Generational transition represents a growth driver for Italian wine companies, with positive effects on revenues and investments. However, the sector must contend with an increasingly complex market, growing inventory levels, and the need to strengthen its international competitiveness. This is what emerges from the Strategic Report "Visione Vino 2026 – Deep Roots, Far-reaching Vision," presented in Voghera during the first TEHA Group Visione Vino Community Forum.
According to the study, family businesses that have completed generational turnover recorded 8,8% higher revenues and over 18% higher investments than other businesses. By 2025, 30,4% of family businesses in the sector had already completed this process, while 39,2% were still in the process. Sixty-five percent of Italian winemaking is family-controlled, a percentage that rises to 81,5% when cooperatives are included. The average age of wine entrepreneurs is 45, compared to 60 for Italian agriculture.
The extended wine supply chain supports a total of €40,7 billion in added value, equal to 2,1% of the national GDP. The sector itself generates €16,5 billion in revenue, with an additional €20,3 billion coming from related activities, from distribution to catering. The sector comprises 241 farms, over 1.500 industrial enterprises, and 681 hectares of vineyards. In 2025, production reached 44 million hectoliters, while exports generated €7,8 billion, equivalent to 47% of the sector's revenue.
Alongside the economic burden, however, signs of difficulty are emerging. In June 2026, inventories in Italian wineries reached 46,5 million hectoliters, equivalent to approximately 6,2 billion bottles, a 6,7% increase over the previous year. Over 80% of inventories consisted of DOP and IGP wines, while the average price of Italian wine decreased by 10% year-over-year. The price of DOP wines fell 7%, settling at €1,57 per liter.
"This is a mismatch between available volumes and demand absorption capacity that risks transferring economic pressure along the entire supply chain, all the way to the agricultural sector," emphasized Benedetta Brioschi, Partner and Head of Food & Retail at TEHA Group, highlighting the need to strengthen internationalization to increase the value of Italian wine.
Another critical factor concerns production fragmentation: 94,9% of wineries are small and generate 48,8% of total revenue, while medium-sized companies, despite representing only 4,8% of the total, generate 43,9% of turnover. Mergers, alliances, and strengthening managerial skills therefore become key tools to support investment and innovation.
On the technological front, a lag in the adoption of artificial intelligence is evident. Only three in ten wineries are using it or are experimenting with it, while 49% are not yet using it. Of the companies that have adopted these solutions, 50,7% use them in marketing and communications, and 35,6% in sales data analysis. Applications in precision agriculture, at 8,2%, and climate monitoring, at 4,1%, are still limited. Consumers, however, are showing greater openness: 40% of those who use digital tools related to wine already use artificial intelligence or say they are very willing to use it to organize wine tourism experiences. This gap, according to the report, makes it even more urgent to support generational change with technological investments and a greater capacity for collaboration.
