Wine press review for Wednesday January 7 -2026

Wine news, Italian wineries and wines.

Italian wineries

Pievalta – Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi DOCG San Paolo Riserva 2022 Pievalta, an organic and biodynamic winery in the Marche region associated with Barone Pizzini, confirms the value of Verdicchio as a great terroir-based white wine. The 2022 Riserva San Paolo, produced only in the finest vintages, displays structure, elegance, and potential for development, strengthening the path toward a DOCG that increasingly reflects the Castelli di Jesi identity.

Aia dei Colombi Winery (Guardia Sanframondi) The Pascale family’s winery expands its range with white vermouth, red vermouth, and Aglianico chinato. This project stems from experimentation and a consistent agricultural and winemaking vision, capable of enhancing the vineyard beyond traditional wine.

Cantina Settecani closes 2025 with growth. The Modena-based cooperative closed 2025 with a turnover of €6.75 million (8.7%). Bottled wine, the domestic market, and especially exports are growing, now active in 33 countries, with strong growth in Asia and North America.

Montevetrano: enterprise, identity, and global markets The Campania winery is a prime example of Southern Italian success: an iconic wine born of passion and vision, capable of establishing itself on international markets while maintaining a strong territorial identity.

Novacella Abbey – Praepositus Wines A vertical tasting illustrates the value of time, place, and the historical continuity of one of Alto Adige’s most fascinating regions, where spirituality, terroir, and wine have coexisted for centuries.

Maremma Toscana Bevorosa 2024 – Arillo in Terrabianca A rosé designed for everyday consumption and food pairing, which interprets wine as a cultural gesture and not just a product, with a visual and stylistic language consistent with the company’s philosophy.

Cantina Produttori del Gavi: 75 years of activity. Alessandro Cazzulo confirmed as president for a second term. The historic cooperative celebrates 75 years by strengthening governance and continuity in one of Italy’s most established white appellations.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Will 2026 be the year of Lambrusco? According to Bloomberg analysis, wine is changing: less formality, more drinkability, more whites and sparkling wines. Lambrusco perfectly captures this shift in tone, in a context marked by climate, new consumption styles, and the pursuit of value.

Histoire d’O(risi): the Sicilian grape rediscovered. With the updated Terre Siciliane IGT regulations, orisi is officially back among the permitted varieties. This recovery of biodiversity demonstrates how Italy’s ampelographic heritage still holds the potential to surprise.

Sicily: A difficult 2025 but a positive outcome. Despite market challenges, Sicily remains a cornerstone of Italian wine, thanks to biodiversity, systemic planning, and the driving role of the Sicilia DOC.

Consumer Choices and Neuroscience: 85% of wine purchasing decisions are driven by visual and perceptual factors (label, packaging, price), only 15% by taste. This is a key finding for rethinking communication and positioning.

Wine inventories on the rise: strategies to rethink. Inventories are growing for the third consecutive year. Prosecco and Amarone are holding steady, but inventories of Pinot Grigio, Soave, and IGT are significantly increasing. The issue is not just production, but strategic and commercial.

Consumption declines in Tuscany. Wine consumption will decline by 15 to 20% in 2025. Consumption by the glass and attention to quality are growing. Less quantity, more selection: a structural, not a cyclical, sign.

Less alcohol, more awareness. The “drink less but drink better” trend continues to gain traction even during the holidays. New consumption habits require a rethinking of product offerings and formats.

International

A Sancerre sold out in the US thanks to Taylor Swift. A brief appearance in a documentary made the Sancerre from the Terres Blanches estate a media sensation: it sold out in the United States and sparked a surge in online searches. A powerful example of how pop culture and wine can be intertwined.

Wine clubs: subscription wine is worth $12.4 billion. The channel is growing thanks to personalization, storytelling, and algorithms. Interest in wine isn’t declining, but the way consumers are engaged is changing.

From Bordeaux to Sherry: wines to rediscover in 2026. According to the New York Times, the future also depends on the revival of underrated classics. Fashions fade, but quality remains.

Wine and Climate Change: According to the OIV, global production dropped 10% in 2023 due to extreme events. Italy, Spain, and South America were among the hardest hit. Climate is becoming a structural variable in the winemaking industry.

EU, CAP, and Mercosur: Brussels promises an additional €45 billion for agriculture in the 2028–2034 budget, paving the way for the Mercosur agreement. This decision will also have a direct impact on European wine.

Wine events

The Chianti Consortium on a mission to Nigeria. The first official mission to Africa for Chianti DOCG: 13 wineries in Lagos for an event with industry professionals, press, and importers. A strategic step toward new emerging markets.

Rotaria: Roero as told by the locals. An independent, self-funded initiative debuts in Pollenzo, focusing on the connection between wine and its territory, outside of traditional competitive logic.

Masi: a journey through the Venetian Territory. A tasting day dedicated to the group’s wineries, showcasing their historic identities and international vision.

Casa Isabella – La Cantina del Duca (Mottola) Reopens a space dedicated to wine as a cultural and emotional experience, in the spirit of hospitality and local storytelling.

Gastronomic Calabria: Restaurants Not to Miss The Ristoranti d’Italia 2026 guide depicts a mature Calabria, where cuisine, wineries, and short supply chains interact with growing awareness.

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