Why Collio white wines continue to appeal to restaurateurs

Collio white wines have a consolidated place in Italian catering. This is revealed by a Nomisma Wine Monitor survey of 100 restaurants and wine shops: 96% of interviewed operators claim to know the denomination and 81% have its wines on the wine list or in their assortment. Presence is widespread across the country’s various geographical areas. The data, presented this afternoon at the opening of Collio Evolution 2026, gains significance in a pressured HoReCa market.

In the last two to three years, overall wine sales recorded a negative balance of nearly 20 percentage points between operators reporting an increase and those indicating a decrease, excluding those who saw no change. Collio wines show a relatively more resilient dynamic. For the next five years, procurement forecasts for the denomination show a positive balance of over 10 points.

Why do Collio white wines continue to appeal to restaurateurs? Part of the answer lies in the association between hills and quality. 83% of operators consider whites produced on hills to be on average superior to those from the plains. Among the territories first linked to the production of higher quality white wines, Collio is cited by 41% of respondents, ahead of the hills and mountains of Alto Adige at 21%, and Colli Orientali del Friuli at 18%.

When choosing wines to offer customers, local or nearby origin, the specific production territory, and the presence of a quality denomination matter most. In the case of Collio, operators particularly recognize the link with the hills, indicated by 50%, the recognizability of the DOC at 49%, and versatility in gastronomic pairings at 45%.

Minerality and elegance are the most distinctive organoleptic traits, followed by aromatic complexity, freshness, and acidity. The profile is also flexible regarding consumption occasions: 48% of respondents consider Collio suitable for a special gift or an important occasion, 38% deem it suitable for all occasions, and 32% even for daily meals.

Among the best known Collio grape varieties present in assortments are Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, and Sauvignon. However, the denomination’s fame does not yet translate into universal presence: 19% of operators do not offer its wines. Reasons cited include a preference for other territories and a knowledge of the product that is not yet deep enough.

To expand presence on the wine list, the research identifies several useful initiatives to involve professionals: winery and territory visits, indicated by 41% of respondents. Furthermore: events and tastings reserved for operators at 39%; appointments in venues with producers or distributors at 38%.

The context remains complex, amid declining alcoholic beverage consumption, more contained demand, and greater attention to spending. Consumption by the glass is the only segment with a more favorable dynamic, supported by flexible and informal consumption modes. For Collio white wines, the challenge will be to transform acquired fame into new tasting occasions and an even broader presence in the restaurant industry.

The relationship between Collio and great Italian white wines has a history that precedes today’s figures. Between the nineties and the early two thousands, Collio was already synonymous with quality white wine in the consumer’s imagination. Its wines were present in restaurants, wine shops, large-scale retail, and international markets.

Subsequently, competition grew stronger and the landscape of Italian whites expanded. The Nomisma survey presented today, at the opening of Collio Evolution 2026, reflects a denomination that is still recognizable and well-rooted among professionals. The fact that 96% of interviewed operators know Collio and 81% offer it on the wine list or in their assortment is both a good signal for what was built in the past and an encouragement for the future.