Wine press review for Thursday, April 16, 2026!

Italian wineries

Gavi DOCG returns to Vinitaly after three years. The Gavi Consortium relaunches its presence in Verona with a wine talk dedicated to the different interpretations of the appellation: classic, sparkling, reserve, and older vintages. This return strengthens the Piedmontese white's positioning among tourism, culture, and regional storytelling.

Derthona Due.Zero confirms the success of Timorasso. The Colli Tortonesi are consolidating their position as a contemporary and dynamic area, capable of attracting growing interest thanks to the quality of their white wines, the stylistic openness of their producers, and the valorization of Timorasso as a distinctive wine.

Cantine Lento to Star on the Papal Flight Cantine Lento's Rosà and Magliocco labels will accompany Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to Africa, offering a symbolic and prestigious showcase for Calabrian wine and the region's native grape varieties.

Cantina Futurista, an urban winery opens in Treviso. A new model of integrated winery with catering and artisanal distillation debuts: open-view winemaking, a strong urban identity, and a fusion of wine, hospitality, and reclaimed industrial design.

Cantine del Notaio shines at Vinitaly 2026. Five wines selected by an international jury in the 5StarWines guide confirm the Lucanian company's qualitative strength and the growing importance of Vulture in the national wine scene.

Agricola BES, wine as a family life project From Monferrato comes the story of a small winery born from a radical life choice: leaving the city, rediscovering nature and building a farming business tied to family values and the well-being of their children.

1701 presents new vintages in Franciacorta The winery launches Dosaggi Zero Riserva 2019 and Ellessedì 2022, confirming a production line oriented towards expressive purity, technical precision and small, high-quality runs.

Tenuta Venissa among the best wine travel destinations The Venetian winery has been nominated for the 2026 Wine Travel Awards, strengthening its position in the high-end segment of international wine tourism and collectible wines.

Abruzzo wineries enjoyed a positive outcome at Vinitaly. Abruzzo closed the event with encouraging results: 97 wineries exhibited, over 300 labels showcased, and a strong tribute to Luigi Cataldi Madonna, a historic figure in the region's wine industry.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Wine must be understood before it is consumed. The April issue of Il Gusto puts wine back at the center as a cultural and not just commercial phenomenon, underlining the need to better communicate it in a complex phase for the entire sector.

Businesses and institutions join forces. A clear consensus emerges from the Wine Table at Vinitaly: more effective international promotion, less bureaucracy in the CMO Wine, and shared actions between businesses, the Ministry, and ICE to address the current economic situation.

Dealcoholized wines could grow by 90% Italy sees strong potential in dealcoholized wines, but production expansion remains hampered by regulatory uncertainties and procedures that are still too complex.

Resistant Glera opens a new phase. Vivai Rauscedo and the University of Udine present new clones resistant to the main grapevine diseases, capable of maintaining the grape variety's identity and supporting more sustainable viticulture.

Langhe, the debate over glyphosate returns. The issue of chemical weed control reignites debate in an area where wine, landscape, tourism, and international image are closely intertwined.

US exports decline, India sees strong growth for Prosecco. Federvini reports a decline in exports to the United States (-3.6%), while Prosecco in India has seen a 165% increase in five years, a sign of new growth regions.

The grape moth threatens Tortona vineyards. Municipalities in the Tortona area are launching a shared monitoring project using pheromone traps to limit damage to Barbera and Timorasso vineyards.

Female Leadership, 5% Higher Incomes CREA and Donne del Vino research confirms that women-led companies are among the most solid and innovative in the sector today, with better overall economic performance.

Agea digitizes the story of Italy's vineyards. An immersive app has been presented that integrates cartography, audio-video content, and company data to tell the story of the country's winemaking heritage in a more accessible way for buyers, tourists, and enthusiasts.

Ten years after Tachis, his legacy remains central. A celebratory masterclass at Vinitaly recalled Giacomo Tachis's decisive role in the renewal of Italian wine, through some of the labels that have marked the recent history of national winemaking.

Large-scale retail trade: lower volumes, but value holds thanks to premium In 2025, wine on the shelves will decrease by 2.7% in volume, while the value remains almost stable thanks to the shift in consumption towards medium-high price ranges.

Producing less and better: the new direction for wine. From discussions between operators and analysts, a shared vision emerges: focusing on niches, quality, sustainability, and greater awareness of new consumer behaviors.

Wine bars are changing the way we drink wine. New, more dynamic and cultural formats are transforming the wine bar into a space for discovery, storytelling, and selection, closer to contemporary consumers.

Valcalepio invests in young people and wine culture. The Bergamo Consortium strengthens its ties with the local area and looks to new generations through projects with schools.

Wine and Health in the Mediterranean Model Vinitaly returns to discuss the relationship between wine, moderation, and well-being: the Mediterranean model is proposed as a cultural and nutritional key, distinct from abuse.

In Lazio, a €1.2 million call for proposals for wine. The Region supports innovation, competitiveness, and efficiency of winemaking businesses with grants of up to 40% of investments.

International

Canada remains a winning model for exports The CETA agreement confirms its success story: since 2017, European wines in Canada have been growing at a significantly higher rate than those of non-EU competitors.

Italian wine seeks new global routes. Amid US tariffs, slowing consumption, and market restructuring, the sector is increasingly looking to new areas of development, from India to other emerging markets.

Coldiretti Trentino Alto Adige calls for an extraordinary European plan. The new CMO rules are considered useful but insufficient: a European structural intervention is needed to support exports and business profitability.

Wine events

The Prosecco Hills: Photography, Art, and an International Vision At Vinitaly, the UNESCO landscape of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene is showcased through an editorial and photographic project that aims to strengthen its global visibility.

Città del Vino promotes the territory and regional identity. From Friuli Venezia Giulia comes the call for increasingly coordinated promotion between institutions, municipalities, and producers to strengthen the link between wine, landscape, and local culture.

Vinitaly: Trentino's revitalization and a strong political presence The event confirms its central role as a platform for the sector, but also continues to be the scene of a very strong political presence.

Roberto Giacobbo talks about his wine project. The well-known television personality brings to Vinitaly a narrative that combines family memories, passion, and innovation, transforming wine into a personal and entrepreneurial story.

Lario wines are growing, driven by tourism. The Lario area sees tourism and the international reach of Vinitaly as a concrete lever to consolidate its winemaking development.

In short, April 16th represents a sector still under pressure, but not stagnant: Italian wine is seeking new avenues for growth through exports, varietal innovation, premiumization, new consumption models, and an increasingly strong integration between territory, culture, and international promotion.

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