The storied Asti region of northern Italy saw a lush harvest this year but many winegrowers are leaving some grapes on the vine, choosing to produce less as US and Russian demand drops.

After two difficult years, 2025 has been a good one and Italy is expected to once again beat rival France as the world’s leading producer.

But Paolo Castelletti, secretary general of the Union of Italian Wine, said it was not exactly something to celebrate.

“There is a decline in wine consumption especially in the main market, North America,” he told AFP.

“The market was supported by boomers… now they’re reducing their consumption,” he said.

US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs also make imports more expensive and could push Italian wines above the “psychological threshold” of $20 a bottle, he said.

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