official event
wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum 2026 - Program
Events
Wine tourism remains one of the brightest growth areas in the wine world, especially among American travellers to Italy. Recent studies suggest that more than half of Americans travelling to Italy now place wine, food or both at the centre of their itinerary. Yet most continue to visit the same regions and wineries, leaving enormous opportunity for producers and territories still outside the usual routes.
Italian wine has built a strong and enduring relationship with the United States through decades of investment, commercial partnerships, and a deeply rooted restaurant culture.
How do different tasting frameworks approach Italian wine? This session brings together the Italian Wine Center, Educational Partner of wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum / Vinitaly.USA, and Vinitaly International Academy for a live blind tasting focused on method, language and interpretation.
For an Italian winery, finding an importer or distributor is only the beginning. A wine can be available in the United States without ever making it onto an important wine list, being poured by the glass, or reaching the consumer.
A journey into the heart of Italy inspired by the late Mario Soldati.
A tribute to the literary pioneer who transformed food and wine storytelling in Italy.
What are the secrets to a long and healthy life? Drawing on the study of centenarians in the world’s famous “Blue Zones,” Giovanni Scapagnini, professor of neuroscience and nutrition, embarks on a fascinating journey through biology, history, and lifestyle to explore the true secrets of healthy aging.
Three producers. Six wines. What does time bring to the glass, and what is it worth? Join Commonwealth Wine School for an interactive exploration of Italy’s ageworthy white wines.
The Lagoon Road starts where the land is flat and the sea is close. Pinot Grigio from the plain, then from the hills, and the difference says more than any label.
Friuli for those who think they already know it. The road runs east, to where Italy becomes Slovenia and the wines begin to speak with another accent.
A quieter journey, and a sharper one. Rivers carried the stones this land is made of, and this session listens to them.
Millennials remain a core wine-consuming generation, while LDA Gen Z, the legal-drinking-age segment of Gen Z, represents an important opportunity for future growth.
A great winery does not automatically translate into a great tourist attraction. To turn interest in Italian wine into an actual trip, a destination must be easily incorporated into an itinerary, booked, managed, and sold by those working in the travel industry. Moderated by Sara Magro, the panel will bring together key players from cruise lines, hotel groups, specialized tour operators, and the luxury travel sector to understand how an itinerary is created and what criteria determine the inclusion of a winery or a region. How do cruise lines select shore excursions? What motivates a hotel to recommend a wine region? What standards of service, logistics, hospitality, accessibility, and accommodation capacity are essential for being included in an international tour operator’s offerings? And what partnerships must producers, consortia, and regions build to move from promotion to commercialization?The discussion will analyze the true commercial architecture of wine tourism, with a practical goal: to understand how to make Italian wine destinations easier to incorporate into an itinerary, book, and sell on the international market.
To reserve a seat in any session, you must have an active account on the official Vinitaly.USA App.
If you have not yet completed your trade accreditation, apply today to access the App and reserve your wine2wine sessions.
Please note: Session times and schedule may change. We recommend checking the app regularly for real-time updates.
This presentation will introduce ENIT’s Wine Tourism Hub, a new B2B platform showcasing the richness and diversity of Italy’s wine tourism experiences, to be unveiled at the conference.
Most wine professionals have experimented with AI, but many gave up after disappointing early results. The problem usually isn't the tool.
Italy’s most famous grapes may still dominate the conversation, but some of the country’s most exciting opportunities are found just beyond the usual names. This masterclass is designed for young sommeliers looking for distinctive, versatile and list-friendly Italian wines that can bring fresh energy to by-the-glass programmes and wine pairings.
Texas is one of the most important wine markets in the US, but treating it as a single market is a mistake.
Decanter World Wine Awards is renowned for its rigorous judging process, bringing together hundreds of leading wine experts to assess wines from across the globe.
Getting into America is not the same as selling wine in America
The US three-tier system connects producers to consumers through importers and suppliers, wholesalers and distributors, and ultimately on- and off-premise retailers.
The last climb of the day. From the plain up to the hills above Nimis, where the Prealps begin.
The VIA Advanced Tasting Sessions are high-level, structured workshops dedicated to the refinement of Italian wine tasting.
Designed primarily for Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts, these sessions position certification as the beginning of mastery, not the end.