Wine press review for Monday, April 20, 2026!

ITALIAN WINERIES

Large wineries: stable value, but new impetus needed. The "club" of 27 companies with revenues above €100 million is worth €5.9 billion (42% of the national total), with a strong exposure to exports (47.7%). The Bottega group, an international model with a presence in 165 countries and a strong travel retail channel, joins the group.

New generations: identity, future vision. Luca Monchiero represents generational change in the Langhe: family tradition integrated with sustainability, a global approach, and new market sensitivities.

Valdo Spumanti: 100 Years of Export and Innovation Prosecco remains a key asset of Made in Italy, but it must face new challenges: sustainability, changing consumer habits, and growing international competition.

Dal Bianco Family: Continuity and Territory An example of a winemaking company rooted in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene region, where value arises from the relationship between generations, territory, and technical expertise.

Tenute Agricole 24: Investment platforms The offer of structured assets is growing: multifunctional companies (wine, hospitality, energy) designed for industrial and financial operations, not just agricultural ones.

ITALIAN WINE AND OENOLOGY

Exports slow: the selective phase begins. 2025 marks a shift in the landscape: exports -3.6% (€7.7 billion) and a domestic slowdown. The market is becoming more competitive and rewards only strong and distinctive positioning.

Prosecco by the glass: a new HoReCa strategy. Bisol's "Cuvée Eroiche" wines make their debut: wines designed for immediate consumption and served by the glass, a concrete response to the changing out-of-home consumption pattern.

Piedmontese Pinot Noir: a quest for identity. Bava presents Sullavìa 2024, a single-vineyard wine without oak or filters: a clear direction toward authenticity, expressive purity, and territoriality.

Evolving pairings: the case of sushi. New pairing strategies: wine must compete with the acidity and structure of rice, not just fish. The winemaking paradigm in global fine dining is changing.

Verdicchio and the longevity of white wines Verdicchio di Matelica is establishing itself as a benchmark for its ability to evolve: increasing attention to the depth and longevity of Italian white wines.

Calabria: Identity and Quality Revitalization Native grape varieties, organic production, and territorial valorization are guiding the region's new direction.

Prices and consumption: the catering issue Wine is becoming less accessible: solutions such as the "half glass" are emerging to retain customers and sustain volumes.

INTERNATIONAL

Italian Sounding: Stricter Regulations New laws against food fraud: harsher penalties and strengthened controls to protect a market worth over €120 billion.

Growing global competition The success of the Prosecco model is attracting new international competitors, increasing the pressure on Italian producers.

WINE EVENTS

Vinitaly 2026 : Identity, Territories, and New Models . The event confirms wine as a cultural and economic system. Focus on storytelling, territorial identity, and product innovation.

Nepente di Oliena: Wine as a Story. "Gabriele D'Annunzio's wine" unites literature and the market: an example of how intangible value strengthens positioning.

Friuli Venezia Giulia: bucking the trend, regional exports grew by 8.3%: an effective model based on quality, organization, and a structured international presence.

Cinque Terre and Colli di Luni: Wine and Landscape Wine as a tool for territorial protection and integrated promotion of production and the environment.

Valdobbiadene DOCG Exhibition (24 April – 3 May) Key event of the Prosecco Spring: tastings, technical meetings and promotion of the Rive.

Education and the Future of the Sector Projects such as the “Via dei sogni” (Casa Vajra, University of Turin) highlight the growing link between education and business.

STRATEGIC READING (operational key)

• The sector is entering a phase of real selection : it is no longer enough to produce, it is necessary to position oneself.
• The importance of flexible consumption formats (glass, half portions, accessibility) is growing.
• The value is increasingly shifting towards identity, storytelling and territory .
• Structured companies focus on internationalization and diversification (wine hospitality energy) .
• Those who invest today must think in terms of an integrated platform, not a simple cellar .