2026-06-10
Italy’s wine industry will gather in Cortina d’Ampezzo on July 12 and 13 for VinoVip Cortina 2026, a biennial summit organized by the magazine Civiltà del Bere that will bring producers, executives and trade professionals to the Dolomites to discuss the sector’s outlook at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, shifting consumption and tougher competition in both established and emerging markets.
The event, now in its 15th edition, is set against the backdrop of the Dolomites near Cortina, one of Italy’s best-known mountain destinations. Organizers are framing the meeting as a chance for some of the country’s most influential wine figures to assess where Italian wine stands and where it is headed, while also using tastings and public events to showcase leading denominations and grape varieties.
Among the best-known names scheduled to take part are Piero Antinori, honorary president of Marchesi Antinori; Sandro Boscaini, president and chief executive of Masi; and Fausto Maculan, founder of the Maculan winery in Breganze. Their appearance is expected to anchor the opening discussion on July 12 at Alexander Girardi Hall, where a talk titled “The Tenors of Italian Wine” will focus on the roots of Italy’s vineyard heritage and the challenges ahead for producers.
The program reflects several pressures now shaping the Italian wine business. Producers are facing weaker or changing demand in some traditional markets, new consumer habits, and the need to win over younger drinkers and international buyers with different expectations around style, price and identity. The summit’s organizers say those issues will be examined through conversations that combine long-established family producers with technical tastings centered on categories that continue to attract attention in export markets.
One of those categories is Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Docg, which will be featured in a tasting after the opening discussion. Diego Tomasi, director of the denomination’s consortium, is expected to introduce that session. The inclusion of Prosecco’s top denomination underscores how sparkling wine remains central to Italy’s global image even as producers seek to broaden the conversation beyond volume-driven success.
The event will also include the 2026 Khail Award, named for the founder of Civiltà del Bere and given to a figure recognized for promoting Italian wine around the world. The magazine is now led by Alessandro Torcoli, who has continued to position VinoVip as a forum where business strategy, reputation and product identity meet.
On July 13, attention will shift to Hotel De La Poste for a technical focus on Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero under the theme “The Three Faces of Pinot and Their Expressions.” That session is designed as a closer look at how one family of grapes can produce very different wines depending on region and winemaking style. It will be followed by a walk-around tasting featuring both established and newer interpretations of those varieties.
The final marquee event will be the Grand Tasting at Chalet Tofane, where producers will pour what organizers describe as some of Italy’s most iconic labels directly for trade members and consumers. The format is meant to give attendees direct access to winery owners and executives whose brands have helped define Italian wine abroad.
A total of 54 wineries are expected to participate. The lineup includes companies from many of Italy’s major wine regions and styles, among them Allegrini, Marchesi Antinori, Argiolas, Banfi, Bellavista, Berlucchi Franciacorta, Bortolomiol, Cesarini Sforza of Cavit, Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara, Costa Arènte, Marco Felluga and Russiz Superiore, Fèlsina, Tenute Folonari, Fontanafredda, Fonzone, Nino Franco, Isole e Olena, Kettmeir, Lamole di Lamole of Herita Marzotto Wine Estates, Cantine Lvnae, Maculan, Masciarelli, Masi Agricola, Mezzacorona, Monte Zovo, Pasqua Vini, Pio Cesare, Planeta, PuntoZero, Ruggeri, Tenuta San Guido, Sartori di Verona, Tedeschi, Terlano, Tinazzi, Tommasi, Cantina Tramin, Umani Ronchi, Varvaglione 1921, Velenosi, Villa Sandi, Vite Colte and Zorzettig.
The breadth of that list shows how VinoVip aims to represent both prestige brands and a wider cross-section of Italian production. It also points to another issue facing the sector: how to maintain a unified national image while preserving strong regional identities. Italy’s strength in export markets has long rested on diversity rather than a single dominant style. But that same diversity can make communication more complex when consumers are looking for simpler messages or more recognizable categories.
Holding the summit in Cortina adds another layer to that strategy. The resort town has long been associated with high-end tourism in Italy and draws an audience that overlaps with luxury hospitality and lifestyle sectors. By placing wine discussions in that setting, organizers are linking Italian wine not only with agriculture and exports but also with travel, landscape and premium experiences. That approach has become increasingly common as producers try to sell place as much as product.
The Dolomites setting also gives wineries an opportunity to present their bottles within what organizers call a “landscape tasting,” using scenery and destination appeal as part of the message. In practical terms, that means turning a trade gathering into a broader showcase for Italian tourism and hospitality at a moment when food-and-wine travel remains one of the country’s strongest promotional tools abroad.
For producers attending this year’s summit, however, the scenic setting does not hide the seriousness of the agenda. Italian wine enters the second half of 2026 facing questions about inflation-sensitive consumers, uneven recovery across markets and changing attitudes toward alcohol consumption. Premiumization continues in some segments while others face pressure from lower-cost competition or softer retail demand. White wines and sparkling wines remain important growth engines for many companies, while Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero continue to serve as internationally legible varieties that can help bridge regional complexity.
That helps explain why Pinot has been given such prominence in this year’s program. Pinot Grigio remains one of Italy’s most visible export grapes. Pinot Nero has gained ground as producers seek greater recognition for still reds and sparkling bases with international appeal. Pinot Bianco offers another route into freshness-driven styles that fit current consumer preferences in many markets. By grouping all three together in one technical session, organizers appear to be emphasizing versatility as a competitive advantage.
The presence of veteran figures such as Antinori, Boscaini and Maculan also signals continuity at a time when succession and generational change are becoming more important across family-owned wineries. Their discussion is likely to draw attention not only because of their stature but because each represents a different model within Italian wine: historic prestige estates with global reach, publicly visible corporate leadership tied to strong regional identity, and entrepreneurial family production rooted in local tradition.
For Civiltà del Bere, the summit remains one of its main platforms for convening those voices outside the usual fairground setting. Rather than focusing on sales meetings alone, VinoVip combines debate with tastings aimed at shaping how Italian wine talks about itself. In this edition, that means confronting uncertainty without abandoning one of the sector’s strongest assets: its ability to connect famous names, classic denominations and new market questions in one place.