Wine press review for Friday, May 15, 2026!

Italian wineries

Cantina Moros: fairy tale, wine, and territory Cantina Moros hosts a meeting dedicated to the Griko fairy tale "The Little Girl Who Brought Patience ," an event that unites biodiversity, local culture, memory, and the Negroamaro territory.

Bertani opens the historic Amarone library On May 23 and 24, Bertani offers “Bertani On,” an exclusive tasting of great vintages of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, paired with creations by chef Giancarlo Perbellini.

Valpolicella Wine Consortium: New Board of Directors and Positive Results The new Board of Directors of the Valpolicella Wine Consortium has been elected, serving until 2028. The 2025 financial statements show a record profit, despite a challenging market for red wines.

Emilia Wine invests in photovoltaic energy. The Emilia Wine cooperative winery inaugurates a nearly one million euro agri-solar system in Arceto, supported by PNRR funds, to reduce energy costs and strengthen sustainability.

Pasqua and the Hey French project Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine recounts the journey of Hey French , a multi-vintage wine created to transcend the vintage paradigm and enhance time, territory, and company identity.

Ca' di Rajo: The trial continues over the winery accident. The Treviso Court is returning to the case of the death of winemaker Marco Bettollini, who died in 2023 in a nitrogen-saturated autoclave. The focus of the proceedings will be on winery safety.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Sicily: Positive 2025 Harvest The 2025 harvest restores confidence in Sicily's winemaking: more rain, better vegetative balance, and quality grapes, with an estimated increase in production of up to 20%.

Lazio, Santarelli calls for more space for regional wines. Antonio Santarelli, owner of Casale del Giglio, decries the lack of Lazio wines on local restaurant menus and draws attention to their value for money.

Orange wine: a return to an ancient practice. Interest in orange wines, made from white grapes macerated on the skins, is growing. This trend emphasizes traditional techniques, complexity, and new ways of enjoying them.

Tignanello among the most desired wines in the world Marchesi Antinori's Tignanello is the only Italian wine included in Wine-Searcher's 2026 ranking of the ten most desired wines in the world.

Excessive wine price increases at restaurants. Italgrob is raising the alarm over rising wine and beverage price tags, which threaten to make wine increasingly unaffordable in restaurants.

CMO Wine: Call for Third Country Promotion Opened. The call for submissions of CMO Wine projects "Promotion on Third Country Markets" for the 2026/2027 wine year has been approved. Applications must be submitted by June 26, 2026.

Winemaking innovation with the Wine Tech Challenge Eatable Adventures' Wine Tech Challenge rewards startups working on water, precision agriculture, customs, large-scale retail trade, dealcoholization, and sustainability, with the involvement of leading Italian wineries.

International

Crisis in the Middle East: Italian agri-food sector concerned According to a TEHA survey, seven out of ten Italian agri-food companies fear negative market effects due to the international crisis, energy costs, and raw materials.

Wine by the glass is growing worldwide. According to Coravin, 57% of global consumers prefer to drink wine by the glass, driven by moderation, curiosity, variety, and the pursuit of quality.

Global wine slows. The OIV report confirms the global slowdown in the sector: consumption is declining, exports are under pressure, vineyard area is shrinking, and the value of international trade is penalized by tariffs and uncertainty.

Famille Perrin invests in non-alcoholic beverages The Perrin family, owners of Château de Beaucastel, enters the non-alcoholic beverage sector by acquiring a majority stake in Alain Milliat, a French brand of premium juices for high-end hotels and restaurants.

Negroni, an Italian symbol around the world The Negroni is confirmed as an iconic international cocktail, born in Florence between 1919 and 1920 and today recognized as one of the most powerful symbols of the Italian aperitif.

Wine events

Soave, Refrontolo, and other wine regions celebrate. Festivals, wine exhibitions, guided tours, farmers' markets, and events related to wine, culture, and the region continue throughout Veneto and the UNESCO hills.

Aperitif-trekking among the hills of Farra di Soligo. An evening trek through the UNESCO vineyards of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene is planned for May 23rd, with aperitif dinner and return under the stars.

Vinarius in Trentino From May 24th to 26th, the Trentino Wine Consortium will host the Italian wine merchants of Vinarius for a tour of vineyards, cellars, grappa, and the surrounding area.

Cantine Aperte 2026 Cantine Aperte returns on May 30th and 31st: 52 participating wineries are expected in Abruzzo, while in Piedmont the event will involve Langhe, Roero, Monferrato, Colline Novaresi and Canavese.

Gemme di Gusto in Trentino From May 15th to 17th, the event dedicated to wines, trekking, local flavors, and experiential tourism continues, with wine tastings, excursions, and e-bike tours.

Vin-Tour Guagnano: A new itinerary between Lecce and Guagnano dedicated to Negroamaro, local culture, and slow tourism, including visits to museums, the library, the mother church, and local wineries.

Etna Wine at Cantina Pietradolce On May 16th, Cantina Pietradolce hosts a day of Etna wines, signature street food, and solidarity on the slopes of Etna.

Final summary

The day confirms a rapidly evolving wine sector. On the one hand, obvious critical issues emerge: declining global consumption, market tensions, rising restaurant prices, climate risks, and increased attention to winery safety. On the other, Italian wine continues to demonstrate vitality through investments in sustainability, technological innovation, wine tourism, regional development, and new forms of consumption.

The central message is clear: wine can no longer rely solely on tradition. It must better communicate its value, engage with new consumers, and create more accessible, authentic, and recognizable experiences.

Today's wine press review was brought to you by WineIdea.it.