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Wine press review for Sunday February 22 -2026

with:

Wineries, Italian wine producers, and wine news.

Italian wineries

Amarone della Valpolicella: not a mistake, but a project. A historical document and the shared vision of the consortium and major producers clarify that Amarone was not born from an accident (Recioto disappeared), but from a deliberate decision by enlightened figures. A powerful message: identity, style, and value are not coincidental, but built over time. The focus now turns to the future of the appellation.

Sofia Ricasoli and the “Innesto” project : From criminal law to the vineyard: Sofia Ricasoli returns to Chianti Classico with a personal line, separate from the family brand. The new wine breaks with the traditional concept of vintage, a sign of a generation experimenting without denying history.

Filippo Antonelli: organic, yes, but only where it makes sense. The Montefalco producer reiterates his organic approach as an agronomic and territorial project, not an ideological one. The critical point: in the past, too much was planted, even in unsuitable areas. Quality is a balance between environment, soil, and wine.

Masseria Campito, Gricignano d’Aversa. A winery focused on Asprinio as a defining and unconventional choice. Six hectares of vineyards, a historic farmhouse converted into a winery, and a clear vision: a small number of wines, a clearly identifiable terroir, and consistent production.

Cantina Kaltern and the kunst.stück 2026 competition : Art and winemaking come together: for the 2026 edition, an artist will design the label for a Cabernet-Merlot Riserva cuvée. The label becomes an integral part of the wine’s cultural value.

Caviro turns 60. Italy’s largest winemaking group celebrates with industry-leading figures: 1.5 million hectoliters bottled annually. A cooperative giant that faces the crisis by leveraging its expertise, scale, and supply chain.

Podere Casanova – Vino Nobile di Montepulciano From an auction in Siena to a structured agricultural project: rapid growth of the acreage, a wide range, and a focus on pure Sangiovese for the Nobile “Settecento”.

Lunae Bosoni – Lunae Brut Cuvée Sparkling Wine. Liguria’s white wines continue to grow in reputation. Lunae invests in its winery, promotes historic grape varieties, and taps into the renewed interest in sparkling wines and fresh wines.

Al Bano and the Cellino San Marco estate. A true agricultural and tourist village in Puglia: a farmhouse, winery, spa, church, and forest. Wine is part of a project of identity and hospitality.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Tuscan Previews: Reds under pressure. Exports of Tuscan still PDO wines are declining (-8% in value in 2025). The anti-crisis strategies: targeted promotion, reduced yields, and opening up to new markets. The message is clear: the model needs to be updated.

Chianti Classico: Moderate optimism. Sales up slightly (1% volume, 2.6% value). Quality is well established, but strong marketing and communications are now needed to cope with more complex markets and changing consumption patterns.

Piedmont: alarm over stocks and grape prices. Cellars are full, trade is down, and grape prices are down as much as 30%. A crisis described as “structural,” comparable in severity to Covid and 2008. The central theme: rebalancing production.

Valoritalia 2025 Data: DOC and DOCG wines hold steady (1%), IGT wines plummet (-12%), and red wines struggle (-13%). A year of adjustment that reshapes the quality and commercial pyramid of Italian wine.

Sweet wine as a gateway for Gen Z (USA). Amarone, Moscato, Lambrusco, and Prosecco as a “bridge” to dry wines. An educational and cultural strategy to shape tomorrow’s consumers.

Phytopathology: Scale insects (Planococcus ficus) in vineyards are among the most serious threats: direct damage, sooty mold, and virus transmission. Plant health management is once again crucial to the economic sustainability of farms.

Wine, fashion, and storytelling: The story of wine is increasingly similar to that of fashion. But when the narrative becomes disconnected from the production reality, the risk is a loss of consumer trust.

International

Ashley Graham invests in Lambrusco. “Lucci,” a Lambrusco DOC Reggiano produced by Medici Ermete, is born. An American pop icon that strengthens the international appeal of a distinctive, light, and contemporary wine.

Pinot Noir Musigny: a market for icons. At auctions, historic vintages show substantial resilience. Bottles of Comte de Vogüé have nearly doubled in value in a year: fine wine remains a safe haven.

Vermouth di Torino: Protection and Foreign Markets . The Consortium is not participating in the dedicated trade show, which it considers ambiguous. However, it has a strong brand protection strategy in Europe, the USA, and Asia, with growing interest in moderate consumption.

Wine events and wine culture

Slow Wine Fair 2026 – Bologna Over 1,100 exhibitors from 27 countries. The central theme: social justice in the world of wine. Abruzzo takes center stage with 40–50 wineries and a strong message about sustainability and the region.

Slow Wine Fair Events – February 22nd Tastings and discussions on vineyard work, community, and distinctive grape varieties like Cannonau. Wine as an agricultural and social phenomenon, not just a commercial one.

Pompeii: the secret vineyard is reborn. A joint project between archaeology and viticulture brings vines back to the archaeological site. Wine as a bridge between history, science, and the land.

Wine is culture. A clear message from the government: public-private partnerships (like Pompeii and Feudi di San Gregorio) are strategic levers. Wine is recognized as a cultural expression, not just an economic one.

Turin Wine Fair 2026: Focus on Piedmont, its regions, and its producers. The fair and the city are increasingly integrated, encompassing tastings, culture, and food and wine tourism.

Thanks for listening. Today’s wine press review was brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT . See you tomorrow.

Wine press review for Saturday February 21 -2026

with:

Wineries, Italian wine producers, and wine news.

Italian wineries

Piedmont: The Barolo “bubble” bursts . Record inventories, declining demand, and sharply declining grape prices. Barolo and Barbaresco are leading a structural crisis that also affects Barbera and Moscato. Consortia are calling for urgent action: without support for winemakers, even premium wines are at risk.

Montefiascone, the relaunch of the Cantina dell’EST! EST!! EST!!! is underway. Major modernization and regulatory compliance work will restore dignity to a landmark structure in the area after years of neglect.

Lerma, mountain winery up for sale after bankruptcy. A public project worth approximately €1 million, created to enhance local viticulture, concludes with the sale of the property following its 2019 bankruptcy.

Pasqua Vini ‘s “Fuori Carta” is born . The project linked to the Passito di Pantelleria “Sangue d’Oro” was presented in Paris, with Carole Bouquet as partner of the initiative: a cultural and gastronomic reinterpretation of a great Italian sweet wine.

Ronco della Chiesa, a symbolic Collio vineyard at risk. The renowned Borgo del Tiglio cru is threatened by safety measures following the Brazzano landslide. This issue intertwines land protection, viticultural heritage, and environmental safety.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Made in Italy exports: historic record in 2025. According to Istat, exports will reach €643 billion (3.3%). “Beautiful and well-made” Italian products are also holding up in non-EU markets, overcoming—for now—the impact of US tariffs.

US tariffs: Supreme Court blocks, but uncertainty remains. For Unione Italiana Vini and its president, Lamberto Frescobaldi, the sector cannot celebrate: possible reintroduction of tariffs and unstable climate in EU-US relations. Montalbera and Bottega hold similar positions.

NoLow vs. wine: the comparison is not ideological. The EU regulatory framework officially opens up to dealcoholized and partially dealcoholized wines. This is a legitimate category, but it cannot be compared to traditional wine: the issue is one of culture, positioning, and market.

The best whites of the Western Riviera Gambero Rosso shines a spotlight on Vermentino and Pigato between Imperia and Savona, confirming the strong identity of Ligurian whites.

International

Italian wine must “team up” like sport. A clear message from the talk on the “Olympic spirit”: diversify markets beyond the US and Europe, working in synergy between companies, institutions, and large platforms like Vinitaly and ICE.

Wine Paris 2026: Six key trends from the heart of the global market. The Parisian fair confirms its central role: lightness, reinterpretations of classics, new consumption styles. Record numbers of visitors, exhibitors, and business meetings.

“Wine Experience” Road Show: London, then Vietnam and Mexico. A new international platform for Italian wine, debuting in London in April and focusing on high-potential emerging markets.

Montalcino relaunches its presence in the United States. The Brunello Consortium returns to investing in the USA with Benvenuto Brunello in New York and a masterclass in Texas, confirming the strategic importance of the American market.

Wine events

Measurable Sustainability: LIFE VitiCaSe Conference in Siena (February 27) Regenerative viticulture, carbon farming, and carbon credits will be the focus of the meeting promoted by the Siena Farmers’ Union.

Introduction to wine in Villanova Mondovì. Four lessons with guided tastings to learn the method, language, and awareness of the wine glass.

Sannio Top Wines 2026 in Benevento (February 25) The labels awarded by international guides and competitions will be on display: Falanghina and Aglianico remain the beacons of a growing territory.

The Great Vertical Tastings of the Cities of Wine – a stop in Palazzolo dello Stella. Unusual pairings and native wines take center stage at Tenuta Aganis, a celebration of local culture.

Slow Wine Fair 2026 in Bologna (22–24 February) Large regional presence: Piedmont, Abruzzo and Umbria bring the theme of “good, clean and fair” wine to the fair, including sustainability, social justice and the supply chain.

Vinifera becomes FuoriVinifera in Mezzocorona (21–22 March) An event spread across the Piana Rotaliana to tell the wines of the Alpine arc in a more intimate way and consistent with the artisanal spirit of the event.

Agri-aperitif in the Euganean Hills at Cà Vendalis. Conviviality, house wine, and simple products: a return to slowness as an experiential value.

Thanks for listening. Today’s wine press review was brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT . See you tomorrow.

Wine press review for Friday February 20 – 2026

with:

Wineries, Italian wine producers, and wine news.

ITALIAN WINERIES

The crisis is not just macroeconomic: it affects structures, territories, and production models.

  • Terre d’Oltrepò faces insolvency. The historic Pavia cooperative enters the decisive phase of its crisis: the liquidator is seeking a judicial declaration of insolvency. Banks are alarmed, the 2025 harvest is at risk, internal tensions and fragile governance are at the heart of the problem.
  • Piedmont, full cellars and plummeting grape prices. Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Moscato are suffering from an unprecedented oversupply. Record stocks, domestic consumption at 20 liters per capita, and grape prices down as much as 30%. Consortia are denouncing a structural crisis in the Regional Council.
  • Passopisciaro, Etna according to Andrea Franchetti. The story of one of the volcano’s iconic wineries: districts, centuries-old vines, and an identity-driven vision that continues to inspire Etna DOC.
  • Baglio di Pianetto: A New Etna Path The Etna project is entering a mature phase: fresher and more elegant local wines, positioned at an accessible price, after five experimental vintages.
  • Corte Normanna (Sannio) Relaunch of historic labels and strong focus on Falanghina sparkling wines: Classic Method and Charmat become central to the production model.
  • Pisoni (Trentino) Since 1852, the winery-distillery has been valorizing grape pomace by transforming it into high-quality grappa: a concrete example of the circular economy applied to wine.
  • Castello di Spessa and Villa Russiz (Collio) Two iconic estates in the Gorizia Collio area: history, elegance, tourism, and a great tradition of white wines.
  • The vineyard by the sea (Maremma) A small organic farm in Capalbio, born from a lifestyle choice: quality, nature, and participation in the Slow Wine Fair.
  • Malabaila (Roero) 664 years of winemaking history: one of Piedmont’s oldest wineries showcases its region as a key identity and cultural embassy abroad.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN OENOLOGY

Regulations, internal market, sustainability and new trajectories.

  • Structural crisis in Italian wine. Piedmont is a case in point: falling grape prices, high inventories, and denominations under pressure.
  • Vineyard renewal: Lombardy allocates over 5 million EAAG funds for the 2026–2027 campaign, aiming to strengthen PDO and PGI products (which account for 90% of regional production).
  • Organic under scrutiny: FederBio. Abandoning organic is a strategic mistake. After growth, the sector is entering a phase of adjustment, but it remains crucial for climate and competitiveness.
  • Drones and Precision Agriculture : The Simplification Bill gives the green light to trials of pesticide treatments using drones. The Masaf implementing decree is expected by March.
  • Unsold Barbera and Dolcetto: Thousands of Piedmontese companies are struggling: declining trade, rising inventories, and falling yields and prices.
  • Chianti and Morellino di Scansano: Production is declining, but quality is high. Chianti is looking to new markets (Africa and India), while Morellino is growing domestically.
  • Rankings and territories The best Ligurian white wines near Sanremo according to Gambero Rosso: Vermentino and Pigato as identity flags.
  • Wine and health Nutrition and metabolism: the food context matters as much as the calories in wine.
  • Carlo Petrini: A New Regeneration for Wine. Forty years after the methanol scandal, wine needs a new ethical, cultural, and production pact.

INTERNATIONAL

Clear signals: overproduction, falling consumption, and financial tensions.

  • Jancis Robinson: “Too much wine.” Too much unsold wine around the world. Australia, France, and New Zealand are struggling with declining exports and production models that need rethinking.
  • EU exports in decline. Bottled PDO wines have lost €424 million in three years. An overall decline of 2.8% in value.
  • Treasury Wine Estate in crisis. The Australian giant closed the first half of the year with operating income down 39.6%, write-downs of over AUD 770 million, and a halt to dividends.

WINE EVENTS AND SYSTEM

Trade fairs, EU policies, and new promotional platforms.

  • The Best Italian Wines – Rome EUR 25th edition of the event hosted by Luca and Francesca Romana Maroni. The 2026 focus is on dealcohol-free and low-alcohol wines.
  • FuoriVinifera (Trentino) 100 Alpine winemakers among cellars, palaces, and vineyards: the event changes format and territory.
  • Cristina Mercuri, the first Italian Master of Wine. A historic milestone for education and equality in the wine world.
  • EU Wine Package approved. Green light from the European Parliament: new rules on dealcohol products, labeling, and market instruments.
  • Wine and Sicily Package: Concrete opportunities for one of Italy’s key wine regions: competitiveness, related industries, and employment.
  • Wines Experience: A new international platform for promoting Italian wine in the UK, Vietnam, and Mexico.

Thanks for listening. Today’s wine press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT .

See you tomorrow.

Wine Trends and Performance in Italy — Week 16–20 February 2026

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The week of February 16–20, 2026, shows a sector that is holding steady in “certified” quality volumes, but experiencing growing industrial tension: weak global demand, slowing exports, bulk prices under pressure and inventories that continue to rise despite a “contained” 2025 harvest.

The result is a two-speed Italian wine industry: DOP, whites, and sparkling wines are more resilient, while reds and “generic/IGT” labels are suffering much more.

In the background, a structural theme emerges: fragmentation of denominations and, simultaneously, greater industrial concentration in certified volumes.

1) Bottling 2025: -2.1% overall, but the DOP range is growing

Valoritalia data (updated to December 31, 2025) indicates an overall decline of -2.1% compared to 2024 in certified bottling. However, the message is not a “collapse,” but rather a stabilization : volumes remain higher than pre-Covid , and the contraction is considered limited .

Inside that -2.1% is the most interesting part:

  • DOC/DOCG: 1% (on an annual basis and compared to the average of the last three years) → “organized” quality continues to act as a driving force, especially for exports.
  • IGT: -12% compared to 2024 (and -10% on the average of the previous three years) → net decline of the largest and often most “commodity” or least identifiable segment.

Strategic reading: the market is rewarding identity, recognisability and positioning , penalising what is perceived as “interchangeable”.

2) The demand is changing: whites, rosés, and sparkling wines are ahead; reds are slowing down significantly.

The typological divide is now structural and will become even more evident in 2025:

  • Sparkling wines: 1%
  • Rosé: 5.7%
  • Still whites: 2.7%
  • Rossi: over -13%

What it really means: It’s not just “trend.” It’s a shift in consumption (in Italy and around the world) toward fresher, less demanding wines , often more compatible with new drinking styles and a growing awareness of alcohol, lightness, and immediacy. Regions historically associated with full-bodied reds risk paying a double price: declining demand and stagnant inventory.

3) Micro-denominations: many acronyms, little critical mass (and more vulnerability)

The appellation breakdown by size is a key point this week. The micro-appellations (under 10,000 hl) are:

  • 70% of certified DOs , but
  • only 2% of bottled volumes , and in 2025 they will be -7.2% (worse than average).

The dynamics by size range show that critical mass matters :

  • 10–20,000 hl: 3%
  • 20–50,000 hl: -4.7%
  • 50–150,000 hl: 4%
  • over 150,000 hl: -2.7%

Diagnosis: Micro-DOs struggle to cope with market fluctuations, costs, and commercial complexity. Having a name isn’t enough: you need a strong structure (a strong consortium, planning, promotion, and channels).

4) Production structure: hyper-fragmented at the base, concentrated at the top

The numbers confirm a sector made up of many small operators and very few large ones:

  • over 75% of certified bottlers sell less than 65,000 bottles
  • only 171 companies (3.2%) exceed 1.3 million bottles
  • the first 5 operators bottle 18% of the total certified volumes, despite being 0.1% in number

Implication: competition is no longer just “product vs. product,” but increasingly an organized system vs. fragmented system . Small businesses must choose: either they become ultra-specialized and premium , or they merge (commercially or industrially).

5) The major industrial hub: stable production, but growing inventories

Here lies the “paradox” that is squeezing margins and financial serenity.

  • 2025 harvest: 44.38 million hl (approximately 0.7% compared to 2024)
  • Wine stocks: 61 million hl ( 6% per year)
  • Wine and must stocks: almost 68 million hl ( 7.5% )

According to UIV, after two campaigns of just over 44 million hl, even these volumes are no longer sustainable if demand is not absorbed.

Where the surplus is concentrated:

  • common/varietal wines: 11.3%
  • White IGT: 10.5%
  • DOP: 3.6% (more stable, but still increasing)

Immediate effect on the market:

  • Cellar sales: -20% compared to 2024 peaks
  • Bulk prices: weak, with common whites down over 10% in several areas

Brutal translation: more inventory = more idle capital = more pressure on prices and liquidity, especially for those operating in segments less protected by brands/names.

6) Exports and markets: relative stability, but the direction is still negative

The international picture remains complex. The aforementioned analyses (Nomisma Wine Monitor) report a 3% decline in the value of Italian exports , in a context where other competitors (Australia, Chile, France) are performing worse. It’s a “victory on points,” not a triumph.

On the US front and trade tensions, UIV reports:

  • US shipments 2025 estimated -9% in value
  • extra-EU around -6.5%
  • many companies have reduced their price lists by ~10% to defend their shares (margins under stress)

At the same time, in the US alcohol market, wine is declining (-3.5%) , while ready-to-drink products are growing strongly (16.4%), i.e. simpler, cheaper and “immediate” to enjoy.

The underlying message: simply “being present” in traditional markets isn’t enough. We need to reallocate our energies to third-party markets , trade agreements (Mercosur/India), and a more aggressive and continuous presence on the markets.

7) Data, control and planning: TESSA and the new reporting system for Consortia

An often underestimated but strategic point: data quality becomes a competitive lever.

Valoritalia is pushing the TESSA platform (developed with Microsoft) to process the movements of over 90,000 companies across 219 certified denominations , and is introducing monthly reporting for Consortia with indicators on:

  • sampling, bottling
  • bulk sales/transfers
  • downgrades/reclassifications
  • analytical parameters, stocks, volumes
  • socioeconomic indicators (members/non-members, concentration indices)

Why it matters: in 2026, those who know how to plan (supply, yields, inventories, channels) will win, not those who “suffer” the market.

What this week really tells us (in one sentence)

Italian wine enters 2026 with a supply chain that relies on organised quality , but must face an industrial challenge that cannot be postponed: too many inventories compared to demand , with the need for production flexibility, organisational consolidation and commercial repositioning .