The world’s leading producer of wine, Italy, is also one of the original birthplaces of viticulture, with vines having been grown there ever since the time of the Etruscan civilization. In this article, we’ll take a look at how Italian wines fared in iDealwine auctions in 2022.
With 5,584 bottles going under the iDealwine gavel in 2022, Italian wines now represent the lion’s share of non-French wines sold in our auctions, accounting for 61% of all non-French bottles compared to only 39% in 2021. Even though wines from all regions appeared, those from Piedmont or Tuscany attracted the highest prices at auction.
Sassicaia, a Tuscan icon
Sassicaia, produced in Tuscany using French grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) by Tenuta San Guido, is a firm favourite of iDealwine customers. Its value skyrocketed (+165%) in 2022, resulting in an increase in the average price, which finished the year at €257. What is more, a bottle from the 1985 vintage sold for €2,170 in June 2022, earning a hammer price that was 75% more than expected. The volume of this wine passing through our doors also increased by 121%, with 402 bottles selling at auction.
The popularity of Piedmont
Ever since the 19th century, the Nebbiolo grape has put Piedmont on the map. This variety is a source of happiness for many wine lovers on iDealwine as its wines offer a combination of intensity, finesse, a beautifully silky texture, and delicate truffle aromas which develop over time. Wines from Piedmont accounted for 51% of the Italian bottles sold at auction in 2022 and its most illustrious bottles obtained some of the highest prices for Italian wines at our auctions. The most expensive bottle from Piedmont, a 1964 Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive from Bruno Giacosa, went under the hammer for €1,854, 331% more than its price estimate.
Biodynamic and natural wines
Italy is a land of opportunity for winegrowers who wish to use organic, biodynamic and natural methods. Nearly 1,000 bottles of Italian wine produced in this way passed through our auctions in 2022. The Tuscan wine Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Soldera Case Basse by Gianfranco Soldera from the 2004 vintage obtained the highest price from within this category, reaching €1,166.
Sicily, in particular, has enticed several domains to employ these production methods. Out of the 204 bottles of biodynamic and natural Sicilian wines that appeared at iDealwine auctions in 2022, Frank Cornelissen‘s wines received high bids with his 2016 Magma cuvée selling for €360. Sicilian wines, and more precisely those that are produced by vineyards located on the foothills of Mount Etna, are adored by wine lovers. Tenuta delle Terre Nere makes a cuvée from pre-phylloxera vines called La Vigne di Don Peppino and the 2008 vintage of this biodynamic wine sold for €161 in 2022.
Italy, a country that has been producing wine for thousands of years, has proven that it is still a pioneer in the eternal search for the perfect wine…
