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Wine press review for Thursday December 4 – 2025

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News on Italian wine and oenology.

The selection encompasses the entire wine ecosystem: Italian wineries, wine trends, the international market, and events.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Colli Euganei Winery – A Revolution in the Vineyards. Red wine production is at an all-time low: winemakers are weeding out red grapes, while white wines—both still and sparkling—are gaining in demand. The latest harvest marks a definitive turning point.

Bibenda 2026 – Three Pontine wineries awarded the Cinque Grappoli (Five Grapes) award: Casale del Giglio, Marco Carpineti, and Colle di Maggio, among Lazio’s top wines. A gala celebrating 764 Italian wines before 1,250 guests.

Guide to the 2026 Italian Wineries – Sicily Takes Center Stage: Murgo Wins the “Cantine Golose” Special Award: Etna Confirms Its Role as an Elite Destination for Italian Wine Tourism.

Underwater Aging – Cantine Carputo presents its new “sea wines”: Falanghina Metodo Classico aged for 12 months underwater: calmer perlage and a mineral finesse recognized by AIS tasters.

Tenuta Il Plino – Two labels among the AIS Quattro Viti excellences for the Romagna Albana Passito DOCG 2021 and the Sangiovese Riserva 2020: confirmation of Romagna’s qualitative growth.

Borgo del Tiglio Winery – Floods wipe out the vintage. Extreme weather events devastate the Collio area: only the 2025 production remains.

Masseria Celentano – “Alto Confort” Award The Alberto Longo winery (Puglia) awarded by Go Wine for excellence in hospitality.

Vitevis Wineries – Turnover of €69.6 million (-5%). Exports grow (13%), while the domestic market declines (-8%). Packaged wines perform well.

Terre d’Aglianico – Gold at the 2024 EBE Città del Vino Competition , Falanghina del Sannio takes first prize: a victory of style and production rigor.

Bottega del Vino opens in Cortina. This national icon’s first location outside of Verona: 4,100 labels in Verona, 1,500 in the new opening at altitude.

ITALIAN WINE AND OENOLOGY

Piwi – The resilient future of European wine. Grape varieties resistant to powdery mildew and downy mildew: a new sustainable paradigm, the result of a long scientific history from the early twentieth century to today’s frontiers.

Amarone della Valpolicella – Gambero Rosso’s 13 Best Elegance over power: the Corvina wines display an increasingly contemporary style.

Digitalization of Wineries – Digital Taste 2025: LinkedIn dominates, TikTok struggles. Tenute Piccini tops the list for digitalization; Antinori honored for its social media strategy; Herita Marzotto first in the “Carbon Neutral” category.

Previews – How a wine preview works. The dynamics, rituals, and behind-the-scenes behind events like Benvenuto Brunello: an army of tasters taking on a sensory marathon.

Federvini – The supply chain holds up 2025 despite US tariffs: Italy is performing better than its global competitors, with exports more resilient than the international average.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS AND GLOBAL SCENARIOS

US Tariffs – €110 Million Lost in Three Months. Italian and French producers are cutting prices by 15–26% to remain competitive, but American distributors are raising final prices. Compressed margins and weak orders: the UIV is sounding the alarm.

Leonardo Committee Meeting – Wine as a Strategic Axis of Made in Italy. The sector is worth €16 billion, with €8 billion in exports. Dompé: AI and research are crucial to addressing climate change, globalization, and new supply chains.

WINE EVENTS

Immaculate Conception Long Weekend – A weekend of food and wine festivals, markets, and celebrations. From north to south, Italy lights up the winter with tastings, crafts, Christmas traditions, and new taste experiences.

Svitati 2025 in Saluzzo – The Festival of the Unexpected An event that blends wine, music, and culture: an open book for those who love to explore the new without losing their connection with tradition.

Nebbiolo Prima – Thirty-Year Anniversary in Alba 250 labels, 170 wineries, 40 journalists from around the world: the new Nebbiolo vintages are conquering the international scene.

FIVI Independent Winegrowers’ Market – A success in Bologna with 28,000 visitors in three days: a journey through the Italian artisanal wine world, more coherent and expressive than ever before.

Open Cellars at Christmas 2025 – Veneto in celebration. Tastings, warm atmospheres, guided tours, markets, and tailor-made experiences for families and enthusiasts.

Wine Course for the Blind and Visually Impaired – ONAV and UICI Training, inclusion, and participation: a pioneering project that opens new professional and cultural avenues.

Digital Wineries – The Top 10 for 2025

Piccini, Mezzacorona, Frescobaldi, Villa Sandi, Antinori, Cavit, Zonin1821, La Marca, GIV, and Terre Cevico make up the top ten in digital communication, including social media, e-commerce, and multichannel languages.

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

The world of wine is a vibrant organism: what happens in the vineyards resonates in markets, consumption styles, and narratives. Tomorrow we will discover new trajectories.

Wine press review for Tuesday December 2 – 2025!

with:

News on Italian wine and oenology.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Cantina La-Vis – “Portraits”: art, sustainability, and social responsibility in a single project. A new line of six wines illustrates the harmony between humanity and nature through the illustrations of artist Margherita Paoletti. The launch coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with a charity event in support of Telefono Rosa.

Le Colture – Cartizze: elegance for the holidays Le Colture’s Valdobbiadene DOCG Spumante Superiore di Cartizze confirms its status as a symbol of finesse: an extremely fine perlage, aromas of ripe fruit, and a perfectly recognizable story of the territory.

Torrevilla – AIS Lombardia Winemaker of the Year: Gabriele Picchi For the first time, AIS Lombardia has established the “Winemaker of the Year” award, awarding it to Gabriele Picchi for his work in selection, research, and quality improvement in Oltrepò Pavese.

Colterenzio Winery – New President: Franz Pardatscher. After 18 years as president of Niedermayr, Pardatscher, an oenologist and winemaker from Appiano, takes over the helm. This marks the beginning of a phase of consolidation and responsible renewal for the winery.

Cantina De Vigili – Mountain bubbles at 850 meters A vineyard located between 800 and 850 meters above sea level in the Spormaggiore area promises a sparkling wine with a distinctive “altitude” character, with the Brenta massif acting as a natural sentinel.

Enrico Serafino – Special Visit to the Canale Winery The winery welcomes guests of the “Il Girasole” day center: a simple and authentic experience that brings people closer to the culture of wine through firsthand experience and genuine curiosity.

Surprising Calabria – 56 wineries on display From November 29th to December 2nd, the press tour showcases a rapidly evolving region: Cosenza is the first stop on a journey involving producers, journalists, and international buyers.

Brescia’s Wineries Between Franciacorta and Garda – Top-Rated Wine Tourism. In Go Wine’s “Cantine d’Italia 2026” guide, Brescia takes center stage thanks to its quality hospitality and landscape. Bellavista is among the 25 wineries with “Tre Impronte” (Three Imprints).

La Sabbiona – Special Award for the Famous “VIP” Ravenna PGI The recovery of a historic aromatic grape variety becomes a virtuous case: the “Buono… non lo noto!” award celebrates a journey that began 18 years ago and is now recognized nationally.

MASI – New Wine Bar & Restaurant at Verona Airport The Masi Wine Bar & Restaurant opens in the renovated Catullo Airport, bringing the Veneto food and wine experience to the area’s main tourist hub.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN OENOLOGY

The Lost Classicism of Brunello: The Debate Continues. Winemaker Filippo Paoletti weighs in on the editorial criticizing the stylistic evolution of some Brunellos from Southern Montalcino. One firm point: going backwards would mean invasive techniques and results that are inconsistent with today’s terroir.

Circular Economy in the Winery – The Caviro Model Recovery, regeneration of by-products, and supply chain integration: Caviro presents an industrial model that transforms sustainability into an economic lever, not a mere slogan.

UIV relaunches “Enotria” – The wine magazine is back. The historic periodical founded in 1921 is relaunching after fourteen years: two annual issues, in print and digital, to give voice to wine culture and the memory of the sector.

The “Clinto” wine is on the way to European rehabilitation. The EU Agriculture Commission is open to the possibility of marketing “Clintòn,” a wine banned for nearly a century. Veneto celebrates, with historic festivals and studies on its oenological potential.

Vinci – Wine as a Territorial Network The Municipality of Vinci presents its agricultural and cultural development projects: a model that links landscape, events, and local products into a single narrative of identity.

Roma Vino 2025 – All the Award Winners Over 230 wines from Lazio compete, with a professional jury rewarding quality, innovation, and a strong connection to the region in the evocative setting of the Temple of Hadrian.

INTERNATIONAL

Romania – A Silent Giant of European Wine With 187,000 hectares and 3.6 million hectoliters (OIV data), Romania remains the world’s eighth-largest vineyard producer. Historical and cultural ties with Italy make this market increasingly attractive.

Italian exports under pressure – Extraordinary measures are needed. UIV raises the alarm: tariffs, an unfavorable exchange rate, and declining purchasing power risk curbing exports. The government is allocating €100 million annually (2026–2028) to promote exports abroad.

WINE EVENTS

Sparkle 2026 – A Roman success with 1,500 visitors. 92 labels awarded the “5 Spheres,” nearly 1,000 wines in the guide, and a growing audience: Italian sparkling wines continue to attract attention and curiosity.

Venicepromex – “Land of Wine Stars” with Chef Chiara Pavan. The initiative highlights wine as the defining language of the Veneto region. Chef Pavan shares her vision of sustainable cuisine and the connections between produce and landscape.

Advent Calendar – Day 1: Praeclarus Metodo Classico Since 1979, a symbol of Alto Adige sparkling wine: hand-picked grapes, rigorous classic method, and three versions available today that tell the story of a terroir that thrives on precision and freshness.

COLUMN – PEOPLE AND IDEAS

Piero Antinori – “I’m still searching for the perfect wine.” At 87, the Marchese recounts his never-ending quest: an ideal wine, capable of embodying an idea rather than a style. Among memories, Tignanello, and an unquenchable thought.

Thanks for listening. Today’s press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT . Let’s follow the thread of these stories: each one reveals how the sector continues to evolve, even when no one notices.

Wine press review for Monday December 1 – 2025!

with:

News on Italian wine and oenology.

Italian wineries

  • Borgo del Tiglio, a landmark winery hit by landslide and flood (Friuli). In Brazzano, on Mount Quarin, a landslide and flood devastated the historic Borgo del Tiglio winery: 17th-century buildings damaged, historic vineyards compromised, an archive of 10,000 bottles destroyed, and 60,000 bottles from the 2025 vintage trapped underground. The economic damage amounts to several million euros, and recovery times are long, due to the red zone and safety restrictions.
  • Oniwines (Oniverse) focuses on Trentodoc “mountain bubbles.” Federico Veronesi (Oniwines, Oniverse group – Calzedonia, Falconeri, Signorvino) describes a counter-current growth strategy in a shrinking market: six wineries in Lazio, Sardinia, Marche, Piedmont, and Veneto, and now the “Ert1050” project in Trentodoc, focusing on territorial identity and wine tourism.
  • “Cathedral” Trentodoc Altemasi: Cavit invests €26 million in Ravina. In response to the consumer crisis and competitive pressure, Cavit is investing €26 million in a new winery dedicated to Trentodoc Altemasi . This is a strong signal of the strategic role of mountain sparkling wines in the group’s future growth.
  • Rome Wine Award 2025: Lazio takes center stage with Famiglia Cotarella and Cantina Stefanoni. In the Hall of the Temple of Vibia Sabina and Adriano in Rome, the Rome Wine Award 2025 ceremony showcases Lazio’s finest wines. Recognition goes to the Viterbo-based wineries Famiglia Cotarella and Cantina Stefanoni , with the aim of supporting quality, exports, and new entrepreneurship (both young and female).
  • The Langhe is firmly established among the world’s elite of “fine wines.” In the 2025 international rankings of top wines and Europe’s best producers, the Langhe has firmly established itself among the world’s elite: among the names cited, Angelo Gaja (Barbaresco) and Giacomo Conterno appear alongside giants such as Egon Müller, Vega Sicilia, Krug, and Château Latour. Italy’s high-end winemaking is consolidating its global status.
  • Trevéz, three young people revitalizing old vineyards in Bologna. The Trevéz project was born from the meeting of three young winemakers and agronomists trained in Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, and California. Their strategic choice: to lease very old, often abandoned, vineyards and enhance them with careful management. An example of a new urban entrepreneurship that reinterprets the land with technical expertise.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

  • Sondrio: €45 million for heroic agriculture and tourism. The Lombardy Region has approved the 2025 Territorial Development Framework Agreement for the province of Sondrio: over €45 million earmarked for projects that combine heroic agriculture, public water management, and tourism development in an entirely mountainous area. Key resources also for terraced vineyards.
  • “Lives of Langa and Roero”: Petrini and Tibaldi recount a peasant civilization. The book “Lives of Langa and Roero – Social Transformations of a Peasant Civilization” by Carlo Petrini and Paolo Tibaldi is being presented at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. A journey that unites history, culture, wine, and collective identity, including Savoy courts, farms, the dignity of labor, climate change, sustainable tourism, and the future of local communities.
  • Budget and wine: between micro-regulations and the Wine Museum proposal. The package of amendments to the budget includes “micro-regulations” that also affect the sector: from strengthening the structure against blue crabs to the Wine Museum , including protection of the buffalo milk supply chain. These are signs of attention, but also regulatory fragmentation.
  • Primitivo “di Manduria” from a nonexistent winery: the K-Tipp case. An investigation by the Swiss monthly K-Tipp exposes the Primitivo di Manduria 1488 DOP “Fratelli Leporetti,” sold in Landi supermarkets: the producer in Puglia doesn’t exist. The label, designed to evoke authenticity and territory, is actually a fictitious one. The central theme: protecting denominations, transparency for consumers, and protecting the image of Italian wine abroad.
  • The Return of Autumn Wine: New Wine, Mulled Wine, and Rural Memories. Between San Martino and Christmas, the season of new wine , mulled wine , and cellar traditions returns: innkeepers and families once roamed Cellatica, Botticino, Garda, and Franciacorta to select the wine to keep at home year-round. A tale that intertwines rural memory, local tradition, and modern consumption.
  • Restaurants overwhelmed by storms: hospitality and resilience. From Tuscan restaurants like Osteria delle Terme in Massacciuccoli to chef Antonia Klugmann’s appeal in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the restaurant industry reports extensive damage but also impressive gestures of solidarity. Customers and communities shovel mud alongside restaurateurs: wine is once again a symbol of sociality, even in climate emergencies.
  • 2025 Harvest: Piedmontese Wine Cooperation Between Quality and Low Yields. The cooperative wineries belonging to Confcooperative Piemonte describe a high-quality 2025 vintage, but with low yields and a complex market. The cooperative model emerges as a tool for resilience: sharing expertise, supporting members, and the ability to transform challenges into opportunities for growth.
  • Varvaglione (UIV): More resources for promotion, exports must be protected. Marzia Varvaglione, vice president of the Italian Wine Union , welcomes the inclusion of €100 million per year for the three-year period 2026–2028 for promotion and internationalization activities. With tariffs, the falling dollar, and declining purchasing power, a significant portion of these resources is considered vital to protecting Italian wine exports.
  • Marsala nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status along with the wines of the “Sun Belt.” Marsala , a historic Sicilian wine, is nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status along with Jerez, Madeira, Porto, and Samos. The goal is to protect the landscapes, production practices, and traditions associated with the great fortified wines of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, strengthening the cultural and tourism positioning of these regions.

International

  • Global sparkling wine exports reach €8.5 billion, with Prosecco the global driving force. According to a Del Ray Analysts of Wine Markets analysis, global sparkling wine exports are worth €8.51 billion as of July 2025 (up 0.4% in volume, down 0.6% in value). The average price is €7.83/liter , the highest among all wine types, although slightly declining. Italy, France, and Spain account for 85% of the value and 75% of the volume; Prosecco is the sparkling wine that has grown the most in recent years, confirming its status as an international phenomenon.
  • The decline of the “American wine empire” (Napa and Sonoma) California viticulture is experiencing its most serious crisis since Prohibition: tariffs, excess inventory, changing consumer habits, and a recent, very generous harvest have saturated warehouses. Some Napa and Sonoma winemakers are even forced to uproot vineyards, raising profound questions about the business model of high-end American wine.
  • Swiss wine at 2.19 francs: the race to the bottom is crushing producers. At the meeting of the Swiss Farmers’ Union, the scandal erupted over bottles of Dôle and Chasselas selling for less than 3 francs (as low as 2.19). With such low margins, someone in the supply chain is footing the bill, and it’s not large-scale retail trade: producers are denouncing an unsustainable model, squeezed between rising costs and price pressure.

Wine events, culture and tourism

  • Alba: Presentation of “Vite di Langa e Roero” (December 10) At the Teatro Sociale G. Busca in Alba , on December 10th at 8:45 pm, Carlo Petrini and Paolo Tibaldi will present their book “Vite di Langa e Roero.” Free admission, an evening dedicated to rural memory and the relationship between history, wine, and community, in a region that is a symbol of Italian winemaking.
  • Orte in Cantina: a food and wine trail through the historic village. “Orte in Cantina” takes place between the last Sunday in November and the first in December: an itinerary featuring wine tastings, traditional products, and tours of the historic center. The event blends sensory experience and cultural discovery, transforming the village into a small, scattered wine city.
  • Christmas in the Cellar 2025 – Tuglie (Salento) In Tuglie , in the heart of the Ionian Salento area of Gallipoli, “Christmas in the Cellar 2025” kicks off at the Peparussu Winery – House of Traditions: music, food, crafts, solidarity, and popular memories until January 6th. On December 1st, the book “Da quando t’ho trovato” by Don Cosimo Schena will be presented, with a public discussion and free admission.
  • AIS Piemonte: 60 Years of the Italian Sommelier Association with Conferences and Tastings. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the AIS, the Piedmontese group is organizing four days of events—until December 1st—including conferences, tastings, and training sessions. The key message: sommeliers are not a “caste,” but a cultural bridge between wine, the region, and the consumer.

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

See you tomorrow.

STRATEGIC BRIEFING – WORLD OF WINE

with:

Information date: November 30, 2025

1. Italy: Market Dynamics Domestic demand remains flat: zero growth in the large-scale retail channel over the last eight weeks, negative growth in the entry-level segments, and only premium IGT wines held steady. Food service continues to represent the key driver of margins, but orders are more selective and focused on brands with strong storytelling or recent awards. Price pressure: food price inflation is receding, but internal logistics have not yet normalized and are impacting the costs of small and medium-sized wineries.

2. Italian Exports: A Realistic Picture. The US is holding up, although shelf rotation at major retailers has lengthened by about 10–12 days. Sparkling wines are performing well in North America, with Prosecco slightly eroding in the UK. Germany is stable, but lacking momentum: greater innovation is needed in positioning, not product. China remains fragile, with cautious importers and slow turnover: opportunities only for established and highly structured wineries. Interest is growing from Southeast Asia (South Korea and Vietnam are more reactive).

3. Vineyards and agronomy The 2025 harvest confirms a two-speed Italy: North and Central Italy with regular yields, while the South is under stress due to irregular climatic peaks. Many wineries are recalibrating their planting plans toward more resilient grape varieties. Agricultural costs remain high, but energy is more predictable and allows for more accurate planning for 2026.

4. International competition. France is relying on the narrative of excellence to defend its margins, while the Spanish are aggressively entering the medium-high segments with more competitive prices. The New World is showing signs of maturity: Australia and New Zealand are curbing production, aiming for a more premium repositioning. The United States is pushing the domestic market, rather than exports.

5. Global consumption trends: Consumers are seeking “readable” wines: less extraction, more drinkability. The most reactive categories are fresh whites and classic methods, while structured reds only thrive if they have a strong brand behind them. Sparkling wines are still growing, but at a slower pace. Selective premiumization only works where there is traceability and a real reputation.

6. Finance and M&A (Italy Europe) In the last quarter, there was a growing appetite for acquisitions of small and medium-sized producers with recognizable brands or valuable land assets. Funds are returning, but with two conditions: clean EBITDA and clear governance. Multiples remain largely stable: 6–8x for well-managed companies, higher for companies with a strong export share or high-value land. There is also growing interest in mineral water due to logistical and commercial synergies.

7. Immediate operational opportunities: Repositioning historic labels towards more contemporary lines. Strengthening the HoReCa channel through professional ambassadorships in key cities. Reviewing export contracts through 2026 to protect margins and payment terms. For those considering M&A: today, it is advantageous to target players with succession issues or with excess inventory that are squeezing liquidity.

8. Risks to monitor: Weather still unpredictable, with unreliable seasonal patterns. Uncertainty about post-energy UK demand. Possible US-EU tariffs on alcohol if the technology dispute resumes.

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