Markets often confuse “less wine sold” with “wine in crisis.” Those are not the same sentence.
In a WineMeridian interview, trade figure Cuzziol sketches a sharper split. Value can stay relatively stable even as volumes soften, because the mix — not only the bottle count — sets the bill. Premium placements and ordinary supermarket stacks live in different worlds. When the mix holds, euros can hold even as litres slip.
HoReCa — hotels, restaurants, cafés — remains strategic for premium Italian labels. A glass on a list teaches price and story in a way supermarket stacks rarely do. Losing restaurant placements hurts identity as much as litres. The diner who learns a wine with food is more likely to choose it again on purpose. The shopper who grabs a random deal may not.
Watch value and volume separately. When volumes dip but premium channels hold, the system is rebalancing, not simply shrinking. Ready-to-drink cans win nights with no plan. A restaurant glass wins nights with a reason. Brands that understand that stop selling autopilot and start defending the places where wine still feels intentional.
If you pocket one idea: losing restaurant placements hurts identity as much as litres. That is Cuzziol’s map in one line.