Italy is by far the U.S. market’s largest imported wine category by volume, and is well represented on the latest Impact “Hot Brands” list. Italian sparklers in particular continue to see robust growth. Eight Italian wine brands earned Hot Brand honors this year, from a total of 16 imports. All those Italian entries offer a sparkling expression, and several winners are entirely focused on the style.
Stella Rosa, imported by California-based Riboli Family Wine Estates, is the largest brand in Italy’s Hot Brand contingent, growing by 19.9% to nearly 2.5 million cases in 2019. Stella Rosa has seen remarkable growth since 2016, tacking on 400,000 cases each year.
