VitignoItalia 2026, all set for the 20th edition, reaching 250 companies and 2000 labels.

From Sunday 17th to Tuesday 19th May at the Naples Maritime Station, Molo Angioino.

Vertical tastings of historic vintages, masterclasses dedicated to Italy's major appellations, in-depth discussions on ungrafted vines, volcanic viticulture, and discussions on the future of the sector provide a comprehensive and contemporary account of Italian wine.

VitignoItalia 2026 is fast approaching: the twentieth anniversary edition, scheduled for Sunday, May 17th, to Tuesday, May 19th, at the Stazione Marittima in Naples on the Molo Angioino , presents numbers that underscore its increasingly central role in the national wine scene. Over 2,000 labels from 250 wineries will be available for tasting , a representation spanning the entire peninsula, from historic territories like Chianti and the Prosecco Valdobbiadene hills to grape varieties and producers yet to be discovered.

" The increase in companies, the strong local participation, and the caliber of the program underscore the event's tangible growth from every perspective ," emphasizes Maurizio Teti, Director of VitignoItalia . " The number of participating companies from Campania is a sign of a sector that perceives the event as a space for discussion, promotion, and relationship building, thanks to the growing synergy with institutions. The events on the calendar also reflect this evolution: from exclusive tastings of great vintages and excellent appellations, to the recovery of grape varieties, and the future prospects of the sector, we have built a program capable of presenting Italian wine in a broad and contemporary way."

What's particularly striking is the growing local participation: approximately 40% of the companies are from Campania, a sign of an increasingly strong connection between the event and the local manufacturing sector, which sees the work of institutions as a powerful force.

"We will be present ," stated Maria Carmela Serluca, Campania Regional Councilor for Agriculture, " with approximately thirty companies from the five provinces of Campania, as well as the Regional Enoteca, representing over 90 wineries from the region. In Naples, as with Vinitaly, we have chosen a visual identity reminiscent of the America's Cup, in which agri-food promotion will play a key role. VitignoItalia is a key event, especially for the Ho.re.ca sector, which deserves great attention for greater promotion of Campania wines in the restaurant and hospitality sectors, a sector that is still not fully expressed today. For the first time, we will host the "Ambassadors of Campanian Wines," the Italian restaurateurs we recently awarded at Vinitaly. They will have the opportunity to further deepen their knowledge and appreciation of the regional winemaking heritage, strengthening the dialogue between production and restaurants."

As has been the case for years, the support of FEAMPA (European Fund for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture) is crucial. The organization organizes the Wine & Food Lab, a series of meetings and tastings between land and sea, hosted by Chef Carlo Olivari, a well-known face on television, to promote the region's fish heritage in symbiosis with the local area.

" By participating in Vitigno Italia 2026 ," said Fiorella Zabatta, Councilor for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Campania Region, " we are strengthening the dialogue between two strategic assets of Campania's identity: the seafood supply chain and excellent winemaking. With the FEAMPA 2021–2027 Program, we continue to generate concrete development opportunities for businesses, fostering integration between strategic sectors and promoting an integrated vision of the regional food and wine offering. This is the context for the Wine & Food Lab project, a space for meeting and integrating wine and seafood, led by Chef Carlo Olivari. The aim is to enhance the quality and territorial identity of local seafood by interpreting it in a contemporary way, thus fostering a dialogue between the savory flavors of the sea and the mineral notes of Campanian wines, distinctive features of our food and wine heritage."

A packed schedule of events will take visitors on a journey across Italy's wine-producing landscape: starting on Sunday, May 17th, with a tour dedicated to ungrafted viticulture from North to South Italy, curated by the Italian Association for the Protection of Ungrafted Vines (AVPIF), followed by a meeting with GRASPO (Ampelographic Research Group for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Viticultural Originality and Biodiversity) on rare Italian grape varieties, reflecting on the importance of reclaiming biodiversity. The day concludes with a guided tasting by the Consorzio Tutela Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore.

Monday, May 18th, will be a day of remembrance and time, with an exclusive tasting of the finest 2006 Campania white wines, reserved for buyers, to recount a vintage that has gone down in history. The wines of the Friuli DOC Consortium will then be showcased with a special discussion, "Friulano vs. Sauvignon: Between Tradition, Modernity, and Territorial Identity." This will be followed by a discussion on volcanic viticulture from the areas of Vesuvius, Etna, the Pontine Islands, and the Alban Hills, led by Vincenzo Mercurio, named Italy's Best Winemaker in 2025. The event will conclude with an exclusive masterclass on the finest expressions of Italian Chardonnay.

On Tuesday the 19th, the spotlight will be on the great reds with a masterclass on Barolo and Taurasi, followed by an in-depth look at Tintore di Tramonti, the native grape still grown ungrafted on the Amalfi Coast. This will be followed by the awards ceremony for the 100 Best Italian Rosé guide, a tasting of the top ten wines, and, finally, a forum promoted by BPER Banca , the event's main sponsor, to discuss future prospects and new levers of competitiveness in the sector, through dialogue between institutional representatives and the trade press.

"Agri-food is one of the pillars of the Italian economy, and the wine sector is one of its most high-quality, innovative, and internationally recognized expressions. In regions like Campania, Southern Italy, and throughout Italy, the sector embodies a valuable productive and cultural heritage, with companies capable of combining tradition, quality, and a drive for modernization," says Marco Lazzari, Head of Agribanking at BPER Banca . "At BPER, we support companies in the wine and agri-food supply chain with dedicated financial and consulting solutions, accompanying them on their journeys of growth, investment, and market development, in constant dialogue with the local communities."

This year, the event confirms its strong international focus thanks to its collaboration with ICE (Italian Trade Agency), which will see the participation of 30 buyers from Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Japan, and the United States, further expanding the dialogue between Italian wine and major foreign markets. This twentieth anniversary also sees the support of the Campania Region's Department of Agriculture, the Irpinia Sannio Chamber of Commerce , and the Campania-based company Espresso , a leading Neapolitan coffee roasting company divided into three business units, distinguishing itself as the only company capable of offering complementary products that combine the Neapolitan tradition of coffee, pastry making, and gastronomy through artisanal preparations.

There will also be a crossover between wine and art. Since 2015, VitignoItalia's visual identity has been entrusted to Gennaro Regina , to whom an exhibition of original works has been dedicated (open on the second floor of the Stazione Marittima). The exhibition explores the dialogue between the artist, the city of Naples, and the event itself, through an imagery deeply rooted in the urban landscape.

An important development, from a social and ethical perspective, is the presence of the Domenico Cirillo Foundation , an organization committed to promoting inclusion and active citizenship projects. This demonstrates the event's commitment to raising awareness and promoting responsible drinking, especially among younger generations, thanks to a dedicated space that will see the active participation of the young men and women who are the protagonists of the project.

Full program

Sunday, May 17th

2:30 PM - The Beauty of Being Frank

4:30 PM - The Patriarchs, Prophets, and Heroes of Graspo

6:00 pm - Consortium for the Protection of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore: from the brut

nature on the yeasts at the Superiore di Cartizze

Monday, May 18th

11:00 a.m. - 2006: Twenty years of VitignoItalia, 20 years of white wines from Campania

3:00 PM - Friulano vs. Sauvignon: between tradition, modernity, and territorial identity

4:30 PM - The Wings of Mercury: A Volcanic Masterclass

6:00 PM - Chardonnay

Tuesday, May 19th

10:30 a.m. - Northern elegance and Southern soul

2:30 PM - The Dyer and the Mystery of the Giant Vines

3:45 PM - 100 Best Italian Rosés: Launch of the 2026 rankings

5:30 PM – BPER: Past, present, and future for the sector's growth

FEAMPA Program

FEAMPA - the European Fund for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture, institutional partner of the event and curator of the Wine & Food Lab space, with a series of workshops led by Chef Carlo Olivari, created to transform the tasting into an opportunity to share the local heritage, particularly the fish ecosystem.

Sunday, May 17th

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Focus: Seafood Norcineria paired with full-bodied Campania wines with chef Carlo Olivari

(Partner Maressata)

6:45 PM – 8:15 PM

Focus: Fresh coastal sea bass and sea bream paired with local mineral-rich grapes with Chef Carlo Olivari

(Partner Acquamarina)

Monday, May 18

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Focus: Blue Gold: The Tradition of Anchovies and Fresh Regional White Wines with Chef Carlo Olivari

(Partner Unifrigo Gadus)

6:45 PM – 8:15 PM

Focus: The King of the Sea: signature Bluefin Tuna and great evolved white wines and rosés with Chef Carlo Olivari

(Partner Antica Marineria Family Gallo)

Tuesday, May 19

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Focus: Combined promotion of fish butchering and fresh catch from the Campania coast with Chef Domenico Savio Pezzella.

(Partner Maressata & Acquamarina)

6:45 PM – 8:15 PM

Focus: Campania's excellent canned goods and signature wine pairings with Chef Cristian Oliviero

(Partner Unifrigo Gadus & Antica Marineria Famiglia Gallo)