Almost all the Italian regions are at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 to showcase their wide range of native grape varieties
Luigi Ferrelli, Director of the Italian Trade Agency in Paris, explains the winning combination behind Italian wines in an exclusive interview with The Daily.
Why is the French market important for Italian wine?
Naturally, the French market is very important for Italy and even though it’s not the biggest importer, like Germany or the United States, we are seeing a growing appetite for Italian wine and food products. Overall, we have seen an increase in the price and reputation of Italian wines, especially with sparkling wines like Prosecco which have become increasingly popular among young people. Italian exports have not only recovered, but surpassed pre-covid levels. This year, Italy exported wines worth 210.8 million euros to France, up +18.37% compared to 2021 and we are still one month away from finishing the year. So we believe there is room for expansion when it comes to Italian wine. Also, when you look at the numbers in detail, we see that France is also becoming a valuable redistribution platform for Italian wine. Over the past two or three years some of the biggest wine merchants in Bordeaux for example have been purchasing Italian wines and selling them through their international networks. This is why being here in Paris, at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 is very important.
What are you presenting at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023?
We have our national pavilion with 57 producers from 15 of the 20 different Italian regions. This is very important for us, because the wealth and variety of our wine offering stems from these regional products which are closely linked to the terroir. The high number of native grape varieties which Italy can bring to the French and international markets is one of the main strengths of Italian wine. It makes our wine offering very varied and unique, so that everyone can find something they enjoy drinking. Even just a few years ago, there were some regions which were not very well known. So while most people have heard of wine from Tuscany, Piedmont and Sicily, there are some areas which deserve more attention in our opinion, like for example Sardinia or Calabria, which are at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris with their own pavilion. In total, there are between 250 and 300 Italian producers at the trade show, most of whom are focused in Hall 5. So there are still many, many Italian wines to be discovered.
EXERG: Presenting our wines to the younger generations is key
What makes Italian wine unique?
The success of Italian wine comes from the large variety of high quality products we have to offer. The wines which we produce can therefore be enjoyed with every different type of cuisine. In the beginning, Italian wine became famous through Italian cuisine, but today it has been adopted across the world. The industry is increasingly looking for unique products and Italy has many wines which are made using artisanal methods and respect for the environment. This is also partly because of the favourable climate in places like Sicily, where there is no need to use chemicals. People are increasingly looking for products which are different, not just popular grape varieties like Chardonnay. So one of our main objectives for this year and next is to see more and more Italian wines in restaurants which are not Italian.
What are your key markets of interest?
There are a number of traditional markets which are very important to us such as Japan. China is another important market which has been challenging over the past few years due to travel restrictions, but is now picking back up. South Korea is also fast becoming an important export market for us, not only for wine, but also the agri-food sector more generally. Singapore and Hong Kong are of course important platforms as well. North America, including the Untied States and Canada are of special interest, as is the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.
Italian wines to be presented at top French sommelier schools
From next month, Italian wine classes will be added to the curriculum at some of the best sommelier schools in France, including l’Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon and Ferrandi Paris. “Our objective is to present our wines to French sommeliers who will then go on to work in starred restaurants in France and around the world”, said ITA’s Paris Director, Luigi Ferrelli. The Italian Trade Agency is looking to inform the next generation of industry professionals about the country’s wide variety of wines, which it says can be paired with any type of cuisine. “Today, wine lists have evolved to include bottles from around the world and we hope that this will continue to develop in the future”, Mr Ferrelli added.