‘Despite Tariffs, Italian Wine Will Find Its Way To India’

Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading multimedia brand in the food and wine sector, has been a pi-oneer in promoting Italian culinary excellence since 1986. From publishing the iconic Guida dei Vini to launching Europe’s first food channel and global culinary academies, the company now organises over 40 international wine events annually. “The Italian wine sector is con-stantly growing—we are the most important country in the world in terms of quantities pro-duced and exported,” says Marco Sabellico, Editor-in-Chief of Guide Vini d’Italia.

In a conversation with Bizz Buzz, he highlights Gambero Rosso’s successful return to India, which drew over 323 attendees. The event showcased wines from Piedmont to Sicily, fea-tured masterclasses on iconic varietals like Barolo and Supertuscans, and offered a premier platform for hoteliers, sommeliers, and importers. “There are no other international events of this importance, diffusion, and success as the Gambero Rosso top Italian wine roadshow,” Sabellico affirms

How have Italian wines been faring in recent times?

The Italian wine sector is constantly growing. We are the most important country in the world in terms of quantities produced and exported.

What has been the outcome of these shows?

In the space of twenty years, Gambero Rosso has gone from 3 to 40 international events a year, involving the major Italian wine producers. This testifies to the growing success of these events and of this engaging promotional formula that excites consumers from all over the world. An extraordinary offer of quality wines selected by Gambero Rosso experts and sup-ported by the Wine Guide, now in its 38th edition.

What is the response to the show in India?

Our successful return to India, marked by over 323 attendees, signals a new era of wine ap-preciation and knowledge among Indian professionals and connoisseurs. The event celebrated the timeless legacy of Italian winemaking while opening new doors for partnership and growth.

What are the hallmarks of the event?

The event provided an extraordinary platform for stakeholders across the wine and hospitality industries to connect. The exhibition featured exhibitors showcasing over 100 premium brands, including some of the Italian finest wines. Hoteliers, restaurateurs, importers, and sommeliers had the opportunity to explore exquisite wine selections and engage in meaningful discussions. Exhibitors lauded the event as a premier venue for fostering business partnerships and elevating industry standards.

From which regions will the wines be showcased?

The roadshow offers wines from all over the country, from Piedmont to Sicily. An extraordi-nary opportunity for enthusiasts to learn.

What were the highlights of the master class?

The masterclasses offered an unparalleled journey through Italy’s winemaking heritage, each spotlighting its regional diversity and iconic varietals. The Prosecco session, led by Marco Sa-bellico, showcased sparkling gems like Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2024 Brut and Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut. The Wines of Northern Italy masterclass explored refined whites and reds from Piedmont to Friuli Venezia Giulia, concluding with the iconic Barolo and Amarone. Central Italy’s session celebrated indigenous varietals with vibrant Lambrusco, Sangiovese, and the prestigious Supertuscans. The final masterclass explored the vibrant wines of Southern Italy and its islands, featuring bold Primitivo from Puglia and terroirs like Mount Etna, perfectly pairing with Indian cuisine’s rich spices.

Is the top Italian wines roadshow by Gambero Rosso the main wine exhibition in Italy?

Definitely yes. There are no other international events of this importance, diffusion and suc-cess as the Gambero Rosso top Italian wine roadshow.

Which are the more popular Italian wines in 2024?

Prosecco Doc is definitely the winner, highly appreciated all over the world. But there are hundreds of other great denominations that are having growing success in the world, such as Primitivo from Puglia.

How is Italy countering disruptions and tariffs in the Indian wine market?

The issue of import duties and tariffs is constantly evolving in many countries. It can signifi-cantly affect the volumes of product that can reach the market. But we are optimistic.

How big is the wine industry in Italy?

The Italian wine industry is a major global force, known for its extensive production and ex-ports. Italy is consistently among the world's largest wine producers and exporters, with sig-nificant revenue generated from both domestic consumption and international trade.

With an annual production of over 42 million Hl, the wine sector is the driving force of Italian agricultural production. Italian wines are successfully exported all over the world. Italy is the largest wine-exporting country.

The wine market is worth over $300 billion and is estimated to touch $412.9 billion in 2027. Business volume is falling and the bulk wine market is stagnant, but the projected growth (2022-2026) of online wine sales in Italy is 7.2 per cent, higher than the global rate of 2.7 per-cent.

Today the sector in Italy is worth more than $10 billion, 17 percent of the world’s wine pro-duction. By 2024, Italy is expected to have a per capita consumption of 26.3 liters and a total quantity of about 10.3 million liters consumed.

Piedmont is the leading export region and realizes 68.9 percent of total sales, excellent per-formances also by Apulia (+21.1 percent) and Sicily (+14.9 percent).

Lombardy is the region where the most wine is drunk (17 per cent of total wine drinkers) but Emilia-Romagna has the highest consumer penetration rate compared to its population (62 per cent).

Wine tourism contributes nearly 20 percent of the sector’s total turnover in Italy, with the main customers being the US (22.9 per cent), Germans (11.7 per cent) and Dutch (10.5 per cent); the 25-34 age group is 33 per cent of the total.

Tell us more about Gamberro Rosso?

Gambero Rosso, the most important multimedia brand in the Italian food and wine world, celebrates its 38 years of activity. In 1986, Gambero Rosso took its first steps as an insert in a daily newspaper, but by the next year its first Guida dei Vini went to print, the 1988 edition. After that, dozens of guides and books followed. In 1999, Gambero Rosso Channel, the first thematic television channel in Europe, began broadcasting. Shortly after, a constellation of the Città del Gusto sites was founded in Italy, followed by Gambero Rosso Academy in the rest of the world, with cooking classes for professionals and amateurs, along with courses about wine, journalism master programs, and seminars on restaurant management. Recently, the company was launched on the stock market. Meanwhile, a fascination with Italy has been growing in the world, a longing for its authentic products, and Gambero Rosso events orga-nized around the globe have multiplied. Since the first ones in 1990, the number of events on our international calendar has grown to over 40. They are above all, but not only, dedicated to wine, supported by the translations of the guide Vini d’Italia. That volume is translated in German, English, Chinese and Japanese.