Frescobaldi: « Wine under attack but the US cannot do without us »

Lamberto Frescobaldion the second day of Vinitaly, « is alarmed but less pessimistic than on the eve ». His Florentine company, Marchesi Frescobaldi has been producing wine for 700 years, He made kings and popes for centuries, and with earnings he financed artists like Donatello. Between ups and downs, he crossed Middle Ages and modernity. As president of the Italian Union Vini, it deals with 800 companies that represent 85% of the export turnover. Today, together with the presidents of the other wine associations, he will meet with Giorgia Meloni. A summit in view of the Visit of the Premier to the White House To develop the requests in the sector in Trump.
How did the talks with American producers and distributors go?
«Much better than expected. They understood, in some cases they have sought different types of agreements, sometimes even recognizing 10 or 15% of the increase that will be caused by the duties. He surprised us, we were unprepared, with the modesty that sometimes distinguishes us. They too fear to collapse: without European wines they will no longer have a hay in the farmhouse ».

Are they looking for company solutions for the company or do you focus on the EU-US negotiation?
«We are relying on European diplomacy and also to the good relations between Premier Meloni and Trump. The list of American products that Europe wants to tax has come out: The liqueurs have been removed, this will help us. So you could review or delete the 20% duty on us. The trend of the bags is frightening ».

What does it say to entrepreneurs these days?
«My message to all the producers is: stops stopped, look in the importers and distributors in the eyes. They too need us, like us of them. But every euro of wine imported from Italy generates 4.5 of turnover in the United States. So if we go out with broken bones, even worse. The American system on the alcohol divided into three, importers, distributors and sellers, was born with prohibition in the 1920s and has never been scratched ».

How will large American companies behave with interests in Italy, as a constellation that Ruffino has?
“At the moment they put the engines to a minimum. This is the decision in the short term, they do not bottle and wait to see what happens. They are so large companies that the Italian part, although important and historical, is small. We know that the attitude of the Americans is different from ours: we beat us to the end for the survival of a company, perhaps family, they are willing to sell it, even at a dollar, if it goes wrong. If they disk and stop it ».

What will be the most affected Italian cellars in this phase?
«The first to suffer will be the companies that produce wine without brand, with the name of the grape variety. Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay can be produced all over the world. If, on the other hand, you want to buy a local wine, for example, a Taurasi, you can only find it from a manufacturer from Irpinia. We learn the lesson, concentrate on the territory and less on varietal wines, those that are present everywhere ».

Will it be more damage to small or large cellars?
«He will suffer those who have entrusted themselves above all to the American market. Large or small, if so far a cellar has exported 50-60% of bottles in the United States, there is not to sleep at night. If, on the other hand, US exports is less than 30% can be remedied and steering. Although finding a market like the US is impossible. We must learn that when a market is very good it is better to brake to look elsewhere too ».

Who will take advantage of it? Australia, New Zealand or others?
«We are all under Dazio. The only ones who can benefit from it are the US or perhaps some producer of San Marino who has only 10%duties. But I doubt that there is a lot of wine in those parts ».

At the Vinitaly of 2026 what balance can producers be able to make?
« If I knew I would play the lot. It all seems very disordered to me. Politics in the United States has become violent and this hurts them too. We are not this. Our country has gone through wars of independence, one against the other. We fought for democracy and for freedom of expression. I hope that Trump’s action will join us more, making us become more and more European ».