Wine press review for Monday, November 17, 2025!

Italian wineries

Vernaccia di San Gimignano, victory in Argentina. The Argentine Court of Appeals cancels the "San Gimignano" trademark registered by the Mevi SA winery, which used the name and medieval towers to evoke the Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOP. This marks a further step in the international protection of the appellation, following the Spanish case of "Varnacia 1321."

Amalberga (Ostuni): The Francavilla grape returns. The Amalberga winery launches Icona d'Itria Francavidda Puglia IGT 2024 , the result of the revival of the nearly forgotten Francavilla grape, a symbol of the Itria Valley. This identity-building project focuses on complexity, territoriality, and rural heritage.

Cadis 1898: Profitable Balance Sheet and Supply Chain Support. The cooperative closed the financial year ending June 30, 2025, with growing profits, despite a 7% decline in revenue due to the cyclical market. €60.5 million was paid to its member suppliers, with the average price per quintal of grapes rising to €64.13 (6%), despite one of the poorest vintages in the last 60 years.

Mandrarossa, the distinctive wines of Menfi. In the Menfi area, amidst hills, forests, and the influence of the sea, the Mandrarossa vineyards tell the story of a land rich in history (Selinunte) and biodiversity. Winemaking projects focus on territorial identity, a microclimate regulated by forests, and a Mediterranean vocation.

Barbaresco Producers: 2021 among the 10 best wines in the world. The 2021 vintage from the Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative ranks 7th in Wine Spectator 's world rankings. Exports to the US are increasing, confirming the strength of the Barbaresco brand even in the face of tariffs and trade tensions.

Terre Crisis: Call for Recapitalization, Not a Selloff. The Democratic Party's Agriculture Department urges Terre's farmer members not to sell the winery. The proposal: use share capital (€12 million), credits from the 2024 harvest, and new public/private resources, with the possible activation of a territorial crisis state for the wine sector.

Cantina Marilina (Noto): Angelo Paternò's return to the land. After extensive experience as a winemaker in various Italian wineries, Paternò founded Cantina Marilina in Sicily, between Noto and Pachino. A family project focused on slower pace, a pristine landscape, and the valorization of the vineyard as a living space as well as a production space.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Seasonal work in Trentino: the role of agricultural benefits. Flai Cgil Trentino points out that seasonal agricultural work involves over 20,000 workers annually, with only 2,000 employed on permanent contracts. The average ratio is 100 working days per worker: agricultural unemployment remains a crucial income supplement for approximately 6,000 people.

Confcooperative Fedagripesca: Competitiveness and the Future of Italian Wine. The Ministry of Agriculture is discussing promotion, innovation, and informed consumption. The numbers: 264 wineries and consortia, over €5 billion in aggregate value, approximately 40% of national production. Focus is on climate change, preferences for white and sparkling wines, and new positioning strategies.

Nomisma Wine Monitor: Strong exports, fragile system. Italian wine generates €16 billion in revenue (9% of food & beverage), with exports exceeding €8 billion in 2024. Italy is the leading exporter by volume and second by value; it leads in 46 markets and its value share has risen from 17% to 22%. However, the structural fragility of the production base remains.

Pelaverga di Verduno: the "funky" red of the Langhe. Verduno Pelaverga, a DOC of just 34 hectares, celebrates 30 years, reclaiming its place alongside Barolo and Barbaresco. A light-colored wine, crisp, spicy, and peppery, it becomes a symbol of a Langhe of nuance, not just power.

AI & Wine: From the cuvée designed with ChatGPT to drones in the vineyard. The wine world is experimenting with artificial intelligence: from the first classic methods developed with AI support to drones for vineyard management. The debate is ongoing between "apocalyptic" and "integrated," but the direction is clear: innovation is entering the vineyard and the cellar, for now mostly in an experimental manner.

Restaurant Wine Lists: Markups, Training, and Technology. Corriere Vinicolo explores the topic of wine list markups with expert Giovanni Di Tomaso. From Cotarella's manifesto, markup pricing, staff training, and digital tools, wine in restaurants is reimagined as an economic and cultural lever, aiming for a virtuous balance between producers, restaurateurs, and consumers.

Trapani Wine Tourism: When Wine Becomes an Experience. The province of Trapani confirms its position as a hub of excellence for wine tourism: historic wineries transformed into places of sophisticated hospitality. For 18% of businesses with structured activities, wine tourism generates over 60% of their revenue. Wine becomes an integrated experience of landscape, food, and culture.

International (markets, regulations, scenarios)

World's Largest Vineyard: Planta¸e 13 Jul in Montenegro In southern Montenegro, near Podgorica, lies the planet's largest vineyard: 2,310 hectares, approximately 22 million kilos of grapes per year, and up to 16 million bottles produced. Seventy percent is Vranac, a native Balkan grape variety that produces very dark, dense red wines.

EU "Wine Package": New Rules Coming Soon. On March 28, 2025, the European Commission presented a package of reforms for the wine sector. On November 5, the Agriculture Committee gave the green light to the opening of trilogues. The proposals concern production regulation, labeling, product innovation, and promotional measures. Once approved, the new regulatory framework will also apply in Italy.

Hospices de Beaune: Crisis for Historic Charity Auctions The renowned charity wine auctions of the Hospices de Beaune are opening amid uncertainty, amid increased US tariffs, a slowdown in the Chinese market, and a general decline in alcohol consumption. Despite a record number of registrations, concerns are growing over funding for the 1,000-bed hospital.

US tariffs: warning on wine, olive oil, pasta, and pecorino cheese. President Trump's new executive order excludes key Italian agri-food products (wine, olive oil, pasta, pecorino cheese, and rice) from tariff cuts. Coldiretti and Filiera Italia are calling for safeguarding Made in Italy products, while tariff reductions are focused on products (such as bananas, tea, coffee, and exotic fruits) that are not strategic for Italian exports.

Wine and food and wine events

Bagna Cauda Day 2025: The Piedmontese ritual conquers the world. Two weekends in November (21–23 and 28–30) will be dedicated to the iconic Piedmontese winter dish, with over 150 participating venues from the Asti area to international cities. Bagna Cauda Day confirms its status as a global and charitable celebration, combining conviviality, humor, and Piedmontese identity. The second edition of the "Bagna della Merla" (January 28–February 1, 2026) is already scheduled.

Merano Wine Festival: Wines Aged Underwater. In the masterclass "UnderWaterWines: A Rewarding Choice!", eight wines aged on the seabed are tasted. Jamin UnderWaterWines, an engineering company founded in Portofino, presents protocols and technologies for controlled underwater aging, supported by scientific results that demonstrate real organoleptic differences.

Vinacria, 72 Sicilian wineries at the Antico Mercato di Ortigia. On November 23rd and 24th, Syracuse hosts the second edition of Vinacria, conceived by Giada Capriotti. The event aims to be an inclusive "home" for Sicilian wine: a place of culture, education, and encounters between producers, professionals, and the public, in a historic and strongly identifiable setting.

Vesuvius Wines: Seminar and Guided Tasting. An in-depth seminar exploring the Vesuvius terroir, its history, and its traditions. Twelve wines from six wineries on different slopes of Vesuvius will be tasted, paired with pasta, Piennolo tomatoes, Pellecchiella panettone, and Piennolo liqueur. Hosted by Ernesto Lamatta, AIS Vesuvius delegate.

TVB Paella & Cantina San Michele: Food and Wine Synergies in Crema. At Caffè Teatro in Crema, Greta Bressana and Marco Bertolotti's TVB Food project brings different interpretations of paella to the table, paired with wines from Cantina San Michele (Capriano del Colle DOC). An example of collaboration between creative cuisine and local wine production.

Rimini: Oil, Wine, and Chefs for Solidarity At the Hotel Savini in Igea Marina, the event "Chefs, Wine, Oil: It's All Local" brings together six chefs, six extra virgin olive oil producers from the Rimini hills, and winemakers from the hinterland. The goal: to highlight a difficult year for olive oil and support AVSI and the foster care of foreign minors.

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