Wine Press Review for Saturday, December 6, 2025

ITALIAN WINERIES

Calzedonia enters the world of sparkling wines: Ert1050 is born in the Trento DOC region. The Veronesi family's Oniverse group inaugurates Ert1050 in Brentonico. This new winery, located at an altitude of 600–1,000 m, is designed to produce high-quality Trento DOC wines, integrating climatic considerations and an expansive vision that has led the group to now cover several Italian regions.

Tedeschi Wines: The Amarone Dynasty and the Art of the Cru From Valpolicella comes a tale of tradition and innovation: a century of history, the intuition of the “Cru” in 1964, and a mosaic of native varieties interpreted with a profound territorial identity.

Antica Bottega del Vino opens in Cortina. The historic Verona venue opens a second location in the Queen of the Dolomites on December 30th. A new cellar with thousands of labels, led by director Luca Nicolis, chef Debeni, and head sommelier Campara.

Cantina Frentana closes out a solid 2025. Despite declining consumption and international tensions, the Abruzzo-based cooperative celebrates a positive year and reappoints Carlo Romanelli as president. Cooperation, sustainability, and local roots remain at the heart of the project.

Santa Sofia Valpolicella: Palladian Tradition and Modernity The Palladian villa and estate, reborn in the 1960s under the Begnoni family, now comprise a 75-hectare winery spanning Valpolicella, Valpantena, and Lugana. Luciano Begnoni has taken over the business.

Italian Wineries 2026 – Go Wine's Choices The list of 911 selected wineries has been published: 270 "Impronte d'eccellenza" (Imprints of Excellence), over 5,180 wines nominated, the 17 Wine Museums, and 9 special awards, distributed across the peninsula.

Pisaurum: Pesaro winemakers return to their roots. After the regional cooperative was liquidated, 60 producers are becoming independent and resuming their Morciola winemaking, bringing the supply chain back in-house.

Perla del Garda awarded in Bilbao for safety and innovation. Giovanna Prandini's Brescia-based winery has received an important EU-OSHA recognition for its advanced practices applied to digitalized processes in the winemaking supply chain.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN ENOLOGY

Wine Campus in Conegliano: The Region Invests in Young People. The initiative by the Valdobbiadene Spumante Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Padua and the Confraternity, recognizes research into flavescence dorée and announces the creation of a viticulture-enology campus destined to become a center of excellence.

2025 Harvest: Sicily and Valtellina Confirm Quality and Quantity . A balanced vintage, thanks to favorable weather and meticulous vineyard management. In Sicily, Italy's longest harvest concludes with a forecast of harmonious, territorial wines.

Young people and agriculture: Coldiretti Veneto rewards innovation. 22-year-old Enrico Turetta wins the Green Oscar with a project that combines viticulture and the first structured hazelnut grove in the Euganean Hills.

Brunello di Montalcino: Confidence for the Future. Consortium President Giacomo Bartolommei acknowledges the complexity of the markets, especially for premium reds, but reiterates the solidity of the appellation and its strategies for the coming years.

Prosecco and new consumer habits: bubbles on the rise among Gen Z and Millennials The IWSR “Sparkling Wine Landscape Report” certifies the rise of Prosecco in the US, French and UK markets, with young consumers increasingly attracted to fresh and less alcoholic wines, consumed even outside of “special occasions”.

Italy of Wine: Moderate Rebound in Demand Expected in 2026. The leaders of the Consortium's 24 wineries see the future as a year of stabilization and growth driven by whites and sparkling wines, with 2025 closing on a positive note and over 15,000 hectares of vineyards represented.

INTERNATIONAL

EU Wine Package: Positive sentiment and initial distinctions. The provisional agreement between Parliament, the Council, and the Commission introduces measures on production, labeling, wine tourism, exports, and climate resilience. The sector welcomes it, despite some disagreements regarding uprooting and "NoLo" labeling.

Federvini: "The Wine Package is a good thing, now it needs to be implemented quickly." The new regulatory framework is welcomed: greater administrative simplification, greater regulatory clarity, and a competitive vision to support businesses.

Confagricoltura: More flexible EU funding and promotion. A positive assessment of the measures that facilitate access to funding and long-term investment planning.

Frescobaldi's warning: USA – €110 million in three months. The president of UIV warns: exports fell 23% in the last quarter to the United States, prices are rising, and orders are slowing due to Thanksgiving. Realistic management of the crisis is needed.

The Michelin Guide introduces "Grappoli" (Grapes) to wine as well. The first selection dedicated to wineries will arrive in 2026, with criteria that evaluate agronomy, technique, identity, balance, and consistency. The inspectors will not be anonymous and will visit the estates.

Andreas Kofler (Cortaccia): "Better to invest in grape juice than in dealcoholized products" A historical and identity-based look at South Tyrol and the region's production trends, which focuses more on quality and authenticity than on passing fads.

WINE EVENTS

Open Cellars at Christmas – Tuscany Starting the weekend of December 8th, tastings, tours, and sustainable gift packages with the theme "Green Christmas in the Cellar," in collaboration with Earth Day Italy.

“Cantine d'Italia” Guide 2026 – An invitation to explore Italy's wine scene. The new edition of Go Wine celebrates cultural venues, wine museums, outstanding wineries, and wine tourism destinations across the peninsula.

Solidarity Wine 2025 – Collio and Social Inclusion The Friuli Venezia Giulia initiative combines winemaking excellence and commitment to disability, with the participation of regional institutions.

Thanks for listening. Today's press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT .

To continue exploring the world of wine, nothing is more useful than observing how each piece of news paints a fragment of the great mosaic that links vineyards, markets, and culture.