Wine press review for Tuesday, March 10, 2026!

Italian Wineries

Serena Costanzo and the New Direction of Etna Wine. On the northern slopes of Etna, in Passopisciaro, the Palmento Costanzo winery continues its growth with the second generation. Serena Costanzo, 30, an agronomist and winemaker trained in Asti and Montpellier, now leads the company's development alongside her mother, Valeria Agosta. A young company rooted in the volcanic Etna landscape, it combines international training with a local identity.

Fausto Maculan celebrates 50 vintages with a collector's bottle. The historic Breganze producer has created a symbolic cuvée, blending wines from his private collection. Only 300 numbered bottles recount half a century of work in the vineyard and cellar, a project that unites family memories and winemaking heritage.

Le Manzane: three new wines celebrating the region. The Treviso-based winery, led by the Balbinot family, will present three new labels at Vinitaly: a single-varietal Bianchetta and two interpretations of Merlot. This project combines the winery's sparkling winemaking tradition with a contemporary reinterpretation of the region's historic grape varieties.

Case d'Alto: Taurasi as an identity project. In Irpinia, Claudio De Luca is leading the Case d'Alto project, aiming to produce a Taurasi faithful to local tradition. The initiative stems from a centuries-old vineyard and also extends to the production of Fiano, with a focus on sustainability and the expression of the terroir.

La Cricca: Three young Friulians launch a winery through crowdfunding. A project born from a connection to the region and a desire to make wine more inclusive and accessible. The founders—Luca Comello, Luca Latronico, and Giacomo Orlando—have created a small brand that focuses on Friulian identity, contemporary communication, and direct community engagement.

Italian Wine and Oenology

Kombwine: a new non-alcoholic beverage made from grape must is born in Italy. South Tyrolean winemaker Andrea Moser and Legend Kombucha founder Ettore Ravizza have developed Kombwine, a beverage combining kombucha and grape must. The project taps into the growing no-/low-alcohol beverage market, offering an alternative that isn't designed to be a dealcoholized wine, but rather a new category.

Great Italian Whites for Aging: More and more experts are emphasizing that many Italian whites have underestimated aging potential. According to several tasters, many white wines are released too early for commercial reasons, losing the opportunity to fully express their complexity over time.

High-Altitude Viticulture and Land Protection in Trentino: A petition in the municipality of Brentonico calls for limits on the expansion of high-altitude vineyards to prevent excessive landscape transformation and potential monoculture. The debate reflects a growing trend: the search for higher altitudes to counteract the effects of climate change.

Women-run wineries drive quality and exports. Women-led companies cultivate approximately 21% of the agricultural area under vines but generate 28% of the agricultural GDP. They stand out for their export orientation, strong focus on wine tourism, and a greater presence of DOC and DOCG wines. This theme is the focus of the "Women's Wine Days 2026."

Sardinia's Niche Wines: A journey into lesser-known Sardinian viticulture, made up of small wineries that focus on quality rather than marketing. Often far from large-scale retail outlets, these businesses offer authentic wines rooted in their terroir.

Markets and International Scenario

Asti DOCG: global sales to decline in 2025 (-9%). Overall sales remained at approximately 75 million bottles. Asti Spumante recorded the sharpest decline (-12.4%), while Moscato d'Asti limited the decline (-1.8%). The US market remains critical, but Asia is growing (11.3%), with China accounting for 55%, making it the appellation's third-largest market.

US tariffs and new markets for Italian wine. According to Wine Monitor Nomisma, US tariffs have pushed Italian producers to seek new trade destinations. Among the emerging markets are Poland, the Czech Republic, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Bulk wine logistics: new global challenges. Bulk wine transport, which accounts for over a third of global trade, is facing a complex situation. Geopolitical instability, logistics crises, and longer trade routes are reshaping international flows.

US wine exports to Canada plummet 78%. Following trade tensions between the two countries, many Canadian provinces removed US wines from their shelves. The result was a dramatic decline in American exports, which fell to $103 million in 2025.

Policies and Investments in the Sector

Lombardy: €2 million CMO call for wineries. The Lombardy Region has opened the new CMO Investment call for the 2026-2027 campaign. Applications are open until May 14th and will support technological innovation, winery modernization, and environmental sustainability.

Wine Events

Vinetia Tasting 2026 On March 22nd at the Santa Lucia di Piave exhibition center, over 150 wineries and more than 800 wines will be the protagonists of the large tasting organized by AIS Veneto, one of the most important events for regional wine.

Fonti di Vino – San Casciano dei Bagni The event dedicated to the nine local wineries debuts on March 28th, with tastings and meetings in the setting of the Val d'Orcia and the Fonteverde spa.

Wine & Art Experience at Cantine Paololeo On March 21st in San Donaci, an event combining tasting and wine painting, an artistic technique that uses wine as a natural pigment.

Divin Nosiola – Valle dei Laghi The event dedicated to the native Trentino Nosiola grape and the production of Vino Santo, a historic symbol of viticulture in the valley, returns.

Wine Meets Cinema: The Oscar Night Labels Ten Italian wines have been symbolically paired with the Oscar-nominated films, creating a dialogue between cinema and wine culture.

Wine tourism and Rural Hospitality

Agritourism and educational farms on the rise. According to Istat, educational farms increased by 12.2% in 2024, reaching 2,340 establishments. Agritourism in Italy exceeded 26,000 units with a total economic value of over €1.9 billion.

The overall picture shows a sector that continues to evolve on multiple fronts: product innovation (alcohol-free), new market geographies, and a growing focus on wine tourism and territorial sustainability.

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