EU Commission Reports Italian Wine Ranks #1!

by the Italian Trade Commission

A reason to uncork and celebrate throughout Italy: European Union Commission reports Italian wines now rank #1 in the world!

Italian wine producers and their U.S. importers are celebrating. After a decade, Italy has regained it's leadership position as the number one wine producer in the world. For the past ten years France has maintained this position. While final data will be released in late January, the EU Commission estimates that at the conclusion of this year's harvest Italy has experience an eight percent growth in production, close to 47 million hectoliters of wine. In comparison, wine production in France has decreased by five percent to 44.4 million hectoliters of wine.

With the 2008 harvest just concluding, Giuseppe Martelli, General Director of Assoenologi (The Italian National Association of Enologists)comments that "overall 2008 was a mixed year depending on the region. Among white wines,strong harvests prevailed in Trentino Alto-Adige and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. The predominantly red wine regions of Piedmont and Tuscany also appear to have noteworthy harvests."

The news couldn't be timelier for the Italian Trade Commission. From January 23rd through the 30th, the Italian Trade Commission will present Vino 2009- Italian Wine Week, the largest conference on Italian wine ever held in the U.S. exclusively for wine industry professionals.

Aniello Musella, Italian Trade Commissioner and Executive Director for the U.S. remarks "This is a historic moment for Italy's wine producers. Italy has regained it's leadership position in the global production of quality wines thanks to our producers' steadfast commitment to quality." "Vino 2009" he continues "will provide a unique forum for wine buyers and marketers to meet with producers, taste quality wines from all over Italy and discuss important trends and issues relevant to the Italian wine business with the most informed people in the industry." Vino 2009 will kick off January 23rd at the Boston Wine Expo with seminars and a trade tasting. It will continue in New York January 26th through the 28th with a series of seminars led by the nation's leading authorities on Italian wines at the New York Palace and Hilton Hotels. A grand tasting on January 28th will feature more than 250 producers and importers. Vino 2009 will conclude in Miami at the Intercontinental Hotel on January 30th with a seminar and tasting. Five wine producing regions of Italy will be showcased: Abruzzo, Calabria, Lombardia, Toscana and Veneto as well as more that 40 producers from Brunello di Montalcino. For more information, program schedule and reservations visit www.italianmade.com/vino2009
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