years, while the larger wine consumers of wines and Spumantes between meals are between 18 and 35 years.From information provided by the survey, about younger generation consumption mode, two important behavioural data emerge: young always put on themselves a limit on the consumed wine anyhow (not more than two glasses per night) and they are careful in to be always accompanied by a non-drinker or someone taking the turn in not drinking.
Which is the identikit of the careful wine consumer?He is married or divorced, he is over 45 without children, is earning well and reads al least a book per year, he does not like spirits, does not disdain a cigar but he is not addicted to it and he prefers countryside holidays in charming hotels.Moreover, women approaching the wine culture are in strong growth, above all the ones between 35 and 45, singles and Spumante Rose’ lovers (over 55% of interviewed).

WHICH WINES ARE THE MOST PURCHASED ONES?
Some additional information on the consumption and selling mode (exit-pol 2005) edited by Panel Forum (on a sample of 1,000 answers) and completed by Istat data, highlighted that the household consumption, of dry and brut Spumantes, is the most enjoyed, with a +9%.On the opposite, sweet Spumantes in general present a decrease of the -7%, Champagne -8%, Cava -15% and the classic method made in Italy -3%.
On the other hand, in Horeca, consumption is growing in relation some labels, with Champagne +6%, Franciacorta and Trento +4%.This is a very steady channel in the consumption volume and in the typology composition.This years the sector, has been made up by Prosecco (30%), dry Spumantes (30%), sweet Spumante (20%), Classic and foreign wines (20%).
The purchasing in Gdo-C&C (retailer and end consumers) are growing (+5% each) for what concern dry and sweet Spumantes, while sales of classic Spumantes, nationals and foreigners, are in slightly decrease.

AMATEURS VS REGULAR CONSUMERS
Last curiosity pointed out by the Panel Forum survey (on a sample of 1,000 answers): great amateurs and enthusiasts of Italian wines – it means to say, who attend courses and private tasting, which are counted around a million – stated (in the 70% of cases) that wine’s guides are very important.They also pursue a mediated and rational purchasing in wine cellars and in specialised shops.They stated to own a personal wine cellar themselves of which they take care enriching it often with new wines, to which they draw from for personal consumption or for gifts.They like better important vintage red wines coming from great labels such Franciacorta and Trento, Champagnes and South Italy passito wines.
On the opposite regular wine consumers (counted to be around 13 millions) answered (in the 64% of cases) that they never read wine’s guides to purchase any wines, they trust their friends’ words, they purchase straight in the cellar and Gdo.They do not own a private wine cellar of their own, they limit the budget destined to wine for the self-consumption and prefer young red wines, white wines, regional and local wines or dry Spumantes from famous labels and from known places such as Valdobbiadene and Conegliano for Prosecco doc and Asti docg.

Giampietro Comolli
"L'Economia della Marca Trevigiana", n.2 - 2006