Chronicle 04 Set 2024 15:02
ASTI – The market trend remained stable in the first half of this year for Asti Docg, the main Piedmontese denomination with an average production equivalent to 90/100 million bottles per year and a vineyard of approximately 10 thousand hectares.
According to the Consortium’s findings, presented today at a press conference at Palazzo Gastaldi in Asti, the first half of the year closed with volumes practically identical to those of last year (43.5 million bottles), due to the combined effect of a contraction in Asti Spumante (-6%, to 26.7 million units) and a significant increase in Moscato d’Asti (+12%, 16.8 million bottles), which is picking up again after last year’s difficulties.
The bottled data are also confirmed by the Consortium’s calculations relating to sales recorded on a panel of companies that represents 80% of the total production of over 1,000 member companies. According to the sample, overall sales in Italy and abroad in the last six months show a trend in volumes marketed at +0.4%, for an equivalent of 34.1 million bottles.
“Our market remains afloat and, given the complicated period at a global level for wine, this is already good news in itself – said the president of the Asti Docg Consortium, Stephen Ricagno -. Compared to the average Italian wine market, the denomination confirms itself to be much more open towards emerging markets; this is the case, for example, of the growth of Moscato d’Asti in Asia, with sales in the area now accounting for over 15% of the total exports of the typology, four times the Italian shares in the area. The same relationship is also evident in the performance of Asti Spumante in Eastern Europe up to Russia, destinations in strong growth that today are worth 46% of the sales of the Piedmontese sparkling wine against a national average in the macro-region of 12%”.
“The challenge now – concluded Ricagno – is to maintain the stability found in volumes without compromising on value, a fundamental element for the balance of a supply chain made up of 50 sparkling wine producers, 15 cooperative wineries and around a thousand wine-growing, wine-producing and wine-making companies”.
According to the panel, Asti Spumante closed the semester at around 22.1 million bottles (-3.3%), with Moscato d’Asti at +7.8 (11.9 million bottles). The ranking by destination for both typologies in the first half of the year saw US demand in the lead (8 million bottles, at -0.5% on the same period in 2023), followed by Russia (6.55 million, +11%), then Germany (2.8 million, -12.5%), Italy (2.5 million, -13%) and Great Britain closing the top 5 (2.45 million, +1%). Following this, a package of markets with significant growth, starting from Poland, at almost 2 million bottles and a 55% trend leap, up to South Korea (+28%) and France (+27%). Almost stable, completing the top 10 positions, were China (-2.7%) and Greece (+2.4%).
On the promotion front in international markets, this year the Asti Docg Consortium has launched projects for 1.5 million euros under the CMO measures for Third Country Promotion. The initiatives are aimed at four countries: the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Switzerland, which together account for a third of the market for the denomination.
The calendar of promotional activities outside the OCM is also busy, starting from participation in the main trade fairs (Prowein and Vinitaly), up to the sponsorship of great tennis with the two Asti flags, official sparkling wine of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and the Nitto ATP Finals, scheduled in Turin from 10 to 17 November. The territory is also a constant protagonist of the events branded Asti Docg; from the Palio di Asti to the Douja d’Or starting on 6 September, from the Acqui Wine Days to the Coppa Milano Sanremo or even the TrEno, the 1930s wine carriages with steam locomotive that cross Langhe, Monferrato and Roero, where people toast with Asti Spumante.
ASTI SPUMANTE: RUSSIA BUT NOT ONLY, EASTERN EUROPE IS GROWING, AMERICAS AND ASIA IN DECLINE
According to the sample of companies interviewed by the Consortium, the first half of the year saw Eastern Europe – including Russia – overtake Western Europe. In fact, the demand for Asti spumante sees the Eastern area leading the way with 10.1 million bottles sold compared to 8.6 million in the neighboring areas of the Old Continent. This result is the effect of the increase in Russia (+11%) – which, however, is concerned about the increase in excise duties last May – but also of most of the Eastern European countries, which have recorded record increases (+10%), with several countries (the “big” Poland and Greece, but also Romania, the Czech Republic, Moldova) in double figures. On the other hand, orders from the central and western areas of the Continent are down (-8.5%) especially due to the effect of the drops in Germany (-12%) and Italy (-26%), where consumption represents less than 6% of the total. In total, 22.2 million bottles were marketed by the panel in the first half of this year, which suffered a sharp contraction in orders on markets with less commercial weight (the Americas and Asia).
MOSCATO D’ASTI: USA AND ASIA INCREASE SALES (+8%). ITALY ALSO DOES GOOD
The overall result indicates a return to growth for the flagship wine of Italian aromatics in the world. Starting from its main market, the Americas, where it achieved – according to the sample interviewed that represents 80% of the production potential – a +10%, to over 7 million bottles. Thanks to this, and to the excellent performances in Asia, Moscato d’Asti brings the total bottles marketed to almost 12 million in June 2024, for an active of approximately 8% on the same period of last year. Asia is growing (+6.5%) with 2 countries in the top 5. China (+14%) in fifth place and South Korea (+28%) which with 687 thousand bottles ordered is the third customer in the world for the sweet wine from Asti. Other countries with strong potential also did well, such as Japan, Singapore and Thailand, which mitigated the decline in Taiwan, a strategic market for Moscato d’Asti. And if in Europe the most significant positive variation comes from Italy (1.2 million bottles, at +8%), the second largest market overall, overseas the decisive factor is the +10% of the United States, the first place in the world with an equivalent of 6.6 million pieces.
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