The average price of a commodity does not tell the whole story about the market since there are so many variables – the quality of the product, the match between supply and demand, and the demands of both sellers and buyers, which by close of negotiations can lead to actual prices that differ widely from the average. However imperfect though, average prices reflect current trends, and the trend in wine is a continuing inexorable drop in bulk prices that basically affects all the principal appellations. Among the few exceptions is Brunello di Montalcino, confirmed as the top quoted PDO. This is what was revealed by Italian agro-food market services, ISMEA data, analysed by the Winenews.it site, on average prices at origin updated to May 2018 (average ex-cellar prices excluding VAT for the most recent vintage on the market). The most noticeable collapse is in table wines – whites dropped -48,1% over 2018, to 3.02 euro per hectodegree and reds -31,5%, to 3.74 euro per hectodegree.
According to ISMEA, Brunello di Montalcino, confirmed as the highest quoted wine in Italy, is holding at 1,085 euro per hectolitre (+0.9%), as is Chianti Classico at 282.50 euro per hectolitre (+0.9%), while Barbera d’Alba and Etna red wines show significant increases. All the others are a burgeoning of negative signs, starting from Barolo (-13.7% to 690 euro per hectolitre) with a similar trend for Barbaresco and Nebbiolo d’Alba. Bardolino and Bardolino Classico, Valpolicella reds, Barbera d’Asti, Chianti, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Lambrusco all fell.