21 March 2025
Cantrina defies duties and strengthens in the US
Manhattan and Boston toast with Cantrina's signature Valtènesi: the Bedizzole winery recently signed an agreement that brought its share of US sales to 60% of total business in 2024. "We have re-established contact with an importer we have known for 25 years, but who has changed strategy by concentrating on very small companies able to offer products with indigenous grape varieties," explains Cristina Inganni, who heads the company with Diego Lavo. The duties? We shipped the last pallet twenty days ago without any problems, but like everyone else we are waiting: we hope that this dispute will be settled before 2 April with the removal of EU taxes on bourbon and other products, because the threatened introduction of duties on 200% would be a huge blow not only for Italian wineries, but also for an important part of the US economy linked to importers and distributors'.
The budget
The year 2024 closed with revenues substantially at breakeven with 2023, amounting to 400 thousand euro, but with a lower number of bottles sold (40 thousand), thanks to a price adjustment made possible by the consolidation of the brand as an alternative but prestigious reference: this is confirmed by direct sales (20% of to tal), with 3 out of 4 customers being foreigners. Fascinated by the pink wines of the territory, accounting for 40% of production: in addition to Valtènesi, born in 2018 and already reaching 25% of total volume, there are the iconic Rosanoire and the reserve MyRoses. The 20% is represented by the white Rinè and the passito Sole di Dario, the remaining 40% are reds. For which Cantrina has not felt any signs of crisis as in the rest of the world. "We have built a market that rewards us," emphasises Cristina Inganni. We have a high average price level that is accepted by virtue of a now recognised quality standard". In order to maintain these standards, continuous investments are necessary: such as the one for the purchase of a hectare of vineyard that brought the total controlled to 8.5 hectares (2 of which are rented) for a total expenditure of 130 thousand euro; another 100 thousand were needed for the new well and other chapters. "We are increasingly exposed to the risks of climate change,' Diego Lavo reflects. It is inevitable to increase raw material reserves in order to keep production stable, which in the last two years has decreased due to events such as spring frost or excessive rain. Effects of a situation that is difficult to sustain for those of us who work in an organic regime. Claudio Andrizzi
The budget
The year 2024 closed with revenues substantially at breakeven with 2023, amounting to 400 thousand euro, but with a lower number of bottles sold (40 thousand), thanks to a price adjustment made possible by the consolidation of the brand as an alternative but prestigious reference: this is confirmed by direct sales (20% of to tal), with 3 out of 4 customers being foreigners. Fascinated by the pink wines of the territory, accounting for 40% of production: in addition to Valtènesi, born in 2018 and already reaching 25% of total volume, there are the iconic Rosanoire and the reserve MyRoses. The 20% is represented by the white Rinè and the passito Sole di Dario, the remaining 40% are reds. For which Cantrina has not felt any signs of crisis as in the rest of the world. "We have built a market that rewards us," emphasises Cristina Inganni. We have a high average price level that is accepted by virtue of a now recognised quality standard". In order to maintain these standards, continuous investments are necessary: such as the one for the purchase of a hectare of vineyard that brought the total controlled to 8.5 hectares (2 of which are rented) for a total expenditure of 130 thousand euro; another 100 thousand were needed for the new well and other chapters. "We are increasingly exposed to the risks of climate change,' Diego Lavo reflects. It is inevitable to increase raw material reserves in order to keep production stable, which in the last two years has decreased due to events such as spring frost or excessive rain. Effects of a situation that is difficult to sustain for those of us who work in an organic regime. Claudio Andrizzi
