Italian wineries, Italian wine producers, and current wine news.
Good morning,
Wine Idea presents the main news from the world of wine, wineries, and Italian and international oenology.
A day full of interesting signs for the sector. In Italy, investments in wineries, growth in wine tourism, and a focus on positioning and quality are emerging, but so is the problem of high inventories. Internationally, the French harvest is experiencing particularly low volumes, and Champagne is having to adapt to the effects of heat and climate change.
ITALIAN WINERIES
Pio Cesare invests 20 million euros in the Alba winery
The historic Pio Cesare winery , founded in 1881, celebrates its 145th anniversary with an investment of approximately €20 million to expand and renovate its cellar in Alba’s historic center. After four years of construction, the space now exceeds 9,000 square meters , more than double the previous size.
The goal isn’t to increase production, which remains stable at around 500,000 bottles , but to improve logistics, technology, aging, and wine management. Particular attention is paid to white wines, which now account for about 30% of production.
Kurtatsch Winery: Record Turnover of €12.34 Million
The South Tyrolean cooperative Cantina Kurtatsch closed the 2025/2026 financial year with record revenues of 12.34 million euros , an increase of 11.08%.
The company brings together 190 families and has increased the average value per bottle by 23.4% over the last five years. It has also shown positive results in foreign markets, in Italy, and in wine tourism. This is a significant example of growth based not only on volumes, but above all on the valorization of the product and the local area.
Venosa Winery: Early Harvest, High Quality
In the Vulture area of Basilicata, Cantina di Venosa reports healthy, excellent-quality grapes despite a summer with temperatures up to 42 degrees.
The harvest began 10-15 days early for Moscato and Malvasia. Yields have dropped by about 10%, while quality expectations remain very high. Greco and Aglianico del Vulture will follow.
Musita chooses Roberto Cipresso for a new winemaking project
The Sicilian winery Musita begins a collaboration with the winemaker Roberto Cipresso .
The project will involve the entire supply chain: vineyards, raw materials, agronomic choices, harvesting, vinification, blending, aging, and defining the wines’ style. The goal is to strengthen their identity and positioning in a market increasingly focused on quality, authenticity, and sustainability.
Cusumano: From bulk wine to a vineyard- and terroir-based model
The history of the Cusumano family represents an interesting journey of entrepreneurial transformation.
Initially focused primarily on bulk wine and purchased grapes, the company has gradually built a portfolio of bottled wines based on ownership and direct control of the vineyards. The Alta Mora project on Mount Etna today represents one of the most advanced expressions of this strategy.
Villa Maggioni: €2.5 million for a new winemaking project in the Euganean Hills
The Diocesan Institute for the Support of the Clergy of Padua has invested approximately 2.5 million euros in the purchase and restoration of Villa Maggioni , an estate of approximately 12 hectares in the Euganean Hills.
Five hectares are dedicated to vines. The project, overseen with the contribution of oenologist Riccardo Cotarella , aims to bring the first 25,000-30,000 bottles to market in spring 2027 , with an initial range of fresh and sparkling wines.
Sauvignon Luisa: double international recognition
The 2025 Sauvignon from the Luisa company won the gold medal at the international Mundus Vini competition and the “Best of Show Friuli White” mention, reserved for the Friulian white wine with the highest score.
The result follows the gold medal already obtained by the Sauvignon 2024 at the Sauvignon Selection and strengthens the international recognition of Friulian production.
Calabria: A complete winemaking supply chain is growing in the Alto Marchesato Crotonese.
The Fezzigna family, active in viticulture since 1957, has developed a project in the Alto Marchesato Crotonese based mainly on native vines: Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Greco Bianco and Malvasia.
Since 2016, the company has been making and bottling its own wines, managing the entire process in-house, from vineyard to bottle.
ITALIAN WINE AND ITALIAN ENOLOGY
Over 4.2 million hectoliters of still wine in Apulian cellars
In Puglia, the problem of wine inventories is once again at the forefront. According to ALPAA Puglia, over 4.2 million hectoliters are sitting in cellars while production continues.
The issue concerns not only the 2026 harvest, which has been judged to be qualitatively positive, but also the structural balance between production, demand, and commercial capacity. Immediate measures are called for to reduce volumes and support liquidity, along with medium- to long-term strategies geared more toward the markets.
Istat: Wine is among Italy’s most resilient agricultural products.
According to Istat data for the period 2006-2025 , the Italian wine sector shows remarkable resilience.
The area devoted to wine grapes decreased by 2.7% , from 713,673 to 694,333 hectares, while production fell by only 2.1%. The average yield, however, increased slightly, confirming the sector’s substantial production stability.
Wine tourism: sleeping in a vineyard becomes a commercial tool
Wine tourism is also playing an increasingly important role in the economic model of wineries. Food and wine stays by foreign tourists in Italy have increased by 176% in the last decade , reaching approximately 760,000 arrivals and spending of 396 million euros in 2024.
This is also the backdrop for the Vinova project, which installs mini-suites within wine estates. The first facilities are operational in the Gavi DOCG area, and the stated goal is to reach 300 units in Italy by 2030.
Oltrepò Pavese: Pinot Noir, the leading grape variety in the area
Pinot Noir has become the most cultivated grape variety in the Oltrepò Pavese with 2,903 hectares , equal to 25.2% of the vineyard surface area.
Croatina follows with 2,797 hectares, ahead of Barbera, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and Moscato. Overall, the DOC/DOCG area comprises approximately 11,500 hectares of vineyards , concentrated primarily between 100 and 350 meters above sea level.
Soave: immediate quality and capacity for evolution
The Soave Consortium is relaunching the denomination’s positioning through the concept of “Soave, great now, great later” : a white wine that is enjoyable when young but also capable of evolving over time.
The theme was the focus of the third edition of “Appuntamento Soave,” with masterclasses, tastings, and a discussion on markets, communication, and the future of wine.
Gambellara Vin Santo: An Ancient Venetian Tradition Survives
In Gambellara the production of Vin Santo continues, testimony to a tradition that was once much more widespread in the Veneto.
The area, characterised by predominantly basaltic soils of volcanic origin, has preserved this production also thanks to its inclusion in the production regulations since the 1970s.
Italian agri-food: exports over 72 billion
In 2025, Italian agri-food exports exceeded 72 billion euros , with a growth of 5.6% compared to 2024 .
The data confirms the strategic importance of agri-food in the Italian economy despite geopolitical tensions, protectionism, and international price volatility.
INTERNATIONAL WINE
France: Harvest at its lowest in thirty years
French wine production in 2026 is estimated at around 34 million hectoliters , the lowest level in thirty years.
This represents a 6% decrease compared to 2025 and a 17% decrease compared to the average of the last five years. The main causes include drought, heat waves, and a reduction in vineyard areas, which decreased by 2.5% in one year.
Champagne: Harvest declines sharply, but stocks protect the market
The Champagne harvest is seeing a sharp decline, but this does not mean an immediate reduction in the number of bottles available.
The Champagne production system uses reserve wines from previous vintages and long aging periods. Accumulated stocks therefore help mitigate the commercial impact of a single particularly poor harvest.
Record heat: Champagne can reach up to 15 degrees
For the 2026 harvest, the Champagne Committee has obtained authorization to market bottles with an alcohol content of more than 13% and up to 15% .
The measure is linked to high temperatures, which accelerate ripening and increase the sugar concentration of the grapes. Prosecco is also addressing the effects of high temperatures, but through different regulatory measures.
West Bank: Wine Enters Commercial and Geopolitical Crisis
Psagot Winery, located in Israel’s Shaar Binyamin industrial zone, is at the center of the trade consequences of sanctions adopted by several Western countries against Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The affair demonstrates once again how geopolitics, international trade, and market access can directly impact wineries.
The world’s great wineries become destinations
An international selection from Wine Enthusiast brings together nine of the world’s largest and most spectacular wineries and wine collections.
It’s no longer just a place for storing wine: vaults, architecture, historical collections, catering, and hospitality transform the cellar itself into an experience and a tool for showcasing wine.
WINE EVENTS
Harvest in the Villa – Euganean Hills
On Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September , Villa dei Vescovi in Luvigliano di Torreglia hosts “Harvest in the Villa”.
The FAI initiative offers tastings, workshops, music, and experiences dedicated to the culture of the grape harvest. The 2026 edition also includes a special event for adults on Saturday.
Monferrato Wine Festival
The 65th Monferrato Wine Festival returns to Casale Monferrato, with events dedicated to wine culture and native grape varieties.
The book “Dionysian Alphabet in the Vineyard, in the Glass, at the Table” will be presented on Saturday, September 19th, followed by a guided tasting of three wines made from native Monferrato grape varieties.
The Wines of Love in the Cinque Terre
On Saturday 3 October, the Via dell’Amore will host the first edition of “I Vini dell’Amore” , an event dedicated to the viticulture of the Cinque Terre.
The event highlights one of the most significant expressions of Italian heroic viticulture, characterized by terraces, dry stone walls, steep slopes, and limited production.
Padua: ONAV course for Tasters and Sommeliers
The ONAV first-level course for Tasters and Sommeliers will take place in Padua from October 5th to December 17th 2026 .
The program includes 14 theoretical and practical lessons , with technical tastings of around 50 wines and in-depth discussions on viticulture, oenology, sustainability, sensory analysis, and the recognition of major defects.
THE PICTURE OF THE DAY
The news of September 10 paints a picture of a rapidly changing wine sector.
On the one hand , high inventories, pressure on consumption, and imbalances between production and demand are emerging. On the other, the most dynamic companies are investing in value per bottle, territorial identity, quality, technology, wine tourism, and positioning .
The climate is also becoming an economic and strategic variable: France is recording one of the lowest harvests in recent decades and even Champagne is being forced to adapt its production parameters.
The message that emerges is clear: in contemporary wine, producing well is no longer enough. It’s necessary to manage quantity, market, positioning, territory, and direct relationships with the consumer.
Today’s wine press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT.
See you tomorrow.