Back to | January 2025 in Italian and international wine

January 2025 opened with a busy agenda of key topics for Italian and international wine, covered on Winemag.it in the Wine News and International – News & Wine categories. At the center were the dynamics of the Consortia (between new memberships and disputes), the role of large-scale retail and consumption, the first “political” discussions of the year on road safety codes and supply chains, as well as data and stories from abroad (Champagne, Germany, France, the Balkans).

On the Italy front, there was a stir regarding movements in Valpolicella, with Villa della Torre (Marilisa Allegrini) joining the Consortium as a sign of internal reconciliation. In the same month, Winemag also reported on the escalation of the Franciacorta dispute between the Municipality of Rovato and the Protection Consortium, a case that directly affects the protection of the name and the use of the territorial brand.

Still on the subject of organizations and supply chains, January saw a very strong focus on Fivi: from the publication of the list of candidates for the 2025 elections to the account of the tensions that make that vote a delicate transition for the world of independent winegrowers.

The month also sparked debate on consumption and distribution: the editorial on the relationship between wine and the “choices” of large-scale retail (with a symbolic comparison against high-rotation products) pushed the theme of wine identity on the shelves and in commercial strategies. Regarding the market and labor, space was also given to an overview of the roles in demand in the sector for 2025.

On the research and innovation front, Winemag highlighted the study on M rootstocks, presented as a lever not only for agronomic resilience but also for impact on quality (phenols/acidity). And among the signs of production transformation, a reflection on Nero d’Avola and experiments to manage alcohol content, including through the use of terracotta.

In the International – News & Wine section, January alternated between data and stories: from the snapshot of declining Champagne 2024 shipments to movements in the German wine world (new entries into the VDP), to stories and figures from France and the Balkans. Closing the month, a business figure: the growth of Les Grands Chais de France (with a focus on the Italian market).