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Issue 796 - July 27th - 31st 2026 - Expressly created for 3691 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world | |
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| | | In Franciacorta, a territory renowned for its Italian classic-method sparkling wines, the earliest harvest on record has begun (as has already happened in the nearby Oltrepò Pavese region, ed.), while in Sicily, the first bunches of grapes for a “100-day” harvest have been picked for several days now, starting in the westernmost part of the island and moving toward the northeast and the slopes of Mount Etna: thus, the 2026 harvest in Italy is gradually getting into full swing in two distant regions that, for years, have marked the start of the harvest (for more details, see the reports from the Franciacorta Consortium and Assovini Sicilia). | |
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| | The new Nomisma Wine Monitor report on European PDO wine exports shows a decline in the first four months of 2026. Among the top European exporters, no country recorded an increase in the total value of its DOP wine exports: compared to the same period the previous year, Italy saw a decline of -6.2%, France -3.4%, and Germany -5.5%. Spain fared the worst, with a decline of -8.5%. In the first four months of 2026, Italy’s exports of DOP wines totaled 1.5 billion euros, down 6.2% compared to the same period in 2025, while export volumes amounted to 318.9 million liters, a 3% decline. Prosecco remains the most exported Italian DOP wine, with 506.7 million euros and 120 million liters (an average price of 4.22 euros per liter, down 3.1%), representing a 3.9% decline in value and a slight 0.8% drop in volume. Next are still red wines from Tuscany, with exports totaling 202.9 million euros (down 10.2% in value and 5.1% in volume), followed by still red wines from Piedmont, which totaled 123.9 million euros (down 2.5% in value and up 8.8% in volume). Among white wines, still white wines from Veneto totaled 103.2 million euros (-4.7% in value and -3.5% in volume), while still white wines from Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia totaled 86.4 million euros (-16.5%) for 16.7 million liters (-5.2%). Exports of DOP sparkling wines, at 65.1 million euros, showed a decline of -8.3% in value and -4.6% in volume, while exports of Asti Spumante rebounded to 42.1 million euros (+19.6% in value and +0.9% in volume) after a decline in 2025. Other significant trends include still red wines from Sicily, which fell to 20.6 million euros (-9.2%) and 5.1 million liters (-11.8%), while white wines from the same region continued to grow to 15.4 million euros (+2.8% in value and +0.4% in volume), as did those from Tuscany, which reached 7.8 million euros (+3.3% in value), though they declined in volume (-4.9%). France, for PDO wines, reached 2.8 billion euros in export value (-3.4%) and 182.5 million liters (+1.5%); Champagne was down 0.2% in value, and Bordeaux reds were down 18.9%. In Spain, on the other hand, exports of PDO wines, also in the first four months of 2026, totaled 435.1 million euros (-8.5%) and 90.9 million liters (-11.4%). | |
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| | As in France, Italy has issued no official forecasts regarding the volume of the 2026 harvest - which began in recent days - but will only provide final figures once the harvest is complete. The “curtain” on harvest estimates thus remains closed, as WineNews reported in recent days. This was announced by Assoenologi and Uiv, who explained that “this decision comes from a desire to provide information that is as accurate and representative as possible of the season’s progress. In a context characterized by increasingly variable weather conditions, estimates made before the harvest is complete may be subject to significant variations. For this reason, it is considered more useful to present the final data at the end of the harvest season, providing a complete and reliable picture of production, grape quality, and the characteristics of the vintage”. | |
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| | | The “Italian system” continues to work in synergy to drive the promotion of Italian wine during these challenging times and to reinvigorate, on international markets, a sector that is fundamental to the prestige, image, and economy of so many regions across Italy. This is exactly what VeronaFiere-Vinitaly and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) did in Canada: aboard the Amerigo Vespucci, a jewel of the Italian Navy, they met in Quebec City in recent days to present Vinitaly. USA 2026, the leading Italian wine event in North America, is aimed at key professionals in the Canadian wine sector, including buyers from provincial agencies (Monopoli) responsible for the distribution of alcoholic beverages, importers, wine agents, sommeliers, the media, and industry stakeholders. The event will take place in New York on October 26–27. “At a time that calls for particular attention to the Italian wine sector,” stated Matteo Zoppas, president of ITA - Italian Trade Agency, “it is essential to structurally strengthen international promotional activities in support of businesses”. According to Federico Bricolo, president of Veronafiere/Vinitaly, “Canada is a strategic market in the internationalization of Italian wine, which is why our commitment to North America is now ongoing”. | |
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| | | Pantelleria Passito is one of the island’s most iconic products, embodying the heroic viticulture characterized by dry-stone walls and the “alberello” training system, a UNESCO World Heritage, that makes it unique. And it was precisely a personalized bottle of Pantelleria Passito that was presented to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, by Benedetto Renda, president of the Consorzio di tutela dei Vini DOC Pantelleria, during the head of state’s visit to the island to mark the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Pantelleria Island National Park. | |
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| | Every people around the world is accustomed to preserving traces of its past through monuments, works of art, documents, and material artifacts. And within this mosaic of collective memory, there is also room for corporate museums and archives that highlight cultural heritage by making it available to communities: this is the mission of “Museimpresa”. Among the new additions for 2026, there’s the historical archive and the famous cellar of the Meregalli Group, one of Italy’s most important and long-standing wine and spirits distributors (boasting prestigious brands like Tenuta San Guido, Argiolas, Speri, Oddero, Nino Franco, and Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, as well as major French and international names such as Domaines Barons de Rothschild, Bollinger, Penfolds, and Francis Ford Coppola Winery, to name a few). | |
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| | Ryanair is launching its summer food and wine tour in Italy, inviting travelers to discover five destinations in Europe that stand out for their authentic cuisine, culture, and local traditions. And for Italy, there’s Sicily, one of the most popular destinations (including for wine) right now, featuring Trapani-Marsala, where the wine culture is steeped in history, tied to many native grape varieties, and the charm of Marsala. Wine and historic wineries to visit, but also food, with mentions of specialties such as seafood couscous and pasta busiata, are the main attractions highlighted by Ryanair. | |
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