Wine Press Review for Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Italian wineries

• Casa Vinicola Canella : double-digit growth in the US despite tariffs, and Tommaso Canella enters Wine Enthusiast ’s “Future 40” list.
• Terre d'Oltrepò Winery : Harvest begins, but slowly; employees recalled to begin deliveries.
• Contini (Cabras, Sardinia) : Harvest no. 127 for the island's oldest winery; harvested early for twenty years now due to the heat.
• Serra Ferdinandea (Sicily) : a visionary project transforms a place steeped in history into a futuristic winery.
• Luretta and Monte delle Vigne wineries : seal a strategic twinning with Tabiano Castle to promote the area as "Terre del Ducato".
• Didier Gerbelle (Aosta Valley) : the almost extinct native grape variety “Blanc Comun” has been recovered and brought back into production.

Italian wine and oenology

• Tariffs and the US market : Massimo Randi (Randi Vini, Romagna) analyses: with capable distributors and intact quality, the drop could remain within 10-15%.
• Italian market : 40 million hectoliters of unsold wine, according to the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies' Cantina Italia report; the sector risks new surpluses.
• Asti DOCG : the consortium reduces yields and storage to protect the balance and denomination.
• Conegliano-Valdobbiadene : candidacy for Italian City of Wine 2026 with the support of the Veneto Region.
• Mercato Saraceno (Romagna) : obtained the official recognition of City of Wine .
• New consumer trends : Castagner adds a “Zero Specialist” to its staff, a bartender specializing in no- and low-alcohol cocktails.
• Unusual agronomic phenomenon : a vine blooms again in the middle of August in Belluno, a sign of climatic anomalies.
• The best wines of summer 2025 : Vermentino di Sardegna, Falanghina, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo and Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOCG stand out for their freshness and versatility.

International wine

• USA : Demand has fallen sharply since the beginning of the year (-8.7% volumes, -8.5% turnover). Economic uncertainty and tariffs are slowing consumption.
• France : Deep crisis in the sector; half of Bordeaux winemakers will retire within 10 years without generational change.
• Cocchi (Piedmont) : international triumph at the Falstaff Vermouth Trophy 2025 : Extra Dry with 98 points, Historic with 94.

Wine events

• Gattopardo Wine (Marina di Palma, August 22) : over 50 tasting stands featuring wines from Sicily, Franciacorta, and Champagne, with music and show cooking.
• Le Notti del Vino (Canosa Sannita, August 21) : a discussion between experts and producers on the sector's new challenges.
• The Nights of Wine (Rocca di Lonato, August 22) : tastings, music and astronomical observations in the evocative Visconti-Venetian fortress.
• Vigne & Note (Montefalco, August 22) : music at sunset and tastings at the Bocale Valentini winery.
• Cellars in the Square (Montepulciano, August 22) : Nobile tastings in Piazza Grande and “At the Table with Nobile” award.
• Bravìo delle Botti (Montepulciano, August 31) : historic competition between districts with barrels of wine, unique Renaissance setting.
• Festivals in the villages of Italy : throughout the peninsula, between the grape harvest and popular traditions, wine is the protagonist of rites and celebrations.

Conclusion

Wine Day today revolves around global challenges (tariffs, declining consumption, surpluses) and visions of the future (innovation, recovery of rare grape varieties, territorial strategies) . The summer wine tourism calendar continues to be packed, demonstrating that wine remains a bridge between economy, culture, and community.

Thanks for listening: today's wine press review was brought to you by QUIDQUID . See you tomorrow with more news from the world of wine.