The picture emerging from today’s news shows a rapidly changing sector: increasingly early harvests, pressure on inventories, the need to defend prices and margins, growing wine tourism, and increased attention to brand and regional value. Italian inventories, as of July 31, 2026, reached 42.6 million hectoliters, up 6.9% from the previous year, while the harvest is already well underway in many regions.
ITALIAN WINERIES
Carema, the heroic Nebbiolo of Piedmont
The small Carema DOC continues to represent one of the most distinctive examples of Piedmontese Nebbiolo. The Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema , founded in 1960 by ten winemakers, today has around one hundred members.
Production covers approximately 15 hectares of the DOC’s 25 hectares , with an average of around 50,000 bottles per year .
A distinctive feature are the terraced vineyards supported by traditional stone pillars, the “pilun,” which hold up the local pergolas called “topie”: a significant example of heroic viticulture and landscape conservation.
Dievole consolidates its relaunch in the Chianti Classico region
Dievole strengthens its position in the Chianti Classico region through organic vineyards, vinification in concrete vats, aging in large wooden barrels, and a company zoning project.
Among the flagship labels, the 2023 Chianti Classico DOCG Casanova stands out, coming from the cru of the same name. The company currently has 152 hectares of organic vineyards and produces a total of approximately 350,000 bottles .
Cordero di Montezemolo: Barolo between history and territory
The Monfalletto Estate of Cordero di Montezemolo represents one of the historic estates of the Langhe.
Today the company has 56 hectares of organic vineyards , distributed between La Morra, Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Guarene and Cherasco, cultivated mainly with Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera, Arneis and Chardonnay.
Total production reaches approximately 300,000 bottles , with the Barolo Monfalletto 2022 among the representative labels.
Berlucchi closes a record harvest in Oltrepò Pavese
Berlucchi has completed the Pinot Noir harvest at its Oltrepò Pavese estate, acquired in 2023 and destined for the production of sparkling wine.
The harvest, which began on August 3rd , was completed in just ten days. The intense heat forced harvesting to be concentrated in the early hours of the day and required extensive organization of the work teams.
Tommasi focuses on widespread wine tourism
Tommasi Family Estates is increasingly transforming hospitality into a strategic component through Tommasi Wine Hospitality .
The group, founded in Valpolicella over 120 years ago and now also present in Collio, Montalcino, Vulture, Salento, and Etna, proposes a model in which each estate maintains its own identity, connecting wine, territory, culture, and hospitality.
Bosco alle Vigne invests in technology and organization
The Bolgheri winery Bosco alle Vigne is undergoing a major renovation, expanding its production facilities and improving its logistics.
The project includes advanced temperature control systems, new areas for grape management, and greater valorization of individual parcels, maintaining a winemaking philosophy geared toward limited intervention.
Novacella Abbey: wine, history, and wine tourism
Founded in 1142 , Novacella Abbey in South Tyrol is home to one of the oldest active wineries in the world.
Today, it produces around 900,000 bottles a year , 80% of which are white wines. The vineyards in the Isarco Valley reach altitudes between 600 and 900 meters.
The Abbey is also expanding its wine tourism offering, integrating wine, historical heritage, spirituality, and the local area.
Italian cellars become works of architecture
From Mario Botta’s Petra to Renzo Piano’s Rocca di Frassinello, up to the new Cantina del Cabreo inaugurated in May 2026, architecture has become an integral part of the positioning of major wineries.
A new Mario Botta project is also planned for the opening of the Terrabianca estate in Radda in Chianti in 2027 .
The contemporary winery is therefore not just a production site: it can become an element of branding, hospitality, communication, and heritage enhancement.
ITALIAN WINE AND OENOLOGY
2026 Harvest: Good Quality, But Heat and Drought Bring Harvest Forward
The 2026 harvest is confirmed as one of the earliest in recent years. This phenomenon affects many Italian regions and is linked to high temperatures and the rapid ripening of the grapes.
In the Treviso area, quality prospects are considered very positive, but yields are uneven. Drought and the need for irrigation are the main challenges, especially in the foothills.
The situation is similar in Piana Rotaliana , where the first Chardonnays destined for sparkling wine have already entered the cellar. The grapes are healthy, and initial estimates indicate slightly higher production in 2025, but water availability remains crucial.
Even in the Euganean Hills and in the Maremma Toscana, the early harvest highlights how vineyard management and monitoring ripening have become crucial to determining the correct time for the harvest.
Piedmont: Early harvest, grape prices and inventory under observation
In Piedmont, the harvest began with Sauvignon, Arneis and Moscato, earlier than traditional calendars.
Despite the good quality prospects, however, the problem of inventory is weighing heavily. According to the information reported in the review, the Barolo and Barbaresco Consortium has urged its members to reduce production by 10% .
The issue fits into a national scenario characterised by 42.6 million hectolitres of wine in stock as of 31 July 2026, 6.9% on an annual basis .
Wine prices: the entire supply chain under scrutiny
Luca Cuzziol, head of Cuzziol Grandi Vini, draws attention to the issue of prices and margins.
According to the distributor, when faced with wines that are difficult to sustain commercially, one must also have the courage not to buy them.
The issue does not only concern restaurateurs or producers, but the entire value chain: price at source, distribution, restaurant markups, sales capacity and communication to the consumer .
Dealcoholized Wines: What Happens When You Remove Ethanol
The NO-LO segment continues to be a topic of discussion in the wine world.
Dealcoholization, however, begins with a wine obtained through normal fermentation. According to the review, below the thresholds established by the legislation, the classification changes, but the starting product remains wine vinified according to traditional procedures.
Natural wines: after the “funky wine” season
The so-called “funky” wine movement, particularly visible in the years before the pandemic, appears to have entered a more mature phase.
The debate is gradually moving from the alternative aesthetics of labels and the simple belonging to the “natural” world towards actual quality, territorial recognition and oenological correctness .
Wine and health: a new study reopens the debate.
Research presented in 2026 at the American College of Cardiology analyzed 340,924 adults from the UK Biobank , followed for an average of more than 13 years.
According to the data reported in the review, the study observed different profiles between moderate wine consumption and consumption of beer, cider, and spirits.
However, these are epidemiological associations , which do not demonstrate a direct cause-effect relationship and do not transform alcohol consumption into a health recommendation.
WINE TOURISM
18 million Italians choose wine-related experiences
Wine tourism continues to grow and is becoming increasingly important for the economy of wineries.
According to the report cited in the review, food and wine tourism involves approximately 18 million Italians, 4.5 million more than in 2024 .
Cinque Terre and Salento lead the list of destinations, followed by Chianti, the Amalfi Coast, and Etna, followed by Montepulciano, Montalcino, Langhe-Barolo, and Gallura.
Ferragosto confirms the strength of rural tourism
Around 700,000 Italian and foreign tourists spend the week of Ferragosto in Italian farmhouses.
According to Coldiretti/Ixè, 49% of Italians participate in activities such as tastings, visits to wineries, oil mills and dairies, or cooking classes.
The grape harvest becomes a tourist experience
Grape harvesting is no longer just an agricultural activity: more and more wineries are transforming it into an experience for wine lovers and tourists.
The phenomenon involves territories such as Bolgheri, Franciacorta, Oltrepò Pavese and Etna , combining participation in the harvest, tasting, hospitality and social communication.
The Buglioni Harvest Experience 2026 , scheduled from September 5th to October 4th in San Pietro in Cariano, Valpolicella, represents a concrete example: the visitor does not simply witness the grape harvest, but participates directly in the harvest.
Cembra Valley: the value of heroic viticulture
The Cembra Valley represents one of the most characteristic wine-growing landscapes in Trentino, with terraced vineyards and thousands of dry stone walls built on the slopes of the Avisio Valley.
It is an example of how landscape, heroic viticulture and territorial identity can become central elements of the narrative and attractiveness of a wine destination.
INTERNATIONAL
European wine benefits from the reputation of EU agri-food
The international reputation of European agri-food products continues to be supported by three fundamental factors: quality, safety and authenticity .
According to the Flash Eurobarometer 2026 cited in the review, conducted on 11,119 consumers in 11 non-EU countries , 40% of respondents declared they consume European agri-food products at least once a week.
Among the most receptive markets are the United Arab Emirates (58%), the United Kingdom (50%) and Saudi Arabia (45%) , while Mexico and Japan still show significant room for growth.
Fine wine: first signs of recovery
The international investment wine market is said to have reached a low in February 2026, before recording four consecutive months of recovery.
According to the analysis by Cult Wine Investment reported in the review, the recovery is driven mainly by a limited number of strong, emerging labels.
In the first half of 2026, Tuscany stands out with 1.52% , while Piedmont recorded -0.36% . In France, Champagne recorded 0.63%, Rhone 0.35% and Bordeaux 0.29%, while Burgundy (-0.2%) and US fine wines (-0.46%) remained in negative territory.
Istria: from seaside tourism to wine tourism
Croatian Istria represents an interesting model of tourism diversification.
The region has gradually used the strong appeal of its seaside resorts to direct some of its visitors inland, developing wineries, gastronomy, the region and wine-related experiences .
A model that also allows the tourist season to be extended beyond the traditional summer months.
Champagne 2026: Early Harvest in France, Too
The change in the harvest calendar doesn’t just affect Italy. In Champagne, spring frost, extreme heat, and drought have accelerated ripening, and in some areas, the harvest began as early as August 6, 2026 .
WINE EVENTS
Franciacorta Festival – September 18-20, 2026
Villa Franciacorta offers three days dedicated to experiencing the area, with guided tastings, visits to underground cellars, aperitifs in the vineyards, a Wine Garden, dinners under the stars, and even hot air balloon flights over the vineyards .
The Festival will take place from 18 to 20 September 2026 in Monticelli Brusati.
Caraglio – Discovering Merola Wine
On Saturday 22 August , starting at 5.30 pm from the Filatoio di Caraglio, a walk dedicated to the rediscovery of Merola wine is planned.
The tour will end with a tasting in the vineyard and a picnic with local products.
Trebisacce – Wine Festival Art
The 13th edition of the Wine Festival Art brought together 20 wineries from eight regions of Southern Italy .
The format combines wine, territory, and culture through tastings, painting, and satire, featuring companies from Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia, Campania, Lazio, Sicily, Abruzzo, and Sardinia.
Arcidosso: a new space dedicated to local excellence opens
The Porta Castello Association’s new winery has opened in Arcidosso, a space dedicated to Maremma and Amiata products.
Wine, oil, honey, gin, pasta and other local products coexist with exhibitions and cultural initiatives, creating a meeting point between agri-food, art and territorial promotion .
QUIDQUID – Wine Press Review
The main Italian and international news dedicated to wine, cellars, viticulture, oenology, the market, investments, harvests and wine tourism .