Wine press review for Friday, September 25, 2026!

Good morning,

Wine Idea presents the main news from the world of wine for Friday, September 25, 2026.

ITALIAN WINERIES

4 Valli Wineries: Addis-Carini couple wins new majority

Cantine 4 Valli , the leading winery in the province of Piacenza, has announced the transfer of its majority stake to Robert Addis and Francesca Carini .

The company produces over 10 million bottles a year and exports to more than 30 countries . The founding families, Ferrari and Perini, will remain shareholders and retain key roles, while Stefano Perini will continue as CEO.

The operation therefore aims to combine business continuity and international development.

Prosit Group launches Terre Brade for the Horeca channel

Prosit Group presents Terre Brade , a new line intended exclusively for the Italian Horeca sector.

The project expands the group's portfolio towards Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Piedmont with seven products: Pinot Grigio Friuli DOC, Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT, Sauvignon Friuli DOC, Traminer Aromatico Friuli DOC, Barbera d'Asti DOCG, Barolo DOCG and Langhe Nebbiolo DOC.

The goal is to offer recognizable and contemporary wines, with particular attention to a young audience.

Nice Winery: 2026 Harvest on the Rise

The Nizza winery closed the 2026 harvest with almost 36,000 quintals of grapes delivered , compared to 30,000 quintals in 2025, recording a growth of around 20% .

A significant recovery after the previous year's decline and a sign of greater participation by winemakers in the cooperative's project.

Lungarotti: sustainability, local area, and family continuity

Lungarotti continues its journey towards sustainability and local identity.

The Umbrian company has approximately 180 hectares of vineyards between Torgiano and Montefalco, produces approximately 2 million bottles per year and adopts practices oriented towards biodiversity and sustainability, with VIVA certification

Paolo Leo: Growth and New Family Strategies

Cantine Paolo Leo , a Puglia-based company that developed into its modern form starting in 1989, records an estimated turnover of approximately 25 million euros , with growth of 4.5% on the Italian market and 15% abroad by 2025.

The new generation of the family is now involved in key business functions. Future projects also include the relaunch of Candido and the creation of a Wine Museum.

Avignonesi invests in Sangiovese research

Avignonesi presents the “300% Sangiovese” project, the result of over fifteen years of research on the grape variety in Montepulciano.

Every year more than 100 hectares of Sangiovese are harvested and vinified separately in over 60 lots , studying the interaction between vineyard, soil and vintage.

Cordero di Montezemolo unites Barolo, art, and memory

The Cordero di Montezemolo Winery presents “Il Tratto” , a limited edition of the 2022 Barolo Monfalletto.

The project uses art and illustration to tell the family's story and relationship with the Langhe, transforming the bottle into a tool for cultural as well as wine-related storytelling.

Calabria: recognition for Cantine Benvenuto's Zibibbo

The Benvenuto Zibibbo 2025 from Cantine Benvenuto, produced in Francavilla Angitola, is among the Calabrian wines awarded the Tre Bicchieri 2027 .

The award recognizes a project built on the territorial interpretation of dry Zibibbo and its connection to the Costa degli Dei.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN OENOLOGY

Wine tourism: new support for the promotion of wines and regions

The Ministry of Agriculture has signed the decree dedicated to the promotion of wine tourism , as part of the national implementation of the so-called "Wine Package".

The measure aims to support initiatives that connect wine, vineyards, regions, culture, and hospitality.

For the 2026/2027 campaign, the deadline for submitting applications is December 15, 2026 .

Grants can cover up to 50% of eligible costs for promotional initiatives, visits to wineries and vineyards, events, fairs, and exhibitions.

The Wine Tourism Movement welcomed the measure, but emphasized the importance of clearly defining the operating procedures and who will be able to access the resources.

Franciacorta: The landscape becomes a strategic lever

Franciacorta places the future of the wine-growing landscape at the center of the debate.

Environmental protection, architectural heritage, climate change, agronomy, manufacturing, and economic development must find new balances.

The topic was explored further as part of the Franciacorta in Cantina Festival , confirming how the value of a denomination increasingly depends on the quality and overall management of the territory.

Environmental claims: sustainability must be demonstrated

From September 27, new European rules against generic or unprovable environmental communications will come into force in Italy.

Expressions such as “green,” “eco-friendly,” “carbon neutral,” “verde,” or “natural” will require particular attention and appropriate verification elements.

For wine companies, the issue concerns not only labels, but also websites, brochures, commercial communications, trade fairs and events .

Sustainability is therefore increasingly becoming an element to be measured and documented, not just communicated.

Edmund Mach Foundation: First Grape Metabolomic Atlas

The Edmund Mach Foundation has created a metabolomic map of grape varieties based on the analysis of 126 varieties from all over the world .

The research studies the relationships between varieties through their metabolic composition, combining traditional genetic information with a true "chemical map" of the grape.

A tool designed to provide winemakers with new information on the characteristics and potential of different grape varieties.

Verduno Pelaverga DOC: bottled on the rise

In the first half of 2026, Verduno Pelaverga DOC recorded an 18% increase in bottled volumes compared to 2025 .

The appellation has grown from just over 150,000 bottles and around 20 hectares of vineyards in 2015 to over 274,000 bottles and 38 hectares ten years later.

An interesting case of growth built on the identity of a territorial grape variety and a style perceived as contemporary and versatile.

Prosecco: strong growth in French restaurants

In 2025, Prosecco recorded a 22.6% growth in volumes purchased by French bars, hotels, and restaurants through the channels analyzed by FranceAgriMer.

Compared to 2019, the indicated increase reaches 175% .

The result is particularly significant considering that, overall, the French wine market in the CHR channel recorded a contraction in volumes in 2025.

Wine faces new consumption models

The sector must face a structural transformation in demand.

Consumption of wine, beer and spirits is showing signs of weakness, while interest and investment in ready-to-drink beverages, new flavours, new formats and emerging markets is increasing.

For wine, it is therefore becoming increasingly important to understand not only how much to produce, but for which consumer, market, consumption occasion and distribution channel .

Harvesting and agricultural work: Veneto looks to the Trentino model

The Veneto region is evaluating forms of collaboration inspired by the Trentino “Ganzega” , which recognizes the spontaneous, occasional and free help of family members, friends and neighbors in seasonal agricultural activities.

The topic becomes particularly important during the grape harvest, a time when many agricultural businesses encounter difficulties finding labor.

Controls on agricultural work

In the Verona area, inspections conducted by the Carabinieri Labor Inspectorate have uncovered irregularities in some agricultural companies regarding labor and safety.

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, an investigation by the Guardia di Finanza in Gorizia uncovered a labor exploitation scheme involving 107 undocumented workers in vineyards in the provinces of Gorizia and Udine.

Agriculture and Innovation: Young People Choose Soil Technologies

In Rome, over 250 young people , including agricultural institute students and agricultural entrepreneurs, participated in SOIL Date , an initiative dedicated to innovation applied to soil management.

At the center: climate change, water availability, fertility, competitiveness and sustainability of agricultural businesses.

INTERNATIONAL

France: No Saint-Sardos AOP for the 2026 vintage

The small French appellation Saint-Sardos AOP , north of Toulouse, will not produce wine under the appellation in the 2026 vintage.

The Vignerons de Saint-Sardos cooperative, responsible for approximately 97% of the volumes , has decided not to harvest the grapes due to the reduction in members, uprooting and the economic unsustainability of the limited quantities available.

Even the only independent winery using the appellation would have chosen to market the product as Vin de France.

The case represents a concrete sign of the economic and structural difficulties experienced by some areas of French viticulture.

France: Horeca market shrinks, but Prosecco grows

In 2025, the French wine market in the café-hotel-restaurant channel recorded a decrease of 3.6% in volume and 3.8% in value .

Italian Prosecco bucks the trend, continuing to increase its presence in French out-of-home dining.

Emirates strengthens its premium wine list

Emirates is updating its wine and champagne selection for premium passengers for 2026.

The labels listed include Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017 and 2003, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2015, Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2023, Seña 2016, Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2015 and Vilafonté Series C 2016.

High-end wine thus continues to represent a tool for differentiation in the international hospitality and premium services offering.

WINE EVENTS AND WINE TOURISM

Sicily: "Autumn in the Cellar" from October 3rd to 25th

The IRVO – Regional Institute of Wine and Oil is promoting “Autumn in the Cellar,” a wine tourism itinerary that will involve seven wineries and seven Sicilian territories from October 3 to 25, 2026 .

The program includes visits to vineyards and cellars, tastings, gastronomy, culture, and cooking shows.

The final stage is scheduled for October 25th in Marsala , at Baglio Donna Franca.

The goal is to extend the Sicilian wine tourism season beyond the traditional summer months.

Valtènesi: 25th edition of Profumi di Mosto

Profumi di Mosto returns on Sunday 4 October , an event organised by the Consorzio Valtènesi – Riviera del Garda Classico.

Twenty-four wineries on the Brescia Riviera of Lake Garda will be involved, with tastings, visits, and initiatives dedicated to the grape harvest, hospitality, and local knowledge.

Siena: "Between Villages and Cellars" returns

From October 1st to November 26th 2026, “Tra Borghi e Cantine” (Between Villages and Cellars) returns to the province of Siena, now in its eighth edition.

Nine events are planned that will combine food, wine, villages, and typical products, accompanying the public towards Wine&Siena 2027.

Cities of Wine: From the Alps to Liguria

The meeting between the regional coordinators of the Wine Cities of Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont and Liguria took place in Chambave, in the Aosta Valley.

The initiative showcased different territories, grape varieties, and viticulture practices: from the Aosta Valley to the Cinque Terre, from Lunigiana to Alto Piemonte.

The Essential Guide to Italian Wines 2027

The new edition of DoctorWine's Essential Guide to Italian Wines will be presented in Milan on October 3 .

Among the regions featured in the previews are Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, and Liguria.

Today's wine press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT.

See you tomorrow.