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Wine press review for Thursday, February 5, 2026

with:

Wineries, Italian wine producers, and wine news.

Italian wineries

  • Caviro Group relaunches Tavernello. A new national campaign featuring Nino Frassica for the iconic brand of the world’s best-selling Italian wine. Industry-standard numbers: 36,000 hectares, 11,500 winemakers, 150 million liters in 90 markets. This move reaffirms the role of cooperatives as a productive and commercial infrastructure.
  • Edoardo Freddi acquires a majority stake in Agriment. The company specializes in the export of over 60 wineries, closing 2025 with a 6% revenue share. Skepticism about alcohol-free wine as a structural market solution.
  • A collector opens a super wine shop in Milan. Fabio Cagnetti takes years of collecting and trading rare wines offline. A project focused on fine wines, a climate-controlled cellar, and an informal approach: experiential retail evolves.
  • Franchini and Amarone above a Roman villa. In Negrar, archaeology and viticulture intertwine: excavations funded by the company have revealed a 3rd-century Roman cellar. Cultural heritage becomes a lever for wine tourism and identity.
  • Cà du Ferrà, Liguria’s Resistance Heroic viticulture in Bonassola: reclaiming the terraces, slowness as a method, and landscape as an agricultural choice, not just a backdrop.
  • Vogadori Winery opens to bulk wines. A weekend dedicated to direct sales in Valpolicella: authenticity, direct contact with consumers, and a short supply chain as a concrete response to new consumer trends.
  • Cantina Pizzolato at Winter House Milan focuses on organic sparkling wines and non-alcoholic ready-to-drinks. In the US, the brand is #1 in organic sparkling wines, with triple-digit growth: a clear and consistent positioning.
  • Cantina Tollo presents the TO BE line: fresh, low-alcohol wines with a contemporary style to appeal to international markets and younger consumers. Preview at Wine Paris.
  • Ammura (Tommasi Family Estates) at Wine Paris Presentation of the new Etna Rosso and Bianco vintages and of Liuni Etna Rosso DOC: continuity in the valorization of a complex and highly recognizable terroir.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

  • Lollobrigida: “The decline in US exports is not a tragedy.” At the Masaf wine meeting, a joint discussion was held: dealcoholization has been shelved, and now the focus is on the CMO, CAP, and production containment. Caution regarding eradications, and the central role of agriculture in protecting the territory.
  • Valpolicella: not just styles, but identity rituals. From Amarone Opera Prima, a historical-cultural rereading of the denominations: communicating wine beyond technique, basing the story on coherence and historical truth.
  • Marchesini: The future lies between integrated production and the end of widespread drying. The SQNPI protocol is growing (47%), while organic production is declining (-9%) due to climate change. Practical sustainability is replacing ideological sustainability.
  • CMO Wine grants in Lombardy: €3.7 million to 139 companies for investments in wineries, hospitality, e-commerce, and innovation. Only one company in Como received funding: a marginal but confirmed presence.
  • Canned wine is growing (outside Italy). This alternative packaging is driven by convenience, informal consumption, and a lower environmental impact. It remains a niche market, but it appeals to young lifestyles.
  • Health and Red Wine: The debate on the cardiovascular benefits of moderate consumption is returning: a sensitive topic that requires balanced and scientifically responsible communication.

International

  • New resistant grape varieties: Agroscope’s “magnificent 7.” After 15 years of research, seven varieties resistant to downy mildew and powdery mildew have been identified. This is a strong signal for the future of European viticulture, including climate change.
  • Concours Mondial de Bruxelles rethinks communication Medals are no longer enough: we need understandable narratives, capable of speaking to young people and occasional consumers in a shrinking market.

Wine events

  • Milan–Cortina 2026: a global showcase for food and wine. Between the Olympics, fine dining, and luxury hospitality, Italian wine becomes a tool for cultural diplomacy and regional branding.
  • Amarone Opera Prima n.22 Verona at the center of the debate on Valpolicella between identity, communication, and production models.
  • Wine Paris 2026 Strong Italian presence: Brunello di Montalcino with 53 companies and a consortium wine bar, Ammura, Cantina Tollo and many other internationally oriented companies.
  • Wine tourism boom. The AITE–SRM report for FINE Wine Tourism Marketplace Italy confirms: less wine consumed, more value generated in the winery. Hospitality becomes a strategic asset.
  • Best Wine Hospitality Manager 2026 Hospitality professionals rewarded: people are back at the center of brand value.
  • Roero, wine and truffles From the Gathering of the Trifulau emerges a territorial model integrated between viticulture, gastronomy and local identity.
  • Fieragricola Verona Zaia reiterates: Veneto is Italy’s second-largest agricultural region, and first for wine. Agriculture is an identity, even before production.
  • DOC Sicilia: San Valentino and San Faustino Communication that combines ritual, conscious consumption, and the adaptability of wines to different moments in life.
  • UNESCO Prosecco Hills: Nearly €1 million for a visitor center and cultural projects: tourism, youth, and sustainability as long-term strategic axes.

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Wine press review for Wednesday February 4 -2026

with:

Italian wineries and producers, wine news.

Italian wineries

Barbera d’Asti’s resurgence enters the world’s top 10. Wine Spectator has recognized Chiarlo’s “Le Orme” among the great international wines. This recognition completes a journey that began in the 1960s: from a popular wine to a global icon of Monferrato.

Marilina Winery, Val di Noto. The Paternò family focuses on native, organic grape varieties. Limestone soils, Mediterranean winds, and manual farming create a coherent vision of identity and sustainability.

Baglio di Pianetto launches the 2026 Manifesto, “Wine Knows No Bad Intentions”: a campaign manifesto that refocuses wine as a cultural, landscape, and social phenomenon. Six principles for a new narrative of Sicilian wine.

Le Crode, mountain grappa in Belluno Vincenzo Agostini keeps alive the only active distillery in the province of Belluno, restoring the historic building and still: artisan resistance at high altitude.

Bosca presents the Luigi Bosca dealcoholized Rosso. A zero-alcohol red that surprises with its drinkability and identity. Not a sacrifice, but a new way of drinking. Bosca confirms its pioneering vision of no/low alcohol.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Langhe Nebbiolo in bag-in-box format: an open debate. Young producers are in favor, but small wineries are divided. The format is seen as a solution to unsold stock and a response to Northern Europe, but fears of reputational impact remain.

Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato, a grape variety saved from oblivion. The story of Don Giacomo Cauda and a unique semi-aromatic grape variety, now a DOCG, that tells the story of a less obvious Piedmont.

Mountain wines, the excellence of the Alps. From Valtellina to the Dolomites, 15 labels symbolizing heroic viticulture ready to shine at the Milan-Cortina 2026 race.

Valpolicella: less organic, more integrated pest management. Membership of the SQNPI (Self-Protection System) is growing: pragmatic sustainability, cost control, and greater climate adaptability. Over 53% of the land is already involved.

Amarone 2021: a complex vintage, consistent wines Presented at Amarone Opera Prima 2026: irregular climate, careful management and a return to freshness and acidity as a stylistic feature.

Plant diseases: €2 million to agricultural businesses. Condifesa TVB completes settlements for damage to vineyards and arable land: the first operational case of fully functioning mutual funds in Europe.

International

Northern Sardinia conquers Denmark. Promocamera’s mission to Copenhagen: 15 wineries, over 80 operators met. The Danish market confirms its position as a strategic hub for Scandinavia.

Too much wine, too few sales: the sector under pressure. Over 8 billion bottles remain unsold in Italy. Analyses indicate a structural decline in European volumes by 2035.

Pizzolato Winery partners with Winter House Milano 2026. Focus on the USA and a Zero Alcohol proposal for the Olympic context: sparkling and non-alcoholic RTDs for a contemporary and inclusive toast.

Wine events

Slow Wine Fair 2026: Historic Vintages Take Center Stage. The Wine Bank showcases time as a value: older vintages compared to current ones.

Italian City of Wine 2026–2027. The Castelli Romani region will hand over to Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Vulture. For the first time, two regions will unite.

Pompeii returns to producing organic wine. A unique winery is born in the Archaeological Park, in collaboration with Feudi di San Gregorio: wine as a cultural and scientific project.

Let’s Drink South: Calabria Takes Center Stage. Record results for the seventh edition: nine award-winning labels and two new regional ambassadors.

Vito Oddo won a double award for his Amber “Re Siculo” as Best Orange Wine and Best Label at the Beviamoci Sud Festival.

Vinario4 opens at Rome’s Mercato Centrale: a new space showcasing wine, cuisine, local produce, and sustainability.

WineAI Forum – Alba, May 8, 2026 International conference on artificial intelligence and digital innovation applied to viticulture.

Food and wine events 6–8 February 2026 Festivals, fairs, and tastings throughout Italy, with Milan already in an Olympic mood.

Today’s wine press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT . See you tomorrow.

Wine press review for Tuesday February 3 -2026

with:

Italian wineries and producers, wine news.

Italian wineries

Wine as a choice, not a defense. Martin Foradori Hofstätter ‘s contribution opens a lucid discussion on the future of wine: communication, territory, the consumer crisis, and no/low-alcohol wines as a possible path. This presentation invites the sector to govern change, not endure it.

Cantina Marilina (Val di Noto): identity and native grape varieties. A Sicilian family history founded on organic farming, respect for the soil, and the valorization of local grape varieties in one of the Mediterranean’s most favorable climates.

Nove Lune: PIWI Gold for its passito “Theia.” The Cenate Sopra winery stands out at the 5th National PIWI Wine Show, confirming the qualitative potential of resilient and sustainable viticulture.

Orsogna Winery: wine, biodiversity, and folk culture. From the revival of native grape varieties to the peasant devotion to Saint Anthony the Abbot, wine becomes a vehicle for cultural identity and collective memory.

Nals Margreid: three whites, three vintages. The Alto Adige cooperative presents a vertical tasting of its iconic Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, exploring terroir, time, and production precision.

Casa Tallone and the Roero challenge. The Sacchetto brothers aim to free Roero from the shadow of the Langhe, with clear technical choices and a contemporary vision of the vineyard.

Cantina Giardino: the Aglianico that demands silence. “Le Fole” comes from historic Montemarano vineyards, cultivated with rigorous organic methods and a simple approach: a story of agriculture even before it becomes a winemaking one.

Terre d’Oltrepò Winery: lease to Collis Veneto Wine. To ensure the 2026 harvest, leasing a business unit is being considered: a bridging solution while awaiting feedback from the local community and its shareholders.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Certification and governance: the Triveneto Winemaking Hub is born. A new model uniting inspection bodies, consortia, and institutions in an area that accounts for 30% of Italy’s bottled wine. Coordination, sustainability, and market access are at the core.

White and rosé wines: the challenge of stability. Maurizio Ugliano (University of Verona) analyzes thermal and oxidative stresses and packaging choices that impact quality throughout the shelf life of wine, especially on export markets.

Amarone and sustainability: 53% of vineyards are green. Valpolicella is responding to the red wine crisis by focusing on organic production and environmental certifications, meeting demand from the most sensitive markets.

A century since the birth of Luigi Veronelli. A figure who today would denounce the standardization of production and reaffirm the value of craftsmanship, the land, and small producers.

International

Wine Paris 2026: Romagna takes center stage. The Consorzio Vini di Romagna is participating with ten wineries, bringing the biodiversity and richness of the Romagna region to Paris.

Elton John launches a 0% alcohol-free sparkling wine. “Zero Blanc de Blancs” debuts in the UK as a non-wine alternative to Champagne: the ritual of alcohol-free toasts, pop style, and the evolving alcohol-free market.

Spirits crisis in the US: tequila and whiskey prices slow. Social tensions related to immigration are hitting Hispanic consumption. Large multinationals are accumulating record inventories, a sign of a market under pressure.

Wine events and supply chain

Turin Wine Fair 2026 (February 28 – March 2). Over 600 wineries will be at the OGR Turin for the fourth edition of Piedmont’s great “open cellar,” with a national focus and a comprehensive program called “Waiting for the Fair.”

Amarone Opera Prima 2026. The 2021 vintage debuts amidst UNESCO Italian cuisine, sport, and the Olympics: wine, culture, and lifestyle as ambassadors of the country.

Vulture and Conegliano-Valdobbiadene: Italian Cities of Wine 2026–2027. Passing of the flag at Palazzo Giustiniani: two iconic areas for a shared wine tourism and cultural development project.

Milan-Cortina 2026: Umbria at Casa Italia. Cantina Todini’s Rubro IGT has been selected among the 26 Made in Italy ambassador wines for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Policies, promotion and communication

Institutional wine campaign: “We cultivate what unites us.” From February 15th to March 15th, TV, radio, and print ads will reaffirm the cultural and social value of wine and promote informed consumption.

UIV and Masaf: promotion, CAP, and new markets. The supply chain committee relaunches the CMO Wine, investments, and international promotion. Lamberto Frescobaldi emphasizes the change in communication strategy and the importance of post-2027 funding.

Wine is once again taking the public stage. A shared strategy to counter simplification and demonization, strengthening the reputation, oversight, and positioning of Italian wine on global markets.

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

Wine press review for Monday February 2 -2026

with:

Wineries, Italian wine producers, and wine news.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Amarone Opera Prima 2021: Assessments, Tastings, and Strategic Vision The 22nd edition of Amarone Opera Prima in Verona concluded with solid results (67 wineries, 400 operators, 1,500 enthusiasts) and a clear picture of the 2021 vintage: balanced, elegant, and promising, despite a challenging climate. The event intertwined wine, Italian Cuisine (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, reinforcing Amarone’s role as a cultural and economic icon of Made in Italy. Ample space was also given to blind tastings and a technical analysis of the vintage.

Montecucco DOC: signs of bucking the trend. The appellation closed 2025 with an 11.1% bottling rate (approximately 800,000 bottles), despite the decline in production during the last harvest. This figure reflects the wineries’ confidence and ability to dominate the market, bucking the overall Tuscan trend.

Cantina Vignaioli Morellino di Scansano: Large-scale retail trade growing. Positive 2024–25 results: 7.3% share in large-scale retail trade and total revenue of €15.7 million. Maintaining market share and the success of the bag-in-box product are key. Exports remain stable in a challenging international environment.

Sémida di Perda Rubia: the pure Semidano of Ogliastra. The promotion of historic Sardinian grape varieties continues with Sémida, a pure Semidano white. An identity project that combines varietal recovery, granite soils, and a contemporary interpretation of the terroir.

LEFFREY: Stefano Minetti’s Aosta Valley project . A tale of micro-territories between Adret and Envers della Dora Baltea. Vineyards managed at high altitude, with extreme exposures and an artisanal approach, yielding crisp, fresh, and profoundly territorial wines.

Wine Notes: Flora Mondello and Gaglio Vignaioli. The story of a Sicilian family since 1910, encompassing agricultural heritage, investments, and a female vision. An example of generational continuity that looks to the future without losing its identity.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN OENOLOGY

Organic wine: production growth, market weakness. Organic products represent over 20% of Italian agricultural production and 21% of viticulture. However, the issue of shelf recognition remains: higher costs, production risks, and poor recognition in large-scale retail trade are putting pressure on the most virtuous companies.

Wine as a cultural food. From Siena, a reflection that intertwines history, science, and health. Wine is distinct from alcohol in the strict sense: an agricultural product, traceable, associated with conviviality, and to be consumed with awareness and moderation.

Wine stocks at an all-time high. 2025 closes with 59.5 million hectoliters in stock (4.4%). Producers are calling for more effective tools for promotion on foreign markets, while the issue of supply management is once again a central theme.

Viticulture and Biodiversity: The Wine of the Future Research into resistant grape varieties, reduction of pesticide use, and response to consumer demands: sustainability comes from varietal innovation and a new balance between the environment, quality, and the market.

Training: ONAV and the “humanism of the senses” A new approach to tasting: the centrality of human experience, an advanced sensorial method, and nationwide training.

Interview with Sergio Germano: Consumption and Territories From Grandi Langhe, a clear-eyed analysis of the current situation: no shortcuts, just small adjustments, territorial openness, and the ability to reach a wider audience without distorting our identity.

Politics and the sector: the Terre d’Oltrepò case. Parliamentary question on the cooperative’s management by a commissioner. The focus is on transparency of procedures, evaluation of expressions of interest, and protection of territoriality.

INTERNATIONAL

Elton John Zero Blanc de Blancs 0%: Elton John’s alcohol-free sparkling wine makes its UK debut. This product aims to replicate the rituals and style of wine, appealing to the non-alcohol audience with a pop and inclusive style.

Moldova at BIT Milan 2026 The Republic of Moldova presents itself as an emerging wine tourism destination, with wines, typical products and tourism operators on display in Milan.

WINE EVENTS

Vinitaly 2026: NoLo, spirits, and wine tourism. A new area dedicated to zero- and low-alcohol wines, a spirits pavilion, and a focus on experience. A direct response to Wine Paris and ProWein, it captures the evolution of the market.

Turin Wine Fair From February 28th to March 2nd, over 500 wineries and 50 events at the OGR and in the city. A cultural format showcasing wine as an expression of community and territory, with a strong international buyer presence.

Wine&Siena: a confirmed success. Great participation in masterclasses and tastings, particularly on Pievi del Nobile. Growing attention is focused on low-/no-alcohol wines and new consumer segments.

Derthona on Tour – Milan Timorasso arrives in the Lombardy capital with 20 wineries. A grape variety that symbolizes the rebirth of the region and the longevity of Italian white wines.

diVino Roma 2026 On February 7th and 8th, over 100 wineries and 300 labels will be at Villa Piccolomini. Tastings, masterclasses, and direct discussions with producers.

OST – Temporary Starred Restaurant (Casentino) Five four-handed dinners between February and June: Michelin-starred chefs and local tradition to showcase the region through a gastronomic experience.

Verona: Olympics, wine, and culture. In preparation for Milan Cortina 2026, the city showcases itself as a crossroads of sport, history, and food and wine, with a view that extends all the way to Valpolicella.

Prince Albert II of Monaco and local delicacies. An official visit and symbolic tasting of anchovies, truffles, and local wines: taste diplomacy in action.

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

See you tomorrow.

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