I frequently have the chance to talk to wine producers and, inevitably, the
subject of sales is one of those that, in recent times, is getting particular
attention and it is cause of preoccupation. For those making wine, this is an
obvious and understandable concern. I must say, for the sake of truth, in the
last months many producers I talk with, are less and less catastrophic than in
the past years, they tell about very slight signs of reprise. A small sun ray,
after having undergone the hard consequences of a storm and frequent
thunderstorms, it is of course something giving a sort of optimism, although
cautious and minimal. The times having characterized the past years, and - this
cannot deny - keep on influencing the economy of the present, have strongly
affected profits of wineries, therefore - although we are seeing this humble
sun ray - being cautious is a wise defense.
According to a recent research done by Coldiretti (an Italian association of
farmers), in recent years - specifically, from 2008 to 2014 - Italy has been
recorded a particularly negative period for wine consumption. This is not
breaking news: the fact wine economy was not in good health in recent years, it
is something well known and absolutely evident. Coldiretti research is however
important because gives a measure of these uncertain times, of how much Italian
wine has lost in the past years. I do suspect it was not just because of the
economic crisis characterizing these years, they however played a fundamental
role. After all, nowadays wine is considered to be an elitist product,
therefore it does not represent a primary need. In case someone has to make a
choice, in times of a lesser availability of money, it is normal we give up -
although being sorry for that - what we do not consider to be a fundamental
need.
The research of Coldiretti points out that, in these years of crisis, about
1.7 millions of Italians gave up the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Crisis
has of course played a fundamental role in this, however I believe it was also
because of the laws introduced in Italy about the blood alcohol content related
to subjects driving a vehicle. The research, in particular, revealed that in
Tuscany the consumption of wine went down of 11.8%, therefore recording a
lowering of 13% in regular consumers of the beverage of Bacchus. Tuscany, one
of the most important wine regions of Italy, records an incredible increase of
32% in the daily consumption of beer. A result confirming, as a matter of
fact, the special moment the beverage of Ceres is having in Italy, also thanks
to the remarkable results achieved by the many craft breweries in this country.
In case the consumption of wine can be a reason of preoccupation, the research
of Coldiretti unfortunately gives us other reasons for being really concerned.
The 14.5% of Italian young people, from 18 to 24, is addicted to the
deplorable activity called binge drinking, done by abusing the
consumption of aperitifs, liquors and spirits. In case it is needed to clarify
what binge drinking is, it consists in the consumption of alcoholic
beverages in order to get drunk and lose control. A behavior being the
antithesis of intelligence, something to be concerned of - very concerned - and
should make us all think, in particular, about the social condition of certain
wicked youngsters. In this specific case, we can be moderately happy to know -
at least in this case - wine is not responsible of this deplorable and
unfortunate behavior.
During the period 2009-2014, according to the research of Coldiretti, in Italy
has been recorded a lowering of wine consumption of 2.9%, the consumption of
spirits and liquors diminished of 1.3%, whereas beer went up of 0.1%. The
daily consumption of wine in the table of Italians has gone down as well: from
the average five glasses we have passed to four. A trend confirmed by the
lowering of consumption and purchase of wine in families, recording - all over
Italy - a lowering of 19% in regard to 2008. The only figure going up, like
already said, is the consumption - although we should talk about abuse - of
spirits in youngsters, in particular during weekend. Moreover, it is also
recorded a concentration of consumption of wine and alcoholic beverages in
between meals. It seems Italians are abandoning the traditional habit of
associating wine to food, a central element of Italian cooking and meals.
In Italy it is therefore spreading the habit of casual drinking, typical in
informal and frugal social moments, even worse and preoccupying, the detestable
and certainly idiot habit of binge drinking getting more and more common
in youngsters. We should ask ourselves the reason why such habits are becoming
more and more common. The media are offering a rebel and selfish model
of behavior - let me add evidently idiot and dull - and this certainly
is one the causes for this insignificant social model. The idea of
being strong and believing everything is possible, is certainly denied by such
behaviors: it simply is the opposite, however effective in giving the
illusion you can do everything whereas you are just doing nothing. If the going
down of consumptions corresponds to these new fads, I guess the times we
believed to be the worse, simply were the best. If it is true modern society is
the consequence of what has been handed down by past generations, we should ask
ourselves - and quite concerned - what kind of education we taught to
youngsters and what kind of heritage we are going to give them.
Antonello Biancalana
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