Dolce Oltrepò

Chianti was the number one selling denomination of origin (Doc, Docg, Igt) for 2006 in large-scale distribution centers like supermarkets. The most popular denominations after Chianti are as follows: Montepulciano d\'Abruzzo, Sangiovese, Nero d\'Avola, Merlot, Pinot, Bonarda, Barbera, Vermentino and Barbera d\'Asti. This is the top ten classification according to an AC-Nielsen survey for Vinitaly, the annual wine expo that is set to open its doors in Verona on March 29th (www.vinitaly.com).
This year’s top ten wines have always occupied the top of the classification lists, but it is interesting to note that the wines that registered the highest growth rates in 2006 were in the following order: Brunello di Montalcino, Nero d\'Avola, Gewurztraminer, Morellino di Scansano, Verdicchio di Jesi, Dolcetto d\'Alba, Bonarda Oltrepò, Barbaresco, Chardonnay e Rosso di Montalcino.
“The fact that among these wines that have increasingly rapid sales rates, there are high quality wines like Brunello or Morellino” - explained Vincenzo Carbone of the directing board of Federdistribuzione, the association that represents the majority of large-scale distributing companies - “is confirmation of the attitude of consumers towards buying DOC wines off the shelves of large-scale distribution outlets”.
And large-scale distribution is affirming itself as the most relevant channel for wine sales in Italy: in 2006 the market quota for wine sold by large scale distribution reached 69.2% in volume, a growth of 0.2% in respect to 2005 (and an increase of 2.5% for sales value). More than half of wine sold in supermarkets is wine with denominations of origin (Doc, Docg, and Igt), which in 2006 reached a quota of 52.9% of total volume for large scale distribution sales, with a growth of 2% in respect to 2005 (with value at 74%).

Source www.winenews.it