The best-known Italian wines are the ones driving the export market. By themselves the three great Tuscan DOCG wines, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico and Nobile di Montepulciano, along with Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore have export revenue of approximately 430 million euro, 145 million coming just from the U.S. market.

In 2009 the greatest number of bottles bought and drunk on the various continents were Italian, thanks to the fact that Italian wine production has now surpassed that of its traditional competitor, France. In 2008, in fact, Italian wine exports raked in 3.5 billion euro, due mainly to demand in the United States and Germany (source: Coldiretti).

And in the first seven months of this year the American market registered a 19.6% increase in import volume. Where bottled wine is concerned Italy remains the reference country, an evident sign that the average American wine consumer is seeking premium products (source: Italian Wine & Food Institute).

And, in detail, by themselves the four consortiums of “The Italian Wine Masters” account for more than 12% of wine exports.

Chianti Classico is a wine district covering 175,000 acres, 18,000 of which are Chianti Classico vineyards with average total yearly output of approximately 40 million bottles of Chianti Classico. Twenty-seven percent is sold on the domestic market and the rest abroad: the major importer is the United States (29%), followed by Germany (10%), the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Russia, Austria and Holland. Annual sales of Chianti Classico average about 300 million euro.

Big figures attesting to the importance and value of wines very popular on foreign markets, with the United States in the lead.

The first date for “The Italian Wine Masters” tour is February 1, 2010 at the Chicago Hilton, the second on February 4 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. On these two occasions more than 140 vintners will be representing the four Italian controlled and guaranteed denominations and will be the focus of tastings and product presentations to a select group of wine merchants and the trade press. In addition, to learn more about the individual denominations, two special tastings have been organized on these dates: one is titled “The Territory, Diversity and Complexity of Brunello, Chianti Classico and Nobile di Montepulciano” to better explain the three Tuscan territories where these great reds are born; and the other is “The Prosecco Evolution”, describing the characteristics of Italian bubblies par excellence.

Fonte: www.chianticlassico.com