Wine press review for Monday, September 22, 2025

Italian wineries

• Tenuta Ulisse acquires Montevetrano (Campania) . Strategic ownership transition: Silvia Imparato's iconic brand joins the Ulisse portfolio, aiming for growth while maintaining its identity and quality.
• Masi inaugurates “Monteleone21” (Valpolicella). A new headquarters with high architectural and experiential value: sustainability, landscape integration, and a focus on hospitality.
• Venosa Winery (Basilicata): 2025 harvest: Moscato already a superstar, Merlot promising; high quality and improved quantity compared to 2024.
• Mandrarossa & Cantine Settesoli (Sicily) Portrait of the cooperative as an international model: wine as a social language and territorial identity.
• Cantine Post dal Vin (Monferrato): “Rebarba” refined in music. A wine and music project with maestro Peppe Vessicchio: cultural contamination and narrative positioning.
• Mourning: Pietro Toso (Toso Spa) 1957–2025 The sector says goodbye to a protagonist of Piedmontese growth: a legacy of international vision and operations.

Italian wine & Italian oenology

• 2025 Harvest "in the Age of Social Media" (Italy) An excellent harvest in terms of both quality and quantity; wineries take center stage with a mosaic of images from their regions.
• Tre Bicchieri 2026 – Veneto Spumanti del Prosecco Superiore 2024 are firmer and more saline; Montello stands out with its 2021 Bordeaux blends; solid results from the Euganean Hills.
• Liguria – Genoa: the harvest begins. Relaunch of Bianchetta and Coronata on the Morego hills: historic grape varieties, identity, and landscape.
• Sustainability in Valtidone (PC) Roundtable: cleaner water, fewer pesticides, patents and supply chain technologies; an integrated approach to environment, economy, and society.
• CAP: proposed €100,000 cap on agricultural bonuses. Measure under discussion in the 2028-2034 MFF: reductions and caps on aid; process still open in the EU, impacts vary by farm size.
• Wine tourism: family-run wineries win. 2025 Report Preview: Authenticity and proximity to the property attract GenZ in the US, UK, and Germany; winery visits top the list.
• Culture: Florence's "wine holes" land in New York. From a Renaissance anti-contagion device to a global icon of Tuscan hospitality.

International

• Champagne – Maison Krug: Julie Cavil, Cellar Master. Professional Portrait: From the creative world to oenology, Krug's sensory direction between tradition and the future.
• Markets: "Bitter wine" amid tariffs and the exchange rate. Competitive pressures on exports (US tariffs on the currency): producer margins under stress, urgent need for price-value strategies.
• Media & Outreach: “The Science of Wine” (Prime Video) by Jamie Goode A series that is somewhere between a road movie and an educational medium: pop language, some scientific simplifications, and a strong visual appeal.

Wine events

• Italian City of Wine 2026: Vulture (Basilicata) Coalition of 14 municipalities led by Ripacandida: cohesive project, cultural identity and Aglianico del Vulture as its symbol.
• Asti – Douja: Full Glasses Closing weekend with 7,000 glasses sold and a sold-out masterclass: a format promoted by tourists and enthusiasts.
• Valtellina – “Morbegno in Cantina” (27/09–12/10) A widespread village of taste: ancient cellars, sensory itineraries and experiences between history and territory.
• Friuli – Cormons “Grape Festival” Three days of art, sports, and wine: Collio-Brda historic cycling race, vintage cars, workshops, and local honey.
• Lazio – Monte Porzio Catone “Taste the Science” (26/09) European Researchers’ Night: blind tasting of Frascati DOC, a meeting between science and the glass.

Operational tips (quick)

• M&A & brand equity : the Montevetrano case highlights the appeal of well-positioned iconic assets; commercial synergies without distorting the company's identity.
• High-end hospitality : “Monteleone21” signals the direction: architecture, sustainability and experiential paths as levers of value.
• Trade & pricing : monitor tariff/exchange scenarios and calibrate price lists, assortments, and premium-direct channels.
• Wine tourism : priority given to family-run wineries with proprietary storytelling and reservations required; foreign demand is ripe.

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