MASTERCLASSES, TASTINGS, AND THEMATIC FOCUSES: UMBRIA TOP'S EVENT CALENDAR AT VINITALY 2026

The Umbria Top calendar of events —the cooperative that brings together Umbria's top wine producers—opens from April 12th to 15th at the Verona Fair in Pavilion D. The event opens with the inauguration of the exhibition area on Sunday the 12th at 12:00 p.m., attended by Stefania Proietti, President of the Umbria Region; Simona Meloni, Councilor for Agricultural and Agri-food Policies, Tourism, and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR); Massimo Sepiacci, President of Umbria Top Wines; Devis Cruciani, Sole Director of the 3A Agri-food Technology Park of Umbria; Pietro Bellini, President of Assogal Umbria; Federico Sisti, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Promocamera Umbria; and Pietro Marchi, President of AIS Umbria. Carlo Guttadauro of Anam Cara, who oversaw the graphic design and artistic concept for the Umbria Top exhibition space and the new Pavilion D, will also be speaking with " Leporello Style: How to Tell Umbria's Story Through Images and How to Be Different. Beauty, Lifestyles, and Marketing in Synesthesia ."

The ribbon-cutting ceremony officially launches a profoundly revamped Vinitaly 2026 for Umbria's wine region, which takes center stage in a new space—Pavilion D—with a completely redesigned area, new artistic graphics, and the tagline " Stili di Vite ." This message places quality at its core, understood as an expression of Umbria's great stories, talents, and world-renowned personalities who, over the centuries, have contributed to the excellence of the region's wine production.

Sunday features two events designed to offer immersive experiences of great cultural, food, and wine value. At 3:15 pm, the talk " From Vine Styles to Lifestyles in Orvieto " takes the audience on a journey from Umbria's claim for Vinitaly 2026 to the stories, insights, and visions that have contributed to making the Orvieto appellation famous. The tasting offers a journey of discovery through five wines, each linked to significant moments in the lives of key figures in local history, making it an engaging experience for both enthusiasts and industry professionals.

Following, at 4:15 pm, " Vinsanto: each region has its own sweetness ," an event that compares different interpretations of this traditional wine from Umbria, Tuscany, Marche, Veneto, and Trentino. The meeting, introduced by Professor Alberto Palliotti (DSA3-UNIPG) together with Claudio Ceccarelli, a Vinsanto producer in the Upper Tiber Valley, and Pietro Marchi, President of AIS Umbria, offers a firsthand account through the voices of the producers. Also featured is a rare Umbrian smoked Vinsanto, a Slow Food Presidium. Each wine is enhanced by a pairing with chocolates selected from the excellence of the Perugina Chocolate School and artisanal creations of the Umbrian Chocolate District .

Closing out the first day of Vinitaly, at 6:00 p.m., will be a moment dedicated to relaxation and conviviality with " Wine & Vibes: Aperitivo with Intravino ," a true "after-fair" event dedicated to leisure and socializing, promoted by the Umbria Region and 3A-PTA. For the occasion, the Umbria Pavilion will be transformed into a welcoming and informal space, designed for meeting, chatting, and unwinding over glasses of wine and music, perfectly embodying the "Umbria wine style." Organized in collaboration with the wine magazine Intravino, the evening will enliven both event areas of the pavilion with a rich buffet of Made in Umbria products and appetizers, accompanied by a DJ set that contributes to a lively and engaging atmosphere. The initiative is funded by the Rural Development Management Authority and requires mandatory registration at the Umbria Top Wines reservations desk.

On Monday, April 13th, at 11:30 a.m., " The Pioneers' Furrow: A Tribute to the Visionaries of Contemporary Umbrian Wine ," an event promoted by the Umbria Region and 3A-PTA and hosted by Pierluigi Pardo, will take place. This event, rich in symbolic and emotional significance, is intended as a concerted tribute to four extraordinary figures from the world of Umbrian viticulture who recently passed away— Arnaldo Caprai, Maria Grazia Marchetti Lungarotti, Leonardo Zanchi, and Luigi Barberani —who, despite their diverse experiences and sensibilities, made a decisive contribution to building and affirming the identity of Umbrian wine internationally.

The meeting not only commemorates their personal and professional journeys, but also provides an opportunity to introduce the four Masterclasses dedicated to them, each focusing on the history and wines of these protagonists. The Masterclasses begin on Monday at 3:15 pm with " Maria Grazia Marchetti Lungarotti: Denomination of Cultural Origin ," led by Alessandra Piubello, and continue at 4:15 pm with " Leonardo Zanchi: Respect for Authenticity, " led by Jacopo Cossater. Tuesday, April 14, at 11:45 am, it's the turn of " Arnaldo Caprai: Imagining the Future and Making It Real ," led by Antonio Boco, and at 3:15 pm with " Luigi Barberani: The Noble Soul of Orvieto ," led by Andrea Amadei.

Also on Monday, at 3:15 pm, " Umbria del Vino – Presentation of the Winning Wines of the 2026 Umbria del Vino Regional Wine Competition " will take place, organized by Promocamera, a special agency of the Umbria Chamber of Commerce. Speakers will include Federico Sisti, Secretary General of the Umbria Chamber of Commerce, Simona Meloni, Councilor for Agricultural and Agri-food Policies, Tourism, and the PNRR, and Maurilio Chioccia, Competition Panel Leader. The event will feature the official presentation of the award-winning wines, followed by a free tasting of all the winning labels in the Wine Shop Area.

Tuesday, April 14, kicks off at 10 a.m. with a meeting entitled " The Umbrian Quality Wine District and the Italian Districts: Implementing the Three-Year Plan for Quality Agri-Food. Initial Projects in Progress and Comparison with Other Districts in Italy ," organized by Umbria Top Wines. Moderating will be Gioia Bacoccoli, coordinator of Umbria Top, while panelists will include Luigi D'Eramo, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MASAF), Graziano Antonielli for the Umbria Region, Angelo Barone, President of the National Council of Food Districts, Enrico De Micheli (via live link), Antonio Montuoro, representing the Italian Food Districts, along with Devis Cruciani, Federico Sisti, Manlio Cassandro, and Massimo Sepiacci, President of Umbria Top. The meeting also involves representatives of the national Districts included in the ministerial ranking and is intended to provide a forum for concrete and operational discussion among the stakeholders involved in the call for proposals. The aim is to strengthen synergies and build a shared vision of development and territorial impact, in line with Masaf's strategic guidelines.

At 11:45 a.m., also on Tuesday, " The Flavors of Umbria: A Tasting Tour of Regional Designation of Origin Olive Oils " will take place, organized by the Umbria Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Assoprol and Aprol. The event offers a technical tasting tour dedicated to the excellence of Umbrian olive oil, including sampling of four DOP olive oils, to explore their quality, organoleptic characteristics, and territorial identity.

The Umbrian Wine Quality District announces its participation in Vinitaly 2026, fully overseeing the creation and sponsorship of the Enoteca within the Umbria Pavilion – Pavilion D, areas A1 – D4. This project officially marks the launch of promotional activities for 2026 and represents the first concrete step in the District's three-year program, following the launch of activities at the end of 2025 with participation in Vinitaly Chicago.

Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce, visitors to the Umbria Region stand at Vinitaly will be able to savor Umbrian chocolates : throughout the event, a selection of artisanal Umbrian chocolate will be featured at key tastings, particularly during the press lunches dedicated to agrodiversity, helping to showcase the richness and biodiversity of regional produce and enhancing the experience for press and industry professionals. Chocolate, along with extra virgin olive oil, will also be available in the relaxation area dedicated to influencers, offering an opportunity to discover and share the region's excellence.

A special selection of Umbrian chocolate will also be made available to the wineries present at the stand, with the aim of enriching the tasting experiences and encouraging innovative wine and chocolate pairings. The program also features two in-depth events designed to offer an even more comprehensive and engaging experience.

On Sunday, April 12th, at 4:45 PM, " Vino Santo & Chocolate: Sensory Harmonies " will be held. This guided tour will lead participants through the different expressions of Vino Santo from Umbria, Tuscany, Marche, Veneto, and Trentino. The experience will be enhanced by a selection of Umbrian chocolate delicacies, creating a refined dialogue between aromas, flavors, and textures.

On Tuesday, April 14th, at 11:45 a.m., " The Flavors of Umbria: Designation of Origin Oils " will be held, a technical tasting dedicated to the region's DOP extra virgin olive oils. The meeting will explore the main cultivars, extraction processes, and quality parameters, guiding participants through a careful analysis of the sensory components that characterize these products.

On Sunday and Monday, at 2.30 pm, it's time for " A Question of Style... With Sweetness " dedicated to the world of chocolate with a demonstration by Alberto Farinelli , Master of the Perugina Chocolate School.

Every day (Sunday and Monday at 5:30 pm; Tuesday at 4:16 pm; Wednesday at 10:30 am), there will be tasting sessions called "Un Sorso, Un Morso" (One Sip, One Bite). These " Un Sorso Un Morso " tastings offer a glimpse into Umbria's quality products, always curated by 3A Parco Tecnologico Agroalimentare dell'Umbria, paired with Umbrian wines made from rediscovered native grape varieties. Antonio Boco will lead the tasting.

Finally, every day at 1:30 pm for journalists (reservations required), " Lunch in Umbria " is scheduled, food and wine events featuring regional products with quality brands (DOP, IGP) and those registered in the Biodiversity Register of the 3A Agri-food Technology Park of Umbria, accompanied by a selection of wines from the producers in the pavilion.

The Umbria area at Vinitaly is made possible in this upcoming edition thanks to the partners of Umbria Top Wines: Enoidee, Alessandrelli Kitchen and Living, and Umbraflor, which will provide green furnishings for the entire area.