Wine press review for Saturday, November 15, 2025!

Organized by thematic areas so that those working in the sector can immediately grasp what they need: market signals, competitive dynamics, innovations, events, and winery movements.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Franciacorta tops the list: 11 labels awarded by Gambero Rosso. Bosio's 2021 Brut Nature wins "Bubble Wine of the Year" and tops the 2026 Vini d'Italia guide. Ca' del Bosco, Berlucchi, Ricci Curbastro, and Barone Pizzini also make the podium. Lombardy continues to be the driving force of the classic method, with increasing quality, including Satèn.

Cantine Carputo, "sea wines" between tradition and experimentation. In Quarto, you can taste twin versions, traditional and submarine, of Falanghina, Aglianico, and Piedirosso. A family story that speaks of resilience and innovation in the Phlegraean Fields.

Chianti Classico 2000: 25 years later, the revolution is now in the glass. The project that brought the vineyard back to the center of quality is now fully confirmed: clone selection, zoning, and agronomic care have rewritten the territory's identity.

Nero di Troia 2021 Cantina Ariano The “Silver” version, aged in steel, highlights the purity of the grape variety: violet, plum, morello cherry, blackberry, freshness and drinkability.

Rocchetta Tanaro, Barbera as an identity A symbolic place: from the Incisa della Rocchetta family to the revolution led by Giacomo Bologna, Barbera remains a cultural as well as productive engine.

ITALIAN WINE

Size matters: established wineries hold firm, SMEs struggle. Compared to France and mature markets, the average Italian surface area (2.3 hectares) is no longer sufficient. From Verona, UIV/Studio Impresa data show that large and medium-sized businesses are better able to weather the "perfect storm": declining exports, declining consumption, and pressure on prices.

2024 Financial Statements: Revenues up 2%, but nearly half are losing margins. The survey of 877 companies found EBITDA at 10.5% (7.4%), but 415 companies are declining. Large companies with revenues above €50 million are driving the sector; the €10–€20 million range is experiencing significant decline.

Cantina Italia – ICQRF Report October 2025: Stocks on the rise: 44.5 million hl of wine (5.2% up on 2024), 14.3 million hl of must, and the same amount of VNAIF. 62.1% is held in the North, led by Veneto. DOPs represent over half of the total.

Vino Novello: urgent reform needed. The AIC (Italian Wine Association) is calling for updated regulations to save a declining tradition: from 20 million bottles in the 1990s to 1.5 million today. The aim is to increase the percentage of carbonic maceration and overcome the December 31st deadline.

Equalitas introduces the "digital copilot," a platform to simplify document management for sustainability certification. The goal: to make the standard more accessible to wineries and winemakers.

ITALIAN OENOLOGY

From Chianti to research: the method wins in the vineyards The common thread linking the results of Project 2000, agronomic advances, and the growing quality of classic Lombard methods is the same idea: a return to the territory, precision, and soil selection.

Fermentation: the frontier that unites wine and food. At the International Conference on Fermented Foods in Bolzano, it was reiterated that fermentation is a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet (30–50% of consumption). This ancient knowledge is now also strategic for winemaking.

Fem Trentino: 50 new agricultural entrepreneurs. Generational change requires training and environmental responsibility, crucial values for viticulture and mountain areas.

INTERNATIONAL

(Today's selection does not include specific foreign wine news: the focus is on the Italian sector, including the market, research, and governance of denominations. This is a sign of the centrality of our system in the European debate.)

EVENTS & WINE TOURISM

Independent Winemakers' Market: over 8,000 wines to taste. A thousand producers from all over Italy, a snapshot of artisanal vitality and the diversity of the regions.

Autumn in the Cellar – Final Weekend in Sicily. Marsala, Menfi, and Camporeale conclude a journey that spans the island, exploring wine, theater, and cuisine. The IRVO initiative strengthens the bond between wineries and local communities.

Presentation of the ValdiNoto Consortium – November 22nd: Noto, Siracusa, Eloro, and the Avola IGT under a single territorial identity. A young, female-led governance structure.

Merano WineFestival – WineHunter Award Platinum The guide's 77 Platinum awards have been assigned. These awards recognize vision, innovation, tradition, and winemaking creativity.

Under the Same Stars – November Patavino 2025 A meeting celebrating wine, territory, and identity, with Chiara Pavan; part of the Land of Wine Stars® project dedicated to promoting the Veneto winemaking heritage.

Wine tourism: the wine abbeys, a cultural journey from North to South. Places where for centuries monks have protected and innovated viticulture: from independent rows to grafted vines, a legacy that continues to shape landscapes and quality.

COMPANY & SUPPLY CHAINS

Female agricultural workers: the problem of invisibility . Wage disparities and job segregation persist. The Flai CGIL union denounces the need for structural interventions.

Organic under attack: AssoBio and FederBio call for zero tolerance against fraud. After the seizure of falsely organic honey and sugar, the associations are calling for more controls and greater protection for serious producers and consumers.

Osterie d'Italia 2026 – Trevigiano Highlights: Pironetomosca, La Muda di San Boldo, and Al Forno awarded the "chiocciola" (snail). A barometer of hospitality and regional-centric gastronomic culture.

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We continue tomorrow, with new useful news to guide strategic choices and intercept signals that really matter in the world of wine.