Wine press review for Tuesday, April 21, 2026!

Italian wineries

Trentino after Vinitaly: good numbers, but systemic decisions needed. Vinitaly closed with over 90,000 attendees, nearly 4,000 companies and operators from 135 countries. The results for Trentino are positive, but the issue of overhauling the sector remains unresolved at a time marked by tensions over exports and a more selective buyer base.

Terre d'Aenòr at Milan Design Week The Franciacorta winery brings its wines to Milan Design Week 2026, strengthening the dialogue between wine, aesthetics, craftsmanship, and design culture.

Val d'Oca is the new exclusive distributor of Champagne Encry in Italy. The Valdobbiadene-based company is expanding its premium presence in the high-end Horeca channel by becoming the exclusive partner for Italy of the Maison Grand Cru Champagne Encry.

Historic Families: Amarone Must Rediscover Its Daily Focus The 13 iconic Valpolicella wineries are calling for a new language and positioning to relaunch Amarone on the market, while maintaining its strength in foreign markets.

Koshu in Tuscany: Tatsuhiko Ozaki's challenge At Fattoria Lavacchio, an original project is taking shape that aims to cultivate the Japanese Koshu grape in Tuscany, enhancing climatic affinities and viticultural experimentation.

Arsen and the Chianti of Armenian Vines A young and unconventional project is emerging in the Florentine area: Arsen Khachaturyants brings an international vision of wine to Tuscany, combining analytical rigor and production identity.

Small wineries more financially fragile. The Fivi-Sda Bocconi research highlights a system composed of resilient companies but often under financial pressure, with increasing attention to liquidity, growth, and capital openness.

Platinum Vineyards: Only 11 Out of Over 2,000 Monitored Vineyards. The Bigot Index recognizes 11 vineyards in Italy and the Mediterranean as the absolute pinnacle of quality in the field, confirming the value of agronomic management, monitoring, and precision.

Cannonau and Forgotten Sardinian Grape Varieties: Reviving a Historic Ogliastra Winery. In Ogliastra, the process of promoting ancient clones and ungrafted vineyards continues, with a third generation focused on identity, revitalization, and territorial protection.

Mandrarossa and the Grillo Bertolino Soprano 2024 The top brand from Settesoli confirms its positioning through innovation, research on terroirs and valorization of varieties, with a Grillo that attracts attention and guides.

Sicily: Wineries Become Cultural Hubs Assovini Sicilia relaunches wine tourism as a strategic lever, transforming wineries into places of experience, storytelling, and integrated hospitality.

Barolo Vajra 2022, between immediacy and family identity. The webinar dedicated to the 2022 vintage focuses on a style that seeks accessibility, depth, and continuity with the Vajra family's production history.

Etna Doc: more districts and Municipality on the label The Etna Doc Consortium aims to expand the official districts and introduce the name of the Municipality on the label, further strengthening the link between wine, origin and territorial communication.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Carbon farming: Europe ahead, Italy still behind. The issue of carbon credits in agriculture is entering a decisive phase, but critical issues remain regarding costs, standards, measurement, and real economic viability for Italian agricultural businesses.

Vinitaly in magnums: the great strength of the 2016 vintage A retrospective of approximately 80 magnums confirms 2016 as a benchmark vintage, capable of expressing freshness, tension, and quality across many Italian regions.

Wine tourism increasingly central to the wine business. According to Nomisma, wine tourism generates 3.1 billion euros and accounts for an average of 21% of wineries' corporate turnover, confirming its role as a concrete lever for revenue and commercial relations.

Wine and Hotels: A Strongly Growing Channel The hotel industry is becoming a strategic channel for Italian wine: the weight of food & beverage in hotel revenues is growing and demand for quality wines by the glass, sparkling wines, and no/low alcohol options is rising.

Rosé wines are growing: less trendy, more territorial identity. Rosé wines are consolidating their position on the Italian market not only for their image, but also for their ability to showcase grape varieties, landscapes, and new consumption styles.

Italian wine exports get off to a strong start in 2026. January closed with a steep decline of 18.7% in value and 13.3% in volume. Tariffs, geopolitical tensions, inflation, and a structural decline in consumption are weighing heavily, with bottled wines suffering particularly.

No and low alcohol: a potential new market driver. The topic of alcohol-free and low-alcohol wines is also gaining ground at Vinitaly. According to some estimates, they could reach up to 5% of the market.

“Winewashing”: Wine Communication Under Fire Nello Gatti's book sparks debate on authenticity, narrative, and the contradictions of the wine system, challenging the industry's traditional language.

International

Germany in the crosshairs of Italian wine tourism The April 28 webinar dedicated to the German market reflects on the growing value of wine tourism as a cultural, commercial, and territorial lever for Italian wine.

Switzerland: Consumption declines, but local wines regain market share. In 2025, total wine consumption in Switzerland will decline by 3.3%, but Swiss wines will grow by 2.3% and reach a 37.5% market share, a sign of a strengthening national product.

Wine events

Montevarchi, April 23-24: Double inauguration at the Valdarno di Sopra Organic Rural District. The Covered Farmers' Market and the National Food Districts Research Center open, in an initiative that combines short supply chains, research, and territorial development.

Vinum 2026 in Alba with the Consorzio del Vermouth di Torino. The Consortium will be present at the event on April 25-26 and May 1-3, promoting guided tastings and promoting Vermouth di Torino.

Distillery and Liquor Tourism: A conference on April 28th at Astoria. In Refrontolo, an event will focus on new opportunities for experiential tourism related to distilling, focusing on hospitality models and success stories.

“Art & Wine” in Castiglion Fiorentino The event that combines contemporary art, tastings, and promotion of the local area returns on April 26th, hosted by the Gabriele Mazzeschi Winery.

Canavese, a gala showcasing excellence in wine, food, and the region. The April 17 event at Casalborgone Castle highlighted territorial branding, tourism, and the promotion of local products.

Olive Growing Sustainability: Comparing Production Models An international study relaunches the debate on environmental impacts and production intensity in olive growing, a topic also relevant to broader agri-food sustainability concerns.

Strategic summary of the day The day highlights four key axes: the financial fragility of small wineries, pressure on exports, the structural growth of wine tourism, and the redefinition of the positioning of Italian wine amid premiumization, no/low alcohol, and a greater connection with hospitality, culture, and the local area.