Wine press review for Tuesday, August 25, 2026!

Good morning,

The day highlights a rapidly changing sector: increasingly early harvests, high inventories in cellars, the need to rebalance the Italian vineyard, the development of wine tourism, technological innovation, and new products such as No-Lo wines and Asti Rosé .

ITALIAN WINERIES

Tre Terre Winery Wins European Gold for Nettare di Circe Passito

Nettare di Circe , a passito produced by Cantina Tre Terre di Sabaudia, won the gold medal at the 2026 Berliner Wein Trophy . This award recognizes the wine's quality, balance, and aromatic complexity and promotes the Pontine region on international markets.

Von Blumen: The Fugatti family's project grows in South Tyrol.

From the experience of the Fugatti family, formerly at the helm of Cantina Roeno , Von Blumen was born and consolidated in Pochi di Salorno. The project promotes high-altitude vineyards and a distinct identity, with the Numbers and Flowers lines.

Cembra Cantina di Montagna presents Oro Rosso Blanc de Noirs Riserva

A new Trentodoc label for the Val di Cembra winery. Oro Rosso Blanc de Noirs Riserva , made from Pinot Noir, focuses on verticality, elegance, flavor, and a strong connection to the valley's porphyry soils.

Merenda Sinoira: Nebbiolo and Piedmontese Identity

Founded in 2015 by four friends with complementary skills, Merenda Sinoira boasts approximately 10 hectares of vineyards in Novello. Their flagship wines include Langhe Nebbiolo Sapèl, Langhe Nascetta Döit, and three Barolos.

Cantina Clavesana: Dolcetto harvested very early

On August 24th, Cantina Clavesana opened Dolcetto deliveries, at least a couple of weeks earlier than even the earliest vintages. This is a further sign of the effects of heat and drought on the viticultural calendar.

ITALIAN WINE AND OENOLOGY

The Italian vineyard must be rebalanced

According to Lorenzo Tersi of Lt Wine & Food Advisory, the problem isn't just a decline in demand: Italian vineyard acreage must also adapt to new market demands. Reducing yields may not be enough, and he points to the need for a more thorough rationalization of vineyard hectares.

The 2026 harvest is getting earlier and the cellars are still full.

Climate change is significantly bringing forward the harvest. In some areas of Tuscany, the harvest also began in the first half of August.

Making the situation more delicate are the stocks: as of July 31, there were 42.6 million hectolitres of wine in Italian cellars, 6.9% more than the previous year .

Puglia: 2026 production estimated to grow by 10%

Confagricoltura Puglia expects a harvest increase of approximately 10% compared to 2025 , thanks to favorable vineyard health conditions. However, the problem of supplies remains: the region retains approximately 4.29 million hectoliters , equal to 10.1% of the national stocks.

Inzolia Nera is back in the bottle

In Agrigento, an ancient Sicilian grape variety that had almost disappeared has been recovered: Inzolia Nera . From the 2025 harvest, just 478 bottles were produced, breathing new life into a variety considered an authentic legacy of Sicilian viticultural biodiversity.

Innovation: Europe and the New World are following different paths

A study published in the Journal of Wine Economics , based on 9,439 patents filed between 1970 and 2023 in 53 countries , highlights a growing technological convergence in Europe and, conversely, a greater differentiation of innovations in New World countries.

No-Lo Wines: One of Italy's First Plants in Puglia

Mack & Schühle Italia has launched one of the first Italian wine dealcoholization plants in the province of Taranto, using Omnia Technologies' Libero Wine technology. The investment is aimed at the international growth of alcohol-free and low-alcohol wines.

Asti Rosé is born

After a five-year process, the European Union has approved the modification to the regulations introducing Asti Rosé , including a classic method sparkling wine. The blend includes 70% to 90% Moscato Bianco and 10% to 30% Brachetto, with an initial expected production of 5 million bottles .

Wine tourism: it doesn't solve the crisis, but it can increase profitability.

Wine tourism emerges as one of the most interesting channels for increasing margins through direct sales, tastings, experiences, catering and hospitality .

According to the reported data, wine tourism is growing by 13% worldwide and by 9.2% in Italy, exceeding 3.1 billion euros in value .

Wine markups: the restaurant price debate returns

Fausto Albanesi, a producer from Torre dei Beati, reopens the discussion on markups applied to wine, including that served by the glass. At the heart of the debate is the need to restore a more balanced relationship between the price paid to the producer and the final price paid to the consumer .

INTERNATIONAL

Bordeaux struggling with declining consumption

One of the world's most iconic wine regions is experiencing a complex period: consumption of Bordeaux has declined significantly, and paradoxically, even in the French city itself, it can be difficult to find a wide selection outside of the tourist circuits. This situation reflects the broader challenges facing European wine.

Luxury 2026: experiences are the main growth drivers

The Altagamma-Bain Monitor estimates global luxury growth of around 2% for 2026, while the experience sector could advance by around 4%.

Hospitality, fine dining, and tourism are showing greater dynamism, while wines and spirits are suffering from reduced consumption frequency and the growth of non-alcoholic alternatives.

Georgia: Wine, Territory, and Tourism in the Caucasus

Georgia continues to establish itself as a wine tourism destination capable of combining wine, tradition, landscapes, sea and mountains, promoting one of the oldest winemaking cultures in the world.

EVENTS, WINE TOURISM AND WINE CULTURE

Open Cellars during Harvest 2026

From August 24th to October 25th, the Movimento Turismo del Vino initiative returns. Wine lovers, families, young people, and tourists will be able to experience firsthand the harvest, pressing, fermentation, and creation of the new wine.

The 2026 edition started a week early to accommodate the early harvests caused by increasingly hotter summers.

Friuli Venezia Giulia: A Harvest to Experience

Picnics among the vineyards and educational grape harvests strengthen the connection between wine, the region, and tourism. Friuli Venezia Giulia focuses on firsthand experiences to bring visitors and producers closer together.

Toblino Winery: Educational Harvest on August 29th

In the Valle dei Laghi, Cantina Toblino offers a day dedicated to discovering viticulture and participating directly in the grape harvest, followed by an aperitif with local wines and products.

The National Wine Tourism Observatory's Report spans Italy

The regional presentations of the 21st Report of the National Wine Tourism Observatory continue, with particular attention to the use of artificial intelligence in the supply chain and tourism development. The next meeting will be in Giovo, Trentino.

Slow Wine 2027 in Milan

The national presentation of Slow Wine 2027 is scheduled for October 17th in Milan . Reduced ticket prices are available until August 31st. Nearly 500 wineries and over 900 wines have participated in previous editions.

Irpinia: wine, Fiano, cuisine, and jazz among the vines

Contrada Vini offers summer evenings that combine tastings, cuisine, and music right in the cellar and among the vineyards, transforming wine into a regional and convivial experience.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

The review of August 25, 2026 returns the image of an Italian wine that must simultaneously face a production, commercial and consumption transformation problem .

The most significant figure remains the 42.6 million hectolitres still present in Italian cellars as of July 31 , while a very early harvest is already bringing new production onto the market.

The response, therefore, cannot be limited to emergency management. The sector appears to be called upon to work on multiple fronts: rebalancing vineyard acreage, greater innovation, production control, protecting the value of the bottle, developing wine tourism and direct sales, new products, and a greater ability to understand consumer demand.

No-Lo, Asti Rosé, the revival of native grape varieties, Trentodoc, hospitality, and experiential harvests also tell a different story: Italian wine continues to innovate and still possesses an extraordinary capacity for adaptation.

The challenge isn't simply to produce less wine. It's to produce what the market wants, sell it better, and transform wineries and regions into experiences capable of generating value.

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