Wine press review for Wednesday, February 18, 2026!

Italian wineries

Trentino: Local Reds Under €15 Alongside the excellence of Trentodocs, the quality of still whites and reds is growing, particularly Teroldego della Piana Rotaliana: distinctive wines, profound yet easy to drink, the result of increasingly informed viticulture.

Nizza: the cooperative winery undergoes a makeover. The board of directors has been renewed, with Andrea Ghignone elected president. The stated goal is to revitalize the identity and role of cooperatives in a region that is a symbol of Barbera.

Tenuta di Castellaro (Aeolian Islands) The 2021 Nero Ossidiana showcases Corinto Nero and a winemaking project that combines landscape, native grape varieties, and organic and vegan protocols. A rare example of an "island wine" with the ambition of a great red.

Malenchini – Chianti Colli Fiorentini La Riserva Vigna di Lappeggi 2021: vineyard selection, maturation in large barrels, and an elegant profile. An example of how the Chianti subzones can express distinctive characteristics.

Cinque Maggio Winery (Torrecuso, Sannio) A family project that reclaims memory, territory, and identity, placing wine back at the center of an authentic agricultural narrative.

Masseria di Sessa (Falerno del Massico DOP) Organic farming, agritourism, and environmental protection: an integrated model where wine, oil, and hospitality become a single value system.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

2025 bottling: -2.1%, but DOC and DOCG hold up. Overall decline, but clear signals:

• DOCG and DOC 1%
• Whites 2.7%, rosés 5.7%, sparkling wines 1%
• Red wines stagnate -13%. IGT wines suffer (-12%). The system holds up thanks to strong, export-oriented denominations.

Wine exports: slowdown confirmed. As of November 2025: €7.2 billion (-3.6%). The United States weighs negatively (-8% in value). Tariffs and the euro/dollar exchange rate have a structural impact.

Alcohol-free: The Lunelli Group enters the segment. With Tassoni, a non-alcoholic gin designed for mocktails is debuting. Not a fad, but an industrial response to new consumption styles.

Wooden barrels and fire prevention. Clarification from the Fire Brigade: the wood from barrels, as technical equipment, is not included in the quantities to be calculated for fire prevention purposes.

Agricultural cohousing for seniors. Agricoltura Nuova's CARE project experiments with a replicable social model that brings agriculture back to the center of community life.

International and markets

Italian exports to the US: 7.2% in 2025 (net of duties) Made in Italy products grew by 3.3% overall, demonstrating resilience despite geopolitical tensions.

Trade Agreements: Mercosur and India at the Center. A clear message from the institutional and manufacturing world: without new agreements and protection of emerging markets, wine risks marginalization.

"Lumbarda" PDO: Italian opposition. Lombardy producers challenge the Croatian application for the risk of confusion with "Lombardia." Geographical indications remain a strategic asset.

Tariffs and Politics The Italian Parliament has criticized the communication approach to this issue: operational strategies are needed, not propaganda.

Wine events and territory

UNESCO Prosecco Hills: Record Visitors in 2025: 7.3% Arrivals and 8.5% Visitors. Non-hotel and international "slow" tourism are growing: the region functions as an economic hub.

Chianti Classico Collection 2026: A record 223 wineries present. Two vintages compared:

• 2024 fresher and more direct
• 2023 (Riserva and Gran Selezione) richer and more enveloping Il Gallo Nero grows on markets and strengthens the message “Wine is culture”.

Slow Wine Fair: strong presence from the Marche region, 36 wineries, and a masterclass dedicated to Verdicchio Riserva DOCG: targeted promotion and continuity up to Vinitaly.

Anastasia Mancini confirmed as president of the Tuscany Wine Tourism Movement : wine tourism is a fundamental part of the agricultural enterprise.

Virtual Wine Museum – Castiglione di Sicilia A participatory project that combines memory, technology, and Etna identity, with Lauria Castle as its symbolic centerpiece.

Milan Cortina 2026 Italian wine takes center stage at Casa Italia: 26 labels as a tool for cultural diplomacy and positioning Made in Italy.

Wine Marketing: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone. Experts at Wine Paris warned: business models need to be rethought, adaptability as a new key skill.

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