Sensi: wineries must ‘strike the right balance’ in volatile market

Fast-changing market conditions offer both challenges and opportunities according to Massimo Sensi, head of the Tuscany-based producer.

Wine producers in Italy need no reminding that the market is in an uncertain position. From the pandemic to inflationary pressures to disruptive government interventions, the last five years have seen notable shocks to the market.

Yet the clouds have a silver lining. In volatile conditions, agile brands can craft new opportunities for themselves. In particular, as cultural changes reshape consumer approaches to beverages, wineries can forge a new path forward.

That, at least, is Massimo Sensi’s reading of the current market. As head of Sensi, a family producer based in Tuscany since 1890, he has generations of expertise in reading markets to draw from.

The company can draw on breadth as well as history: its Tuscan range spans from everyday drinking to the most prestigious appellations, while its Proseccos give it an intimate view of Italy’s leading export category. If anyone can read the tea leaves and predict the Italian market’s fortunes, it is Massimo Sensi.

A mix of challenges and opportunities

The list of challenges is substantial. Economic downturns in key markets, such as Germany and the UK, make it more difficult to find new consumers. Meanwhile tariffs loom on the horizon, with EU wineries among the industries heavily threatened by a potential trade war.

Then there are the problems closer to home. Climate change is redefining viticulture and altering grape characteristics so that maintaining a consistent style is becoming steadily more difficult. Increased regulation is also driving up production costs, while more selective retailers offer a double-edged sword of higher prices and higher standards.

“This scenario,” Sensi highlights, “intersects with a more informed consumer who wants to understand the product and its producer. If properly addressed, this awareness presents a valuable opportunity for wineries, but they must strike the right balance between storytelling and value for money.”

In fact, much though these headwinds present a challenge, he believes the more profound shift is this cultural change. As he sees it, tradition is now taking a backseat, with a new generation more focused on experience and authenticity.

“The new consumers are no longer exclusively tied to traditional appellations,” he explains. “They are looking for wines that tell a story, with eye-catching packaging and more immediate consumption styles.”

Responding to the latest trends

Massimo Sensi is therefore practising what he preaches. Alongside the range that wholeheartedly embraces tradition, there are notably modern inclusions in the company’s portfolio.

Sensi has, for instance, begun to experiment with no and low alcohol options. The recently unveiled 18K Zero Alcohol marks the first time Sensi has entered this market. It is a project that has taken considerable care, but which is set to pay dividends.

“The zero- or low-alcohol segment is expanding, but it requires investment and an entirely new cultural framework,” notes Massimo Sensi. “If traditional wine is already complex for the average consumer, this new segment needs to be positioned and communicated with absolute clarity to avoid confusion.”

Across the rest of the range, meanwhile, emotional connection is at the fore. That, of course, means different things to different people, and so market analysis and diversification are key to the company’s success. Diversity means that it can respond to the needs of different segments of the market, whether they want no and low alcohol options, the innovative and evocative packaging of the 18K Prosecco range or the reassuring classicism of its top Sangioveses. The entire proposition, however, is united in quality. For instance, both the 18K Gold Prosecco 2024 and the Sensi Mantello 2022 won Gold in recent Global Wine Masters competitions.

Given that bedrock of quality, Massimo Sensi still finds reason to be optimistic about the future of Italian wine. Current and upcoming challenges, no doubt, will shape the industry, requiring strategy and vision to navigate. Yet new opportunities will also shape the course of Italian wine. With a balance of tradition, quality and innovation, Sensi is looking forward to taking advantage of them.

Sensi is presenting its wines this week at Vinitaly (Hall 9, Stand C10). For more information, contact sensi@sensivini.com

Patrick Schmitt MW below offers his notes on two Sensi wines which secured Gold medals at The Drinks Business Spring Tasting 2025.

Prosecco 18K Gold 2024

• Country: Italy
• Region: Verona
• Varieties: 100% Glera
• ABV: 11% abv
• RRP: £18
• Medal: Gold

An instantly-appealing fizz with plenty of ripe peach and pear fruit flavours, and just a touch of sweetness, with a squeaky-clean, fresh finish, helped by persistent frothy bubbles and a touch of chalkiness – this is quite a dry style of Prosecco.

 

Mantello 2022

• Country: Italy
• Region: Tuscany
• Varieties: 70% Sangiovese, 30% Syrah
• ABV: 14.5%
• RRP: £25
• Medal: Gold

A delicious Tuscan blend of indigenous Sangiovese with northern Rhône native Syrah, this powerful and relatively good-value fine wine is a find. In terms of flavours there is plenty of ripe, sweet fruit, from cooked cherry to prunes, complemented by notes of black olive and dried thyme, allied to barrel-derived characters of milk chocolate and vanilla pod. Featuring plenty of dense, mouth-coating tannins, the finish is dry and mouth-watering, leaving one craving a Florentine steak – which would pair perfectly with this strong-yet-refreshing red.

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