There may be an economic crisis, but Italian wine lovers continue to consider their favorite tipple as a pleasure that they cannot give up. They do, though, want more information, more opportunities to taste and make comparisons, and also communication that sticks to the point, explaining wine’s history, its natural qualities and the differences between grape varieties and areas of origin. They also want to know with which food it goes best, and this too should be made easier and more down-to-earth, rather than critics suggesting bizarre or ephemeral accompaniments.
The most recent edition of the “Food & Drink Monitor” – presented in the last few days by Confagricoltura – leaves the world of wine with a good aftertaste. The wine sector’s real striving towards higher quality, carried out over the past twenty years with great financial outlay and professional endeavor, has been recognized by Italian consumers, but they are now asking for a further step forward: to explain even more clearly to the wine drinker exactly what there is in the bottle. The research was carried out in focus groups and interviews to a panel of consumers which were repeated over a certain time-span, thus creating a “historical” evaluation of prevailing trends.
Let us look at some of the most significant results.
For instance, how is Italian wine regarded by wine drinkers in this country?
Wine – as long as it is drunk in moderation and in a sensible manner – continues to enjoy social legitimacy as a “healthy” and natural drink, which is safeguarded by regulations and (typically Italian) trademarks as well as by very skilled, high-quality producers.
The image of wine producers – as it emerged in the course of the focus groups – is in fact that of a vast number of professional business people who are seeking after high quality and are assisted by teams of experts (enologists and agronomists); often these producers are associated with noble families with long histories and traditions, but they are also often young, innovative entrepreneurs. Alongside these there are also bigger companies producing very much larger quantities of wine, but their quality is also deemed to be appreciably high.
What would Italian consumers like from wine?
They would like to be able to understand more about it and have more help at the point of sale (“let’s face it; no one ever gives us anything interesting to taste at the supermarket, when we’re looking for a bottle to drink together with friends at dinner…”). Without such support, the consumer resorts to his or her own personal experience. In the last twenty years, the percentage of wine buyers who make their choice by returning to a wine they have bought before has risen from 19% to 48%.
Without a doubt, this is a real slap in the face for the “promulgators” in the world of Italian wine!
There is also a growing desire among consumers to get to know and try different wines, because they drink less often at home, with their regular meals, and more often at a restaurant, at parties and celebrations or in the homes of friends…
What is the quality of Italian wine like?
Wine is linked directly to certain key concepts: “Sapore, Sapere, Salute, Storia e Supernaturalità” (Flavor, Knowledge and Culture, Health, History and the Supernatural).
Italian wine embraces all of these elements – and this is confirmed by a sizeable sample of consumers – and this provides considerable hope for the future. Wine is in fact seen as exalting unique and distinctive flavors, and as the result of a history and culture of producing wine in Italy that is both very ancient and also extremely modern, open to innovation with the aim of preserving the quality and integrity of the product.
Wine is perceived as a natural product (obtained from grapes without too much “messing around”, it is the expression of a particular area that gives it authentic flavors and unique characteristics). It is seen as an ever more complex and strictly controlled product, whose production process is guaranteed - also partly by the Italian protection system of D.O.C./D.O.C.G./I.G.T.s, in spite of the confusion that reigns – by winemaking and viticultural skills that are now considered absolute necessities even by less knowledgeable consumers.
In fact, more and more consumers are women, a sign of a definite evolutionary trend in our society.
All in all, then, the impression of Italian wine that emerges from this study cannot but make us proud and – especially - optimistic.
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