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Wine press review for Saturday January 3 – 2026

with:

Wine news, Italian wineries and wines.

Italian wineries

The most surprising wines of 2025 A selection that rewards not only absolute excellence, but the ability to amaze: authentic interpretations, respectful of the grape variety and territory, capable of exciting and standing out in the “ideal wine list” of the year just ended.

Vigna Laure Greco di Tufo DOCG Riserva 2023 – Cantine Di Marzo. This Irpinian white wine has won Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri award. A wine with great personality, created by Ferrante Di Somma and winemaker Vincenzo Mercurio, confirms the strength of the volcanic Greco di Tufo.

Schola Sarmenti: Salento among the world’s elite wineries. A 2025 packed with accolades for the Salento winery, recognized by major international guides and competitions. A coherent winemaking project, rooted in the Apulian bush vine system, capable of combining tradition and contemporary vision.

Pellegrino Winery and Pietro Russo MW launch a strategic partnership to promote Western Sicilian wines. The arrival of Italy’s first Master of Wine strengthens the winemaking development and international positioning of one of Marsala’s historic wineries.

La Gerla, Monteraponi, and Cavallotto: the podium of the “Top 100” Three iconic appellations—Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, and Barolo—lead the ranking compiled by Kerin O’Keefe, with wines rated full points.

Ruggeri and the new Cartizze Dry Millesimato 2024. A project that unites history and future in the most prestigious cru of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, focusing on identity, continuity, and territorial value.

Cantine Pellegrino 1880 – Nero d’Avola Gazzerotta 2022 Over 140 years of history and a production that exceeds 5 million bottles annually: one of the key players in the Sicilian wine scene.

Donna Elvira: from London to Irpinia. The story of a winery born from a return to its origins, amidst family ties, volcanic soils, and a winemaking vision rooted in the territory.

Cantine Risveglio becomes a Valtur Brindisi business partner. The sports partnership has been renewed for the 2025/26 season. The historic Brindisi cooperative confirms its leading role in local viticulture and innovation, including in the classic method sparkling wine sector.

Trentino Doc Riesling 2023 – Cembra Cantina di Montagna Heroic viticulture in Val di Cembra: terraced vineyards between 450 and 900 meters, 300 members and a cooperative model that protects the landscape and Alpine identity.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

The value of wine comes from its territory. Alessandro Profumo’s vision: wine as a strategic national asset, to be enhanced through territorial marketing, community, and production quality.

10 Questions for Winemakers: From Piwi to dealcoholized wine, from vineyard uprooting to the freedom of IGTs: an open discussion on the major issues facing the present and future of Italian wine.

Alcohol-free wine: production rules approved. The decree defining the tax and excise framework has been approved. Italian companies can now compete on equal terms in the rapidly growing no-/low-alcohol segment.

Wine and longevity Aging capacity remains one of the great challenges in winemaking: useful technical judgments, but always provisional, until time gives its verdict.

Carema: an ancient wine with a contemporary face. Mountain Nebbiolo establishes itself as a model of elegance, freshness, and lightness, in tune with current tastes and resilient to climate change.

After standardization: the wine bar we’d like in 2026. In Milan, the “wine bar with a kitchen” format is growing. Quality is widespread, but so is the risk of standardization in a model that has been too successful.

Gambero’s Lessons: A Review After 25 Years. A personal story that spans the press, communications, and Italian food culture, amid profound changes and new awareness.

International

Sparkling wines will continue to grow. According to FactMr, the global sparkling wine market will reach $59 billion by 2035 (28.3%). Premium, conviviality, and expanding product offerings are driving growth, with a CAGR of 2.5%.

France: Green light for chaptalization of PDO still wines. A historic turning point for AOC wines, designed to address the sector’s crisis and capture the tastes of new generations, with precise limits on residual sugars.

The world’s best winery isn’t in Italy. Wine tourism is growing at double-digit rates and now accounts for about a quarter of wineries’ global revenue. The “World’s 50 Best Vineyards 2025” ranking rewards the overall experience, not just the wine in the glass.

Wine events

Steve McCurry – Umbria Until May 3, 2026 in Montefalco, the exhibition tells the story of Umbria through food, conviviality, and agricultural culture, intertwining photography, territorial identity, and food and wine.

Cantine d’Italia 2026 – Go Wine 911 selected wineries, 270 Impronte d’Eccellenza (Imprints of Excellence) for wine tourism, and over 5,000 wines featured. A guide that invites you to journey through the territories, stories, and landscapes of Italian wine.

Tuscany tops the Go Wine Guide. With 56 Impronte d’Eccellenza (Imprints of Excellence), the region confirms its leadership in Italian wine tourism, thanks to its quality hospitality and diverse territories.

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

See you tomorrow.

Wine press review for Friday January 2 – 2026

with:

Wine news, Italian wineries and wines.

Italian wineries

BWW 2025: Italy Leads the Way Among the World’s Best Wineries At the BWW 2025 – Best Wine of the World Competition , Italy confirms its global influence, with iconic wineries such as Gaja, Ornellaia, Monteverro, GB Burlotto, and Marchesi Antinori among the most voted. Monteverro also wins the title of Best New Winery of the Year . Among the award-winning wines, Masseto 2020 (Platinum) stands out, while among the Gold wines, Sassicaia 2021, Solaia 2020, Barolo Sperss 2018, and Monteverro 2019. This result is based on over 3.3 million votes cast by 449,000 professionals from 129 countries.

Elisa Dilavanzo and Maeli: Moscato among the top 100 wines. Colli Euganei producer Elisa Dilavanzo has named Maeli wines among the top 100 in the 2026 Vitae Guide. A journey studded with international recognition that highlights Moscato Giallo as an expression of the region’s identity.

Mourning in the wine world: farewell to Chicco Riccardi. Chicco Riccardi, the historic owner of Nettare dei Santi di San Colombano, has passed away at the age of 86. Under his leadership, the company grew to a production of approximately one million bottles, becoming a benchmark in the area.

Colonnella bids farewell to Umberto Camaioni. Umberto Camaioni, one of the founders of the Colonnella Social Winery (now Cantina Colonnella), has passed away at the age of 92. He was a key figure in the development of the Val Vibrata winemaking sector.

Donegato Winery: new winery in Montiano . The Berretti brothers’ Donegato Winery opens. A contemporary project that connects wine and the Romagna region, with a new facility featuring a tasting room.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Europe’s wine industry: uproot or evolve? The structural decline in consumption (-35% since 2000) and continued overproduction present the European industry with a strategic choice. EU plans appear defensive, while the global market for 2025 is set to hit an all-time low of 214 million hectoliters.

Alcohol-Free Wines: Interministerial Decree Approves Green Light. With the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF)–Masaf (Masaf) decree, Italy officially opens the door to the production of alcohol-free wines. Companies can now compete on equal terms with other European countries, albeit with the exclusion of DOC, DOCG, and IGT designations.

Alcohol-free wines: an industrial opportunity and a key identity issue. Investments are growing, especially in the Northeast, but the Consortia reiterate their position: no alcohol-free wines under historic appellations. The debate between market innovation and value preservation remains open.

2025 Harvest in Valtellina: Positive Signs The year promises to be favorable thanks to an overall balanced climate, with good-quality grapes and regular ripening.

Tuscany tops the Go Wine 2026 Guide The region leads the ranking with 56 Impronte d’Eccellenza out of over 900 selected wineries, confirming its leadership in Italian wine tourism.

Agricultural Taxation: Focus on the Special VAT Regime The special VAT regime for agriculture, established by Directive 2006/112/EC and implemented in Italy, remains a key tool for the flat-rate compensation of input tax for agricultural producers.

Agricultural land: changing value landscape. In 2024, the average value of agricultural land in Italy will rise to €22,400/hectare. The Northeast leads the ranking, while the data signals a reversal from years of stagnation.

Agriculture and Education: Cotarella’s Proposal Riccardo Cotarella (Assoenologi) proposes a weekly agriculture lesson in primary schools to reconnect younger generations with the land and its productive culture.

Agriculture in the Marche region: red wine in difficulty. The Cia Marche is calling for more effective policies to support the sector, given market challenges, limited resources, and companies’ need for liquidity.

International

The 12 Grapes of New Year in Spain: History and Myth The tradition of the “12 Grapes of Good Luck” has roots dating back to the late 19th century, well before the famous reconstruction linked to the production surplus of 1909.

Back to February 2025: Wine and the European Union The international news story highlights the weight of EU policies on labeling, health, and communication, with strong concerns about the economic impact on the sector.

Wine in 300 strokes: Crémant de Bourgogne Pierre Bleue Focus on a French Extra-Brut sparkling wine from the Grand Chais de France group: freshness, citrus notes and a dynamic drinkability.

Wine events

From Grandi Langhe to Amarone Opera Prima The 2026 calendar promises to be packed: from Turin to Verona, passing through Bologna, with events such as Grandi Langhe, Salone del Vino, Amarone Opera Prima, Slow Wine Fair and Fieragricola.

The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano “Pieve” project in Milan. Official presentation of the project with a press conference and guided tasting, to explain the origins and future of the historic zoning.

Christmas in the Cellar and Nativity Scenes in the Village of Tuglie. Until January 6th, events will take place at wineries, courtyards, and oil mills in Salento, with free admission and guided tours.

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

See you tomorrow.

Wine press review for Wednesday December 31 – 2025

with:

wine news, Italian cellars and wines.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Gaja, Ornellaia, Monteverro, GB Burlotto, Antinori: the top Italian wines for “BWW 2025.” In Tasting Book’s “Best Wine of the World” competition (over 3.3 million votes from 19,000 wines, with international participation), several Italian icons shine. Monteverro also won “Best New Winery of the Year,” while globally, major names from Bordeaux, Champagne, and the Rhône stand out.

Librandi’s Tenuta Rosaneti: Calabria’s winemaking laboratory. A journey through the Librandi group’s largest estate, between Rocca di Neto and Casabona (KR): its production heart and experimental space, described during a tour dedicated to discovering Calabria’s wine scene.

Adami – Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Rive di Colbertaldo “Vigneto Giardino” 2024 Focus on one of the Adami family’s iconic labels: the history of the “Asciutto” cru and the sensory profile of the 2024, within an overall production that includes several Rive, Cartizze, and various types of Prosecco.

Cantina Settecani: Growth (8.7%) for the Modena-based cooperative in 2025. Positive results for the historic cooperative: rising revenues and growing grape deliveries, despite stagnant consumption. This is a sign of operational solidity and structural decisions that are paying off.

A selection of the “best” Italian wineries of 2025. A “vineyard by vineyard” review: not just labels, but companies evaluated for their identity, vision, technical consistency, and ability to interpret the territories.

Baglio di Pianetto: only high-altitude vineyards for freshness and elegance. A strategic choice geared towards contemporary taste trends: focus on mountain vineyards and sale of the Noto vineyard area (Tenuta Baroni) to a specialized agricultural company.

Santa Lucia: Argentario in a glass. The story of a winery nestled between the sea and vineyards in Maremma, in the Morellino di Scansano area closest to the coast, with historic family roots on the Argentario.

Assoenologi Sicilia: Giuseppe Figlioli new president. A change at the helm of the regional section: Figlioli (Birgi Winery) takes over after more than ten years as president, with a message of continuity and commitment.

ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN OENOLOGY

Italian sparkling wine beats Champagne: 1.03 billion bottles in 2025. According to UIV–ISMEA, production and sales of Italian sparkling wines will reach 1.03 billion; over 360 million destined for the holidays. Prosecco remains the driving force: growth estimates for Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG (8% vs. 2024) and substantial stability for Prosecco DOC.

No/Low-Alcohol Wines: Production Approved in Italy, Northeast Divided. The inter-ministerial decree (MEF–MASAF) unblocks alcohol-free drinking across the country, amidst enthusiasm (the opportunity for future production quotas) and “identity-based” caution, especially in areas most closely tied to tradition.

Decree on dealcoholized wines: rules, excise duties, authorizations, and circulation. The measure defines the fiscal and operational scope: licenses, requirements, product movement, and distinctions by production category (including based on quantitative thresholds). The requirement to use foreign facilities is eliminated.

UIV: Castelletti on the alcohol-dealcohol decree, “good news after a troubled 2025.” The position of the Italian Wine Union: a turning point to compete on equal terms in Europe and a call for support for the operational launch (licenses and authorizations) in the initial phase.

Veneto, sparkling wines & gangmastering: shadows over the supply chain. An investigation and complaint about the exploitation of workers (especially migrants) in seasonal agricultural activities, including those in the sparkling wine districts. An issue that impacts reputation, compliance, and the supply chain.

INTERNATIONAL

BWW 2025: the “Best of the World” and global benchmarks In the world rankings: Pétrus 2020 as best wine, Salon 2012 as best Champagne, E. Guigal as “Winery of the Year”, and the winemaker of Screaming Eagle awarded as best winemaker.

Global wine tourism: “World’s Best Vineyards” 2025 and the key word: “experience.” The winners clearly point the same direction: winery hospitality becomes a strategic (not an optional) channel. Among the best: Chilean and German wineries top the list; Ceretto is the best Italian winery, in the top 20.

WINE EVENTS

Cantine d’Italia 2026: Impronta Go Wine in Zidarich (Trieste Karst). The highest award for wine tourism: recognition for the ability to combine production excellence, hospitality, and landscape identity. The Trieste Karst region makes a strong entry into the list of destinations to watch.

Winemag: “Wine in 2025” month by month (series from January 1, 2026) An editorial project that retraces twelve months of news and changes in the sector, to interpret 2025 as a year of structural transformation (not just cyclical).

San Basilio: “La Cantina del Duca” opens at Casa Isabella (from January 4, 2026). A new tasting space in Puglia inside a renovated historic residence: open to the public with a focus on experience and hospitality.

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES, TERRITORIES AND SUSTAINABILITY

(Context section, useful for winemaking operators and related supply chains)

Lombardy: €4.6 million for sustainable agriculture in Valtellina. 25 projects in Sondrio have been funded (measure SRD02 CAP 2023–2027), with a focus on mountain farms and investments in the environment, climate, and animal welfare.

Lombardy: 12 projects funded in the Cremona area (14 million) Resources for concrete interventions: effluent management, optimization technologies, tools for corporate sustainability.

Agricultural ZES and income tax relief: measures for Southern Italy in the 2026 Budget. Extension of Irpef tax relief on agricultural/land-based income and new levers for investment and innovation: agricultural ZES and greater offsetting of tax credits.

Veneto Agricoltura: Federico Caner appointed director. Governance change at the agency for primary sector innovation: focus announced on ecological transition, competitiveness, and markets.

Thanks for listening. We remind you that today’s wine press review was brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT . See you tomorrow.

FORBUS – The business and innovation generator for Italian wineries

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It takes method. It takes vision. It takes someone who knows how to manage complexity before complexity manages the company.

In wine today, quality is no longer enough.

It is from this awareness that FORBUS was born, the network of professionals created by QUIDQUID Srls , a company that for fifty years has supported entrepreneurs, industrial groups and investors in decisive moments:

acquisitions, divestments, expansions, joint ventures, industrial investments, and strategic repositionings.

We don’t sell theoretical advice.
We build operational solutions , accompanying companies until they achieve results .

What is FORBUS

FORBUS – Winery Business Generator is a joint venture, a structured network of professionals with real experience in the winemaking and oenological sector.
Not a container of services, but a single management capable of transforming a winery into a more solid, recognizable and profitable enterprise.

FORBUS works on five key pillars:

  • Viticulture – vineyard development and economic sustainability
  • Cellar Management – New Organizational and Decision-Making Tools
  • Oenology – product optimization and style consistency
  • Sales – concrete strategies to sell better and sell more
  • Communication & Branding – clear and credible market positioning

One goal: create measurable value .

FORBUS projects

1) Management lease & Joint Venture

To tackle complex phases without losing control of the company.

  • Lease of the business unit (5–7 years) with variable fixed rent
  • Redemption option at contracted values
  • Time to rebalance the accounts and evaluate a conscious sale
  • Joint ventures and new companies to share facilities and technologies (e.g., dealcoholized beverages, new beverages)

A smart solution to defend your business today and create options tomorrow .

2) Open the cellar on the weekend

Wine tourism is growing, but too many wineries remain closed just when the public is there.
FORBUS creates a simple and profitable model:

  • Cellar rental on Saturdays and Sundays
  • Guided tastings and organized visits
  • New visitor flows, direct sales and territorial visibility

The cellar returns to being a living place , not just a productive one.

3) Rent to Buy for agricultural and wine-making companies

We are looking for companies to acquire and sell using sustainable formulas.

  • Easier access for young farmers
  • Valorization of existing companies
  • Innovation and generational continuity

The project also operates through the Tenute Agricole 24 portal, which specializes in professional matching between supply and demand.

4) “Come to the cellar… there’s a gift for you”

A platform that brings real people into the cellar.

  • Dedicated corner with personalized gifts
  • Free basic tasting or branded gifts
  • Loyalty card valid in all participating wineries
  • Restaurant, hospitality and B&B reservations
  • Seasonal offers (harvest, new wine, special events)

Word of mouth becomes a structured sales tool .

5) “Water & Wine” Project

Smart vending machines with PET and glass eco-compactors.

  • The more you recycle, the more you earn
  • Points convertible into vouchers or cash
  • Real sustainability, not just a story
  • Involvement of the territory and consumers

Circular economy that generates value and reputation .

6) Electronic nose and palate

Technology applied to sensory analysis.
A portable device capable of:

  • Analyze wine vapors
  • Collect olfactory and gustatory chemical data
  • Compare them with reference databases
  • Return objective qualitative reports

Applied research, not science fiction.
A tool that opens new perspectives on product quality, consistency, and perception.

7) Wine Days – The Wine Festival in the Cellar

Eight days, once a year, before the grape harvest.

  • Unbeatable prices
  • Intelligent inventory emptying
  • Direct meeting with the public
  • New trade relations

An event that transforms a logistical necessity into a valuable celebration .

8) Connected Vineyard 4.0

Digital and predictive vineyard management.
Thanks to the HO-W system:

  • Real-time monitoring of weather, soil, plants and pests
  • Timely warnings and decisions
  • Fewer treatments, lower costs, more effectiveness

Technology that makes viticulture more sustainable and more profitable .

FORBUS is not for everyone

It’s for those who have understood that wine is culture, yes.
But it is also business, strategy and the future .

If your winery really wants to grow, FORBUS is the right place to start.

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