A Leading Player Globally, Tuscany’s Piccini Turns Focus To U.S.

Tuscany’s Piccini is one of the most recognizable names in Chianti and Chianti Classico globally, selling across 90 countries with a 28% share of the world market and annual production of 2.4 million cases. The fifth-generation family estate has been a small player in the U.S. relative to its global position, but it’s now making a push with importer Winesellers Ltd, with its brands distributed across the country by top wholesalers including RNDC, Southern Glazer’s, Breakthru, Winebow, and M.S. Walker among others.

Piccini is aiming to raise its U.S. volume to 60,000 cases by next year, and entrench itself among the leading U.S. brands from Tuscany. Currently, the business is about 80% on-premise in the U.S., with the Collezione Oro Chianti DOCG Riserva being a lead item, selling at around $12 by-the-glass depending on the market. Off-premise is expected to quickly gain share in the coming months, however.

That’s due to a new national retail push, including a partnership with Whole Foods, which is bringing on Piccini’s organic white Orvieto Classico DOC ($12) nationally in a supply of about 10,000 cases. The winery’s Chianti DOCG “Orange Label” ($13) and Prosecco DOC “Orange Label” ($18) are also aimed at the retail segment. “We try to be inclusive with our pricing,” fourth-generation CEO Mario Piccini tells SND. “You need to have entrance wines to open the door for people into the Italian category.”

Beyond the entry level, Piccini is also active higher up the ladder, with labels including Chianti Classico DOCG ($20), Sasso al Poggio Rosso Toscana IGT ($22), Rosso di Montalcino ($29), and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG ($65). It’s also targeting the trend toward lower-alcohol wines with upcoming innovation plays like Slim, a Chianti at 11% abv that can be served chilled.

While Winesellers Ltd imports all wines under the Piccini brand itself in the U.S., the Italian group’s holdings also include a collection of estates, whose offerings are handled by Skurnik. The estates include Fattoria di Valiano, Tenuta Moraia, and Villa al Cortile in Tuscany, along with Torre Mora on Sicily’s Mount Etna and Regio Cantina in Basilicata’s Aglianico del Vulture.—Daniel Marsteller

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