Wine press review for Monday, August 10, 2026!

ITALIAN WINERIES

Tenuta San Guido tops the list of Italy's most profitable wineries.

Profitability is particularly strong among the large Tuscan wineries. According to the latest Unione Italiana Vini Observatory, Tenuta San Guido , producer of Sassicaia, has an EBITDA/sales ratio of 63.2% , having remained above 60% for four years.

Jermann , owned by Marchesi Antinori, follows with 50.5%, while Marchesi Antinori reached 50.2% with a turnover of €263 million. The results demonstrate how company size, brand strength, and efficient management can coexist with particularly high margins.

Nunzia De Girolamo: From Politics to Viticulture

Nunzia De Girolamo talks about her bond with wine and the land, which began during her childhood and became an entrepreneurial project in 2016 with Passo delle Tortore , a winery in Pietradefusi, in the Taurasi area.

The venture involves the De Girolamo family and winemaker Francesco De Pierro and represents a return to the agricultural roots of a personal journey that has also crossed national politics.

Moncalisse: A new generation and a new project for the Walch family.

Carolina and Julia Walch, the new generation of the South Tyrolean Walch winemaking family, have opened Moncalisse , a new winery on the slopes of Monte Calisio, near Trento.

The project combines family continuity, contemporary architecture, and territorial development, marking a new phase in the family's long entrepreneurial history.

Giustini focuses on Negroamaro rosé

With Costiero Rosato Salento IGP 2025 , obtained from Negroamaro, the Giustini company of San Giorgio Ionico offers a wine characterized by freshness, flavor and immediacy.

The project interprets an increasingly common trend in the market: developing contemporary and accessible wines while maintaining a strong connection to the territory and its grape varieties of origin.

Castiglion del Bosco strengthens its winemaking project

Castiglion del Bosco, owned by an international Middle Eastern family office since 2022, has 64 hectares of organic vineyards and produces around 180,000 bottles .

The Montalcino estate has embarked on a new production journey with winemaker Giuseppe Gorelli. Among the new creations is Undici 2024 , a Toscana IGT Bianco from Incrocio Manzoni, aged for six months in ceramic vats.

Vinicola del Sannio: 65 years of production and local history

For 65 years , Vinicola del Sannio in Castelvenere has been a point of reference for numerous suppliers in the Campania region.

Alongside its production for large-scale retail trade, the company is promoting lesser-known local varieties, such as Sciascinoso, and investing in communication through the “Essenze Sannite” project, which links wine, history, culture, gastronomy and local traditions.

Bolgheri: Fornacelle invests in wine tourism

The historic Fornacelle winery inaugurates La Vinoteka in Bolgheri, a new space dedicated to hospitality, tastings, and knowledge of the local area.

The initiative reflects the evolution of Italian wine tourism: a visit to a winery is no longer just a tasting or purchase, but an experience that brings together wine, territory, people, and history.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN OENOLOGY

2026 Harvest: More Wine in the Cellars and an Early Harvest

The 2026 Italian grape harvest is starting early in many areas due to high temperatures.

According to ICQRF data, as of June 30, 2026, there were 46.5 million hectolitres of wine in Italian wineries, 6.7% more than in June 2025.

The situation is pushing several denominations to intervene on yields and supply management to avoid further pressure on prices.

Tuscany and Abruzzo reduce yields to defend value

Faced with high inventories and weak consumption, several areas are adopting production containment strategies.

Reducing yields, storage, and harvest reserves become tools to avoid oversupply and protect the value of the denominations.

A similar strategy concerns Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi , where the yield limit has been extended to 110 quintals per hectare compared to the 140 foreseen by the regulations.

Sicily: Excellent grape quality, but cellars still full

The 2026 Sicilian harvest presents positive qualitative prospects, favored by water reserves and the good phytosanitary condition of the vines.

The problem, however, concerns inventory levels. The analyzed material indicates large quantities of wine still in cellars and an increase in inventories, with consequent pressure on companies' liquidity and prices.

Cooperative organizations are calling for extraordinary interventions, including crisis distillation , while the Region is evaluating resources dedicated to reducing stocks.

Friuli Venezia Giulia: Harvest brought forward by the heat

In Friuli Venezia Giulia, the harvest began before mid-August, with a particularly early start in the Collio and Eastern Hills.

Temperatures that reached 40 degrees and drought conditions accelerated the ripening of the grapes, forcing many companies to bring forward operations.

Umbria: Promising quality, quantity to be verified

The 2026 harvest is also coming early in Umbria. Initial assessments indicate potentially interesting quality, while in some areas yields could decline by 5-10% due to water stress.

At the same time, the regional sector is calling for a more structured strategy to address market transformations.

Hailstorms in the Alto Novarese area: vineyards severely damaged

A violent meteorological phenomenon with hail, wind and rain hit the areas of Ghemme, Fara, Barengo, Cavaglio d'Agogna and Briona , causing serious damage to the vineyards.

In some companies, the bunches of grapes close to harvest were destroyed and the plants severely damaged.

The episode brings to the forefront the problem of Italian viticulture's exposure to extreme weather events.

New MASAF funding for sustainable vineyards

The "Investments for the sustainability of vineyards" initiative, envisaged in the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan, will begin in the 2026/2027 wine season.

The measure supports investments in technologies such as drones, sensors, and innovative equipment aimed at environmental sustainability, climate change management, and production improvements.

The national deadline indicated for the first annual payment is November 30, 2026 .

PIWI Research: New Resistant Varieties

Italian research on PIWI grape varieties and varieties resistant to the main grapevine diseases continues.

The genetic selection work led to the registration in the National Register of four new varieties: Termantis, Nermantis, Charvir and Valnosia .

The research also uses molecular markers to more quickly identify resistance characteristics to powdery mildew, downy mildew and black rot.

Italian wine also awarded in the skies

Two Italian wines won important awards in the international “Wines on the Wing” competition.

Alta Mora-Cusumano's Contrada Guardiola Etna Rosso 2020 was awarded among the red wines served in First Class, while Astoria Lounge Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry received recognition in the Premium Economy sparkling category.

Casa Bottega Millesimato Brut also on the podium.

“Caro-calice”: high prices and risk of reduced consumption

The review material reports a significant increase in the price of wine by the glass in Italian tourist destinations.

Prices are reported between 8 and 14 euros , with higher levels in the main art cities, and a consequent tendency among some consumers to replace wine with other drinks.

The phenomenon sparks a reflection on the relationship between the marginality of the restaurant industry, the accessibility of wine, and the sector's ability to maintain occasional consumption.

Italian agriculture: fewer farms and greater concentration

According to ISTAT data reported in the review, between 2010 and 2023 Italy lost 30.3% of its agricultural holdings , while the Utilized Agricultural Area decreased by 4.4%.

In 2023, there were 1,130,358 active agricultural companies , with 12.3 million hectares of UAA.

This structural transformation directly affects viticulture and raises the issue of company size, competitiveness, and generational turnover.

Luigi Veronelli: Wine as a culture of the land

On the centenary of Luigi Veronelli 's birth, the volume “Ode to Wine and Anarchy” brings the thoughts of one of the most important interpreters of Italian food and wine culture back to the fore.

For Veronelli, wine couldn't be separated from its territory, its producers, and the people who cultivate the land. This belief remains relevant in a market where identity, authenticity, and the story of a territory are increasingly important.

Paolo Mieli: the wine that symbolizes Italian identity

According to journalist and essayist Paolo Mieli , wine represents one of the main symbols of Italian identity in the world.

The international success of Prosecco is cited as an example of the ability of Italian agricultural products to generate notoriety, tourism, and international recognition.

Wine tourism: simple tasting is no longer enough

Italian wine tourism is moving from traditional visits and tastings to more structured experiences.

Territory, history, culture, gastronomy, and family stories become an integral part of the offering.

The Marsala area is a significant example of this evolution, with companies such as Cantine Florio, Marco De Bartoli, Pellegrino, Caruso & Minini, and Paolini committed to the overall development of the area.

WINE EVENTS AND WINE TOURISM

Chalices of San Lorenzo – The Magic of Barbarano

August 10, 2026

Magia di Barbarano offers an evening dedicated to wine, food, and music on the night of shooting stars.

Tastings of the company's wines, local products, and a DJ set will accompany the event from 6:30 pm to midnight.

Valtidone Wine Fest – Emilia

September 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2026

The 17th edition of the Valtidone Wine Fest will guide the public on a discovery of the Piacenza Hills through four Sundays of tastings, food, markets, and entertainment.

The protagonists are Ortrugo, Malvasia and the sparkling wines of the area.

Etruscan Wine – Tarquinia

August 20-23 and 27-29, 2026

The twentieth edition of DiVino Etrusco will see 53 wineries as protagonists.

The event will showcase the territories of the ancient Etruscan Dodecapolis and will also open the debate to the productions of Calabria, Sicily, and Sardinia.

Chianti DOCG in Canada

August 31 – Toronto September 1 – Montreal

The Chianti Wine Consortium continues its international activities with two masterclasses dedicated to Canadian importers, professionals, journalists, and operators.

Canada is listed as the fourth largest destination market for Italian wine and one of the most important non-EU markets.

Franciacorta Experience Milano Marittima

August 28, 2026

Milano Marittima will host over twenty Franciacorta wineries in an event dedicated to the appellation's main expressions.

Among the announced companies are Bellavista, Ca' del Bosco, Barone Pizzini, Contadi Castaldi, Monte Rossa, Antica Fratta and Castello Bonomi .

Festival in the Village – Calatabiano

August 24, 2026

The medieval Sicilian village of Calatabiano will host the first edition of Festà in Borgo , a widespread food and wine festival dedicated to Sicilian cuisine, local specialties, and the promotion of the historic center.

Franciacorta Festival in the Cellar

September 18-20, 2026

The Franciacorta in Cantina 2026 Festival aims to bring wine back to the center of the wine tourism experience.

Tastings, visits, meetings with producers, and educational activities will explore the production method, terroir, history, and identity of the denomination.