Tuscany and Piedmont dominate in Italian fine wine

The two big-hitting regions led the pack during the last 12 months, but BBR says it sees daily demand for "lesser-known" Italian wines. Two regions largely dominated global sales of Italian fine wine in 2024. At iDealwine, Piedmont provided the majority of Italian fine wine lots, accounting for 4,297 bottles, or 55% of the volume sold. The region, in Italy's north west, also represented €380,891 of iDealwine's total auction sales value last year, with an average bottle price of €89. Meanwhile, Tuscany contributed fewer but more expensive bottles. There were 2,214 Tuscan bottles, or 28% of the volume, racking up €269,977 for iDealwine, and with a much higher average price of €122 a bottle.

BBR's Barolo

It was a similar story at London's oldest fine wine merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd, which tells db its Barolo 2021 (Piedmont) performed particularly well last year. "Our Barolo 2021 release was strong. The reputation of the vintage was a significant contributing factor here, and we released the wines at a market-beating price," says Charlie Leech, Italy buyer for BBR. Leech claims that the wines were a must-have purchase, "both emotionally & qualitatively", but concedes that may not have been the case "had we not secured such favourable pricing." He tells db that a recent offer for Poggio di Sotto’s 2019 Brunello (Tuscany) "proved fruitful" in spite of "a disappointing 2020 Brunello release." "The 2020s were largely overlooked, but the success of the recent 2019 sales prove the market is still alive, just price sensitive and focused towards the best of the best." One Brunello producer that "sells ferociously" when BBR offers it, reveals Leech, is Molino di Sant’Antimo. "Based in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, these wines sell out very quickly despite being relatively new to our range," he says. Beyond the big-hitters Outside of Piedmont and Tuscany, iDealwine found that other winegrowing regions on mainland Italy or the islands (e.g. Sicily, Sardinia, Pantelleria etc.)  "fascinating though they are, represent small volumes at auction," wrote Angélique de Lencquesaing, MD and author of the company's fine wine 'barometer' report. That said, BBR's Leech believes there is potential for the Italian fine wine landscape to diversify, and sooner than you might think. "Nearly every day we receive customer feedback through our shops asking for lesser known Italian wines," he says. Subsequently, BBR is responding "by adding some esoteric treats from undiscovered regions."

Mature vintages

It's worth noting that at iDealwine, mature vintages featured heavily last year, with wines over 20 years old accounting for more than half (54%) of the number of Italian bottles auctioned. Counter-intuitively, says de Lencquesaing, "their average price was slightly lower than that observed for Italian wines as a whole (€87). This shows us that there are Italian bottles produced more recently which are already proving very popular." As was the case with BBR's aforementioned Barolo 2021.

Top 10 Italian producers at iDealwine in 2024

The best-performing Italian producers during 2024 at iDealwine were as follows: 1. Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia (Frescobaldi) Total value: €77,658 Average price: €457 a bottle   2. Tenuta San Guido Total value: €56,456 Average price: €237 a bottle   3. Angelo Gaja Total value: €45,153 Average price: €190 a bottle   4. Giuseppe Rinaldi Total value: €40,899 Average price: €168 a bottle     5. Comm. Giovan Battista Burlotto Total value: €21,296 Average price: €207 a bottle   6. Giacomo Conterno Total value: €20,694 Average price: €398 a bottle   7. Tignanello (Antinori) Total value: €19,360 Average price: €198 a bottle   8. Giuseppe Mascarello Total value: €13,145 Average price: €153 a bottle   9. Bartolo Mascarello Total value: €12,726 Average price: €182 a bottle   10.Bruno Giacosa Total value: €11,599 Average price: €223

Christie's goes large

db also caught up with Charles Foley, Italy specialist at auction house Christie's, to find out what's been getting collectors most excited. "Our Italian fine wine offering is mainly centred on Super Tuscans and Barolo and Barbaresco," Foley says, before echoing iDealwine's position that at the moment "the market is at its best with older vintages of rare wines". However, unlike at iDealwine, Foley adds that "in many cases these older vintages have exceeded estimates" at Christie's. "The Super Tuscans, as well as famous Piedmontese estates and Amarone wineries, all have traction at international auctions, particularly for older vintages and large formats," he adds, which "have a nice premium". Foley highlights a number of standout Italy sales from the past year at Christie's including the single-owner William Koch sale in June 2025, where "six bottles of 1997 Gaja, Barbaresco, Sori San Lorenzo exceeded the high estimate by US$2,150." In the same sale, four bottles of 1985 Sassicaia sold for US$12,500 – totalling 44% over the low estimate and 32% over the high estimate. "Single-owner named sales are Christie’s speciality and in such sales you often see greater demand, which increases competition," says Foley. He also recalls 33 lots of Gaja wine being offered during the London Fine and Rare auction, which included Tuscan blends, Barbaresco and Barolo. "Notably, a 2006 Jeroboam of Ca’Marcanda (Gaja), Magari had a low estimate of £180 and a high estimate of £240 – the final sale price, including buyer’s premium was £350.

Barrique of Tig

In November 2024, during Tignanello’s 50th Anniversary Collection sale, estimates were once again exceeded. Christie’s offered a 225-litre barrique of the 2024 vintage of Tignanello.  "The successful winner was able to choose their own formatting for bottling, as well as display their name on the label. The low estimate on this unique lot was £24,000 and in the live auction it sold for £47,500. " Within the same auction, a magnum of 1978 Tignanello sold for £1,250, £550 over the high estimate. "In April 2024, the auction of La Gavroche, The Wine Cellar saw particular interest in Italian wines. Three bottles of 1978 Gaja, Barbaresco, Costa Russi sold for more than double the low estimate at £1,500." "As collectors continue to look for a sense of ‘La Dolce Vita’, and strong back vintages of Italian fine wine, we look forward to offering a single owner Masseto collection in the autumn - a producer that embodies the rarity, prestige, and quality increasingly sought after at auction," Foley says. Earlier this year, db investigated why despite being "a hidden gem of a Super-Tuscan", Camartina, the flagship wine of Querciabella, still “doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves”. Will 2026 be the year it steps into the spotlight?