With a total area of just 0.49 square kilometers, Vatican City has a population of 882 people, according to Wikipedia. While it is not a member of the United Nations, it is officially recognized as a sovereign state worldwide. Governed as a theocratic absolute monarchy, the Vatican is located entirely within the city of Rome, Italy.

From the perspective of our industry, the Vatican holds a remarkable title: the world leader in annual wine consumption per capita, with an average of 99 bottles per person. It’s probably no surprise that the overwhelming majority of its wines are sourced from Italy—96% of its wine imports come from Italy, with the remaining 4% from Austria.

It’s also worth noting that a Spanish company recently supplied 2,000 bottles bearing the Papal coat of arms—a rare and symbolic delivery in the world of wine.

The Vatican is a truly unique place—the spiritual heart of the Catholic world and home to sacred ceremonies in which wine plays a symbolic, divine role. For this reason, it’s important not to view wine consumption there as a matter of continuous personal indulgence, but rather to understand how it is distributed and used in various religious and ceremonial contexts.

Another fascinating development relates to viticulture. Until recently, the Vatican had never produced its own wine. That changed in 2023, when a two-hectare plot within Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence, was converted into a vineyard. The first harvest is expected in 2026, and with it, the Vatican will begin producing its own wine for the very first time.

The wine will carry the Papal label, and since production will be symbolic and limited in quantity, it will be sold exclusively within Vatican City.

Thanks to an agreement signed between the Vatican and Italy in 1929, all goods entering the Vatican—whether from Italy or other countries—are exempt from taxes. All wines imported into the Vatican arrive in bottles; bulk wine in large-format containers is not permitted. When examining the types of wine brought in, it’s notable that about one-third of them are sparkling wines.

The wines used in religious ceremonies are typically sweet reds. It’s also important to note that the suppliers of these wines are carefully chosen from among devout producers who follow religious protocols in their winemaking practices.