Wine press review for Friday, March 27, 2026!

Below is a wine press review for the web, organized by topic, focusing on the most relevant news for businesses, wineries, operators, and investors in the sector.

Italian wineries

Donatella Cinelli Colombini presents "Cenerentola 2020," the new expression of the Orcia DOC Riserva.

At Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda, Donatella Cinelli Colombini presented the new vintage of Cenerentola 2020 Orcia DOC Riserva , with an original format that intertwined tasting, fashion, design, music, and history. The message was clear: wine is not just a production technique, but a cultural interpretation of the times in which it was born. Also central was the call to revive the native Foglia Tonda grape, promoted alongside Sangiovese.

Due Santi Vineyard, the winemaking miracle of Bassano del Grappa

In Bassano del Grappa, an area better known for grappa than wine, the Zonta family's Vigneto Due Santi project continues to be an example of entrepreneurial tenacity and the creation of local value. This story demonstrates how identity, quality, and continuity can foster new wine regions, even outside the most obvious areas.

Moncalisse, the Walch sisters' new sparkling wine project

Julia and Karoline Walch launch Moncalisse , a new project dedicated exclusively to sparkling wines in Trentino, in the heart of the Trento DOC region. The project stems from a plot of land purchased in 2016 on Monte Calisio and is based on a clear vision: to create a new specialized winery, focusing on altitude, temperature range, and the strong identity of the place.

Mionetto renews its governance structure: Fabio Boldini is the new CCO Italy.

The historic Valdobbiadene winery is strengthening its organizational structure with the addition of Fabio Boldini to the management board as Chief Commercial Officer for Italy . The goal is to consolidate the brand's positioning in the domestic market and more effectively support its international growth.

Carpi and Sorbara wineries, concerned about the crisis

The mayor of Carpi, Riccardo Righi, expressed grave concern about the situation at the Cantina Sociale di Carpi e Sorbara , underlining how a crisis of this magnitude could have not only corporate effects, but systemic effects on the entire winemaking and processing chain in the area.

Monte Rossa hosts the Buon Ricordo assembly

The annual meeting of the Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo (Good Memory Restaurants ) took place at the Monte Rossa winery in Franciacorta, an event that strengthened the bond between fine dining, regional cuisine, and local wine. It was an important sign of the alliance between hospitality, gastronomic storytelling, and the promotion of appellations.

Cantine dell'Angelo: Focus on "Del Nonno" Irpinia Coda di Volpe DOC 2023

From Irpinia comes a confirmation of the value of Southern Italy's historic grape varieties: Cantine dell'Angelo's Coda di Volpe DOC 2023 "Del Nonno" stands out for its stylistic precision, minerality, and territorial identity. This wine reinforces the image of an Irpinia region increasingly capable of producing white wines with great personality.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Prosecco on tap: Masaf begins checks

Inspectors from the Italian Food and Agriculture Organization ( MASAF) are conducting checks on the serving and marketing of Prosecco DOC and Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG in public establishments. They are also monitoring the phenomenon of wine served "on tap" or in bulk, improperly labeled as Prosecco. Fines can reach up to €5,000 . This is a strong reminder to protect designations and promote fair trade practices in the HoReCa sector.

Agricultural diesel: the sector remains on the margins of aid

Legislative Decree No. 33 of March 18, 2026, created to combat rising energy prices, includes measures that, however, have little impact on agricultural diesel fuel . For the primary sector, the real benefit amounts to a few cents per liter, quickly absorbed by rising prices. This is a key issue for agricultural and winemaking businesses, which continue to face cost pressures.

Fine wine, first signs of recovery

The fine wine market is showing signs of stabilization. According to Liv-ex estimates, the Fine Wine 100 could close 2026 with a 2.1% gain, supported by price readjustment and more favorable financial conditions. This is of interest not only to collectors, but also to premium Italian brands focused on the high-end segment.

Derthona Timorasso, steady growth for a distinctive denomination

From March 28th to 30th , Derthona Due.Zero , an event dedicated to Timorasso, returns to Tortona, involving 50 producers. The Colli Tortonesi Consortium emphasizes how Derthona has played a crucial role in the growth of the denomination, which continues to demonstrate resilience during a delicate period for Italian wine. It's a prime example of the successful revitalization of a once marginal grape variety.

Drones in the fields: Coldiretti welcomes the green light from the Agriculture Commission.

Coldiretti welcomes the advancement in the use of drones in agriculture , considering it consistent with the need for innovation, greater efficiency, and a response to climate change. For Italian wine, the topic opens up interesting prospects in terms of precision agriculture, sustainability, and rationalized treatment.

Wine consumers in Italy are growing thanks to young people

The UIV-Vinitaly Observatory paints a less pessimistic picture than is often portrayed: in Italy, wine consumers number approximately 30 million , equal to 55% of the population , with a stable base and even slightly increased compared to 2011. However, the way people drink is changing: less daily consumption and more occasional consumption, guided by the principles of moderation and quality. The data on the preferences of Gen Z is striking, attracted by great reds such as Amarone, Barbaresco, Taurasi, Bolgheri, and Chianti.

Italian wine in search of a new narrative

The launch of Vinitaly has revealed a strong strategic direction: Italian wine must strengthen three crucial levers, also highlighted by Luigi Scordamaglia of Filiera Italia: reputation, biodiversity, and territorial brands . In a context of high costs, new consumption patterns, and unstable markets, the sector's language must become more understandable and less self-referential.

The "pioneers" of Italian wine reflect on the future

The reflections of figures such as Piero Antinori, Marco Caprai, Paolo Damilano, Gaetano Marzotto, and Josè Rallo bring the theme of the transition between eras back to the forefront: from a period of building modern Italian wine to a phase in which it is necessary to rethink positioning, the industrial model, and the relationship between wine and its territories.

Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie will be the Official Wine of the 2026 Giro d'Italia.

The Consorzio DOC Delle Venezie is tying its image to the 2026 Giro d'Italia , strengthening Pinot Grigio's positioning as a national excellence capable of reaching a broad, popular, and international audience. This is a particularly interesting territorial marketing and reputational initiative.

International

The US needs an extraordinary plan to relaunch Italian wine after it is hit by tariffs.

Coldiretti and Filiera Italia are calling for a special promotional plan to support Italian wine on the US market, following a sharp decline in value in 2026. The United States remains a key market, accounting for approximately 23% of global Italian wine exports .

Exports to the United States in sharp decline

Matteo Zoppas, president of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) , notes that the start of 2026 for Italian exports to the US has been very difficult, with January down 35% according to his forecast. Among the pressure factors: tariffs, the euro-dollar exchange rate, consumer behavior, inventory management, and international geopolitical tensions.

Victor Schwartz: Clear rules needed to combat illegal tariffs

American importer Victor Oscar Schwartz , who led the Supreme Court appeal against the tariffs, reiterated how these measures have generated instability and damage to the entire supply chain, from producers to importers. His remarks emphasize a key point: wine exports require regulatory predictability, not political shocks.

Wine events

Vinitaly Design Award 2026: Packaging and Identity at the Center

The Vinitaly Design Award reaches its thirtieth edition with 284 finalist projects and Michelangelo Pistoletto as honorary president of the jury. The award confirms the strategic importance of labels, bottles, and visual language as competitive positioning tools in the wine and spirits market.

Trento hosts a conference on sustainability and Geographical Indications

On April 9 and 10, 2026, the University of Trento will host the conference "The regulation of Geographical Indications under the test of sustainability: the case of the wine supply chain." This high-profile event will address the relationship between GIs, sustainability, supply chain governance, and legal instruments.

Vinitaly 2026: Italian wine relaunches its central role

The 58th edition of Vinitaly , scheduled to take place in Verona from 12 to 15 April 2026 , with OperaWine on 11 April, was presented in Rome. Vinitaly confirms its position not only as a trade fair, but also as a strategic platform for the repositioning of Italian wine in a period of great international complexity.

4,000 exhibitors and operators from 140 countries expected

The message emerging from the Vinitaly presentation is one of reaction and confidence: the sector aims to transform the crisis into a competitive lever, leveraging biodiversity, quality, reputation, and commercial capacity. Wine is confirmed as one of the strongest assets of the Italian agri-food system.

Vinitaly-NoLo Experience: The area dedicated to low- and dealcoholized wines debuts.

Vinitaly 2026 sees the debut of the NoLo Experience , a new space dedicated to low- and no-alcohol wines. This project captures the growing interest of Italian companies in a segment that is still young but destined to make its mark, especially in international markets and new consumption opportunities.

The Wine Net at Vinitaly Tourism 2026

The Wine Net cooperative network will be present at Vinitaly with a shared stand in the Vinitaly Tourism area, strengthening the narrative of cooperative wine as an experience of territory, hospitality, and local identity. This is an important signal of the role of wine tourism as a driver of development.

Wine tourism in San Casciano dei Bagni: nine wineries join forces

With "Fonti di Vino - Tra calici e acque termali," San Casciano dei Bagni seeks to transform wine into a unifying tool for the region's narrative. The nine wineries involved represent an interesting model of alliance between production, tourism, and local identity.

Final summary

Today's photograph depicts an Italian wine sector that moves along four very clear lines.

The first is the protection of value , with stricter controls on denominations, greater attention to packaging, reputation and commercial protection of the product.

The second is the transformation of the market , where there are growing signs of change in consumption, communication, the use of technology and even in the openness towards emerging segments such as dealcoholized products.

The third is external pressure , especially on international markets, with the United States remaining decisive but today also particularly fragile for Italian exports.

The fourth is the centrality of the territory : from small, distinctive denominations like Timorasso to major events like Vinitaly, the wine system continues to find strength in its ability to network, better communicate its story, and transform the territory into an economic, cultural, and tourist asset.

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