When it comes to wine, Italy and the U.S. have had a long history together that is evident by Italian wines representing the number one spot when it comes to imported red and white table wines into the American market.

According to Nielsen, last year Italian wines totaled 1.2 billion in sales in the U.S. increasing its share by 2%. This fact was proudly stated by Gianfranco Sorrentino, president of Gruppo Italiano and co-owner of the Il Gattopardo Group (a group of Italian restaurants in New York City), during a recent webinar he led that helps the Gruppo Italiano nonprofit mission of promoting the Italian culture and products.