Bologna will host the 15th Mercato dei Vini with 8,000 wines from more than 1,000 growers

BolognaFiere and the Italian Federation of Independent Winegrowers, known as FIVI, will present the 15th Mercato dei Vini dei Vignaioli Indipendenti at a tasting event in Bologna on November 18, ahead of the three-day wine fair scheduled for November 21 through November 23.

The presentation tasting is set for 11:30 a.m. at Caffè Pathé by Forno Brisa in Piazza Re Enzo, inside Cinema Modernissimo. According to the organizers, the event will offer a preview of the annual market dedicated to independent winegrowers and will include wines made by FIVI producers paired with a selection of local finger foods.

Speakers expected at the November 18 event include Daniele Ara, Bologna’s council member for schools, agriculture and agrifood; Rita Babini, a winegrower and president of FIVI; Alice Giuliani, exhibition manager at BolognaFiere; and Giancarlo Tonelli, director general of Confcommercio Ascom Bologna.

The main event, organized by FIVI and BolognaFiere, will return to the Bologna exhibition center for its 15th edition. Organizers said the public will be able to choose from 8,000 wines available for tasting and purchase. More than 1,000 winegrowers from every Italian region are expected to attend, alongside independent olive growers from FIOI and European winegrowers from several national associations that belong to CEVI, the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers.

The market has grown into one of Italy’s main public events for direct contact between producers and consumers. Its format centers on independent growers who cultivate their own vineyards and bottle the wines they sell. That approach has helped give the event a clear identity within Italy’s crowded wine fair calendar, where larger trade shows often focus more heavily on distributors, importers and export business.

Organizers also said the November program will include four masterclasses focused on native grape varieties and leading Italian wine regions. Another related initiative, the Notte bianca della ristorazione, is being promoted by Fipe-Confcommercio Ascom Bologna in restaurants and venues across Bologna and the surrounding province during the fair period.

During the November 18 presentation, organizers will also explain the reasons behind the 2026 Vignaiolo come noi and Leonildo Pieropan awards. The announcement indicates that the awards will remain part of the fair’s broader effort to highlight the work, identity and public role of independent producers.

The event comes at a time when Italian wine producers continue to face pressure from rising production costs, shifting consumer habits and uncertain international demand, while also trying to preserve regional grape varieties and production methods. In that context, fairs built around direct sales and producer visibility have become an important commercial and promotional tool for small and midsize wineries.

For BolognaFiere, the market also adds to the city’s strong late-autumn schedule of food and wine events, drawing both professionals and consumers into the historic center and exhibition district. For FIVI, the gathering remains a key annual showcase for a national network of producers that has pushed for stronger recognition of independent winegrowers within Italian agricultural and commercial policy.

Press accreditation and registration for the masterclasses are open through the event’s official channels, according to the organizers.