Wine press review for Wednesday, August 26, 2026!

Good morning,

The day highlights several key issues for the sector: early harvests and climate change, the growth of some Italian appellations, the development of dealcoholized wines, new wine tourism and hospitality concepts, and a growing focus on the consumer experience.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Garda DOC turns 30 and looks abroad.

The Garda DOC appellation, established in 1996 as a single entity uniting several winemaking areas under the name of the lake, is celebrating thirty years of activity. Today, it encompasses approximately 250 producers in Verona, Brescia, and Mantua and is increasingly focused on the region's international recognition. Some Trentino areas, initially excluded from the appellation, are reportedly considering joining, although no decisions have yet been made.

Collio: noble rot enhances white wines

On the border with Slovenia, the Palla family has developed a project dedicated exclusively to white wines. Key elements are the ponca , the characteristic marl and sandstone soil, and a humid microclimate particularly suited to Friulano. An example of how terroir, climate, and expertise can become distinctive production factors.

Allegrini Wines: Sustainability as a Business Strategy

With the Allegreen project, Allegrini Wines expands the concept of sustainability beyond agronomic practices. Biodiversity, involvement of suppliers, education of new generations, and a connection with the local area become part of a vision that integrates environmental, economic, and social aspects.

Cantina Settesoli pioneers dealcoholized wines in Sicily.

The Customs and Monopolies Agency has issued the Settesoli Winery in Menfi a tax license to produce dealcoholized wines. This is the first approval of its kind for a Sicilian winery. Dealcoholization is carried out directly in the cellar through a reduced-pressure process, made possible by the new regulatory framework introduced in 2025.

Etna DOC: certifications have grown 711% in thirteen years.

The Etna appellation continues its rapid expansion. According to data from the IRVO Observatory, certifications, growers, acreage, production, and bottling are increasing, while the share of white and sparkling wines is growing. These data will be explored in greater depth during "Radici Vulcaniche," scheduled for August 29th and 30th in Randazzo.

Forlì: Wine remains an important economic driver

Winemaking continues to play a significant role in the Forlì area's economy, where large cooperatives, quality producers, and businesses committed to adapting to new consumer habits coexist.

Early harvest in the Bolognese hills

At the Manaresi winery, in the hills of Zola, the harvest began on August 10th , but weather conditions would have allowed it to begin even earlier. Pignoletto, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon are among the first varieties picked. This further confirms how the harvest calendar is changing.

Cantina San Zenone: harvest more than 15 days earlier

In Molise, too, the harvest is more than two weeks early. The San Zenone Winery highlights the tangible effects of climate change: water stress, early vegetative growth, extreme events, and the resulting need to reorganize work in the vineyard and cellar.

ITALIAN WINE AND OENOLOGY

Wine by the glass conquers the restaurant industry

At Trattoria del Cimino in Caprarola, which offers around 900 labels , 22 wines are available by the glass. This choice aims to offer greater freedom to consumers, allowing them to taste even important wines without purchasing the entire bottle. This model could represent an interesting response to new consumption patterns.

Sell less directly to sell better

An analysis compares wineries and distilleries: the latter have transformed the visit, storytelling, tasting, and shop into a single commercial experience. The reflection for Italian wine is significant: wine tourism works best when the purchase becomes the natural conclusion of the experience , rather than being perceived as a commercial pressure.

Discovering Italian volcanic wines

Etna is just one of the Italian regions characterized by volcanic soils. From the Biella area to the Cembra Valley, from the Euganean Hills to Tuscia, all the way to the Phlegraean Fields and Monte Arci in Sardinia, a winemaking geography emerges that reveals the relationship between soil, climate, grape variety, and geological history .

2026 Harvest: Scenarios and Prospects

Assoenologi Veneto Occidentale is organizing a roundtable discussion on the 2026 harvest in Verona on September 1st. The discussion will focus on Garganega, Valpolicella drying grapes, Garda, European regulations, the wine market, and farm sustainability.

Wine archaeology and territorial marketing

According to archaeologist Andrea Zifferero, new discoveries related to vine cultivation and wine production in antiquity can generate significant territorial marketing value, strengthening the identity, history, and perception of contemporary wine production.

INTERNATIONAL

Germany: The "Wine Taxi" is coming

In September, Uber will launch a service connecting Frankfurt to the Rheingau for four weekends. The shuttles will take visitors from the city to the wineries for tours and Riesling tastings, then return them to Frankfurt. An interesting way to overcome one of the obstacles of wine tourism: getting around after the tasting.

Global luxury: moderate growth expected in 2026

According to the Altagamma-Bain Monitor, the global luxury market could grow by around 2% in 2026, while personal goods are estimated at between 2% and 4%. Hotels, restaurants, and experiences continue to play an important role: an interesting indication also for premium wines, fine dining, and high-end wine tourism.

Istria: Wine and Gastronomy as a Destination

The Istrian autumn focuses on the integration of wine, white truffles, olive oil, prosciutto, and artisanal products. Events and tastings in vineyards, villages, and rural areas confirm the ability of food and wine to become a tool for promoting local tourism.

Bellinzona brings wine to the streets

PerBacco returns on September 3rd, featuring 38 Ticino producers and 114 labels. Alongside traditional reds, there's growing interest in sparkling wines, which wineries see as a potential opportunity during a period of declining consumption.

A book against the elitism of wine

Sunny Hodge's "The Cynic's Guide to Wine" offers a pragmatic approach to wine, grounded in science, chemistry, physics, and neuroscience. The goal is to make the industry more understandable, moving beyond some of the elitist jargon and rituals that can alienate consumers.

EVENTS, WINE TOURISM AND WINE CULTURE

Vinova: sleep directly among the vineyards

The Vinova project develops a model of "experiential hotel" dedicated to wine, with wine suites nestled directly in the vineyards. The stated goal is to reach 300 suites by 2030 at premium winemaking partners. The debut took place in Piedmont, at the Broglia winery in the Gavi DOCG area.

Open Cellars during Harvest

From August 24th to October 25th, 2026 , the Wine Tourism Movement is offering Open Cellars during Harvest. Two months during which wine lovers, families, young people, and tourists can visit wineries and experience firsthand one of the most important moments of the winemaking year.

Touristic grape harvest in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Between late August and September, several wineries in the Collio, Colli Orientali, and Friuli plains offer visitors the opportunity to participate in the grape harvest. The experiences include harvesting, cellar tours, tastings, and winemaking insights, with options ranging from €18 to €60 per person .

City of Wine chooses its 2027 Manifesto

Student Sara Riccioni's work has been chosen as the official image of the Cities of Wine for 2027. Vineyards, hills, a village, a bottle, a bunch of grapes, and glasses become the graphic elements of a story that unites wine, territory, and landscape.

Valtidone Wine Fest

The first of the four stages of the Valtidone Wine Fest 2026 kicks off in Borgonovo in September, with Ortrugo&Chisöla , an event dedicated to Piacenza's native wine and local gastronomic tradition.

FAI Summer Evenings in Agrigento

At the Kolymbethra Garden in the Valley of the Temples, the final summer events combine landscape, local produce, native wines, archaeology, and culture. The final "Fuori cantina" tasting is scheduled for August 28th.

Grignolino under the Stars

The 2026 edition of "Grignolino sotto le Stelle" in Rosignano showcased four 2024 Grignolino DOC wines from the area, pairing them with Monferrato cuisine and confirming the effectiveness of events that connect wine, gastronomy, and local identity.

Baccanalia closes with record numbers

The San Gregorio Magno event attracted thousands of visitors each evening, peaking at 10,000 on the final weekend . The village's caves became a popular destination for wine, cuisine, culture, and conviviality.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

The August 26 review paints a picture of a rapidly changing sector.

The first sign comes from the vineyards: the early harvest in several Italian regions confirms that climate change is no longer a future prospect, but a production variable that companies must address every year.

The second concerns the market: dealcoholized wines, wine by the glass, and the growth of sparkling wines demonstrate a progressive diversification of consumption. Producers can no longer think solely in terms of traditional bottles, but must consider consumption occasions, formats, and evolving lifestyles.

The third is about experience. Wine taxis, tourist harvests, wine suites, immersive visits, and local events demonstrate that wine is increasingly becoming part of an ecosystem of tourism, hospitality, gastronomy, and culture.

Finally, some territories continue to demonstrate a strong capacity to create value: the growth of Etna DOC, the thirty years of Garda DOC and the attention towards volcanic wines confirm how territory, denomination and identity are still fundamental assets of Italian wine .

The direction therefore seems quite clear: simply producing good wine is no longer enough. We need to build an experience, a history, a terroir, and, above all, a concrete reason for choosing it around the wine.

Today's wine press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT.

See you tomorrow.