Investing in Italian Wine: 10 Splendid Bottles, Insider Tips

The last decade has seen the meteoric rise of Italian wines in the fine wine market, alongside the greats from Bordeaux and Burgundy.  

Today, investment worthy Italian wines like Brunello Di Montalcino, Bartolo Mascarello, and the Super Tuscans are highly sought-after by wine collectors worldwide.

Let’s look at why Italian wines are a lucrative investment option and the best Italian wine brands that you can include in your wine collection.

We’ll also check out tips on investing in Italian wine and why you should invest in wines through Vinovest.

5 Important Reasons For Investing In Italian Wine

If you’re into fine wine investment, here are the top five reasons why you should go for Italian wines: 

1. Steady Price Appreciation
2. Italy’s Increasing Share In Fine Wine Trading
3. Expansion Of Italian Wine Regions
4. Good Aging Potential
5. Outstanding Auction Performance

1. Steady Price Appreciation

According to LiveTrade (a fine wine trading platform owned by the Bordeaux Index), the prices of the best Italian wine brands grew by more than 20% between November 2020 and November 2021. 

The Super Tuscan wines majorly drove this growth.

For example, between February 2021 and February 2022, the price of the 1977 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT wine increased by a whopping 123% in the secondary market - from $360 to $803. 

Italian wines have also showcased low volatility and steady returns. 

Also, Italy’s exemption from the 25% US trade tariffs on EU wines further pushed up demand for Italian wine bottles. 

2. Italy’s Increasing Share In Fine Wine Trading

The number of Italian vintage wines on the secondary market has grown by an astounding 2566% between 2010 and 2021. 

As per Liv-ex (a global marketplace for fine wine trading), the share of Italian wine in the secondary wine market grew to around 16% in 2021. The region ranks third compared to Bordeaux (40.5%) and Burgundy (20.4%.)

This rise in wine trade share is driven by a couple of factors, such as: 

• Immunity to US trade tariffs on EU wines.
• The release of exceptional recent vintages.
• Lower prices compared to Burgundy or Bordeaux wine bottles. 

Consequently, the increased share of Italian wine in the secondary market has attracted more wine collectors and wine owners from the US, UK, Europe, and Asia. 

3. Expansion Of Italian Wine Regions

The famous Super Tuscan and Piedmont wines have dominated the Italian wine investment space for years. 

Interestingly, several brands from lesser-known Italian wine regions like Umbria, Abruzzo, and Veneto are also popular in the secondary market for fine wine. 

In fact, the number of Italian wines that made it to the 2021 Liv-ex classification rose by 112% from 2019. 

Wines from other lesser-known Italian regions now account for over 5% of the Italian wine market by volume.

4. Good Aging Potential 

Italy’s finest wines are known for their exceptional aging potential. 

For example, vintage wines like Brunello di Montalcino or Chianti Classico (made from Tuscany’s noble Sangiovese grape) can age for 25+ years. 

Meanwhile, Barolo and Barbaresco (produced from Piedmont’s Nebbiolo grapes) can potentially last for 50+ years. 

Because of this, Italian vintage wines command high prices at wine auctions. 

5. Outstanding Auction Performance 

An investment grade wine from Italy usually performs well at popular wine auctions. 

For example:

• A 6 magnum bottle lot of 1985 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri sold for $22,800 at Christie’s auction house in November 2007. Another similar lot sold for $56,250 at a Sothebys wine auction in October 2021.
• Meanwhile, a 12 bottle lot of the 1990 Bruno Giacosa Collina Rionda sold for $15,925 at a Sothebys wine auction in September 2015. 

So, if you’re a passionate wine investor, now is the right time to include Italian wines in your investment portfolio.

But which Italian wine bottles are worthy of investment? 

Italy’s Top Investment Wine Styles

Italian investment-grade wine falls under these four broad categories: 

1. Super Tuscans
2. Piedmont Wines
3. Other Tuscan Classics
4. Other Italian Wines

1. Super Tuscans

The most popular Super Tuscan wines include Sassicaia, Masseto, Solaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello. 

These wines are produced from red Tuscan wine blends comprising non-indigenous grape varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah.

Best Super Tuscan wines to invest in:

• 1985 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri ($3440)
• 1990 Masseto Toscana IGT ($1684)
• 1977 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy ($810)
• 1978 Marchesi Antinori Solaia Toscana IGT ($669)
• 1985 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore ($470)

2. Piedmont Wines

If you’re a wine investor, you should also divert your attention to the northwest Italian region of Piedmont. Although Piedmont is a well-known red wine region, it also produces extraordinary white wine styles that any wine lover will enjoy.

If you need the finest, investment worthy Piedmont wines, you should check out the Barbaresco and Barolo sub-regions. 

Now, here are the best Piedmont wines to invest in: 

• 1978 Giacomo Conterno Monfortino ($5500)
• 1971 Bruno Giacosa Albesani Santo Stefano ($5217)
• 2016 Cappellano Otin Fiorin Pie Franco - Michet ($1628)
• 1978 Roagna Crichet Paje ($1437)
• 1970 Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio Monprivato Ca d'Morissio ($1317)

3. Other Tuscan Classics

The wines from the Chianti Classico region and other lesser-known areas are not to be ignored too! These wines are usually less prominent single varietals or blends that can’t be categorized under Super Tuscans. 

Although these wines aren’t highly sought-after like Super Tuscans, they command high prices and carry incredible investment potential.

Here are the other Tuscan classics to invest in: 

• 1983 Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG ($1901)
• 2004 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG ($503)
• 2010 Casanova di Neri Cerretalton ($520)
• 2003 Avignonesi Riserva Grandi Annate ($126)
• 2012 Boscarelli 'Nocio dei Boscarelli' ($117)

4. Other Italian Wines

The other investment-worthy Italian wines are produced in regions like:

• Umbria
• Lazzio
• Campania
• Veneto
• Puglio
• Sicily
• Abruzzo

These wines generally have lower prices and account for about 5% of the Italian wine market share by volume. 

Here are the other Italian wines that are worthy of investment: 

• 1985 Azienda Agricola Valentini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($1651)
• 1990 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta ($872)
• 1999 Miani 'Calvari' Refosco Colli Orientali del Friuli ($855)
• 1998 Fattoria Galardi Terra di Lavoro Campania IGT ($200)
• 2001 Marchesi Antinori Castello della Sala 'Cervaro della Sala' Umbria IGT ($126)

If you’re considering investing in fine Italian wine bottles, wine futures, or wine stocks, you need to get the right tips from wine experts.

4 Important Tips For Investing In Italian Wine

Here are some expert wine investing tips that can help you build a profitable wine investment portfolio: 

1. Use A Professional Wine Investment Platform Like Vinovest 
2. Store Your Fine Wine In A Professional Wine Cellar Or A Bonded Warehouse
3. Consider the Opinions Of Wine Critics
4. Know Everything About Your Vintage Wine

1. Use A Professional Wine Investment Platform Like Vinovest

If you wish to own an investment grade wine bottle, you should ideally use a professional wine investment platform like Vinovest. 

This AI-based platform helps you easily buy, store, and sell wine futures, Bordeaux wine, and otherfine wine bottles like Lafite Rothschild, Bartolo Mascarello, and more.

The wine investment process is quick and hassle-free. Here’s all you need to do:

• Sign up on the Vinovest website.
• Answer a quick questionnaire to let Vinovest determine your fine wine investment goals. 
• Fund your account with $1,000 or more. 
• From there, a wine expert will start building your portfolio with the help of advanced quantitative investment models.

2. Store Your Fine Wine In A Professional Wine Cellar Or A Bonded Warehouse

It’s best to store your investment wines in a bonded wine cellar that maintains optimal light, humidity, and temperature conditions. 

Fortunately, Vinovest owns bonded warehouses and takes care of all your wine storage needs. The best part is that it doesn't charge you any VAT or tax duty for this! 

Moreover, your wine bottles are insured against theft or damage. In return, Vinovest charges a nominal fee to manage your wine portfolio, including safe storage in a wine cellar.

3. Consider the Opinions Of Wine Critics 

If you’re eying a cult wine or any other bottle in the fine wine market, you should also go through the reviews of famous wine critics (like Rober Parker, James Suckling, and Jancis Robinson.) 

Wondering why?

The wine ratings and reviews from a renowned wine expert also influence wine prices. 

For example, Robert Parker has developed a 100-point quality scale to rate the investment potential of wines. These results are published in the industry publication - The Wine Advocate magazine.

Any bottle rated 96+ points is considered extraordinary and worth adding to a fine wine collection. 

4. Know Everything About Your Vintage Wine 

When sourcing Italian wine or any other fine wine, you should know everything about it. For example, you should know the grape variety used, the vintage conditions, the wine region, vineyard, provenance, and more. 

This will help you pick exceptional vintages that command higher prices on the fine wine market. This will also help you select age-worthy bottles with brilliant investment potential.

Add An Investment-Worthy Italian Wine To Your Portfolio Today 

There’s no denying that Italian wines are growing in popularity. Interestingly, wine collectors worldwide are also turning their attention to the lesser-known wines from other Italian regions. 

If you’re a passionate wine lover, you could invest in this alternative asset through a trusted wine investment company like Vinovest. 

This platform lets you buy, store, and sell authentic wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Giacomo Conterno, Lafite Rothschild, or other cult wine bottles from any famous wine producer.