Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies
“From the stage here at Vinitaly, I would like to share an appeal for peace, following the words of Pope Leo XIV and President Mattarella: conflicts undermine relationships, hurt the economy, and fuel new forms of poverty. War offers no solutions. I also spoke about this recently with the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. Vinitaly is a place for meetings and relationships. Relationships create diplomacy and diplomacy creates peace. We all have to work towards this". So said the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, at the inauguration of the 2026 edition of Vinitaly at Veronafiere. The President expressed his initial thanks to all Veronafiere's staff, "whose commitment makes such a complex event possible, even more so in such a challenging international context. My thanks go to everyone who make the constant evolution of this event possible every year, and congratulations, in particular, to local businesses, posting impressive results while addressing the great challenges of our times."
Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the Council of Ministers
“Italian wine is much more than just excellence: it is one of the pillars of our economic status in the world. Italy is the leading global producer and an international market leader, with over 23% of global exports. In 2025, exports came to 7.8 billion euros, confirming our strong position in a constantly evolving global context. Thanks to growth through diplomacy, we have organised more than 50 initiatives in the wine and spirits sector, involving nearly 1,000 operators. Our goal for 2026 is clear: strengthen the competitiveness of Italian wine, support businesses, and consolidate an increasingly strong and stable presence on global markets.”
Matteo Zoppas, President, ITA- Italian Trade Agency
“Vinitaly confirms its status as the global landmark trade fair where trends in the sector are defined. Against this challenging economic climate, and in line with the priorities defined by the crisis management committee set up by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the sector must accelerate its international promotion and development. This push is achieved thanks to 'Growth through Diplomacy' advocated by Minister Tajani, whereby the Italian system moves in unity even abroad. A central role in this strategy is played by Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, whose work strongly emphasises exports. He is also a supporter of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition for Italian cuisine. Our commitment to this edition is extraordinary: together with Veronafiere, we have invited more than 1,000 strategic buyers from 70 countries. Consolidation in the USA is crucial for the sector, requiring that current critical issues be resolved. A sign that we must accelerate our commitment to the wine and spirits sector. Nevertheless, Italy is holding on firmly to its position. This year, Vinitaly USA moves from Chicago to New York to get into the heart of the American market with renewed strength.
The other lever we must focus on concerns new trade routes. By taking advantage of strategic agreements signed with India and Australia, and monitoring the recovery in Canada, we have planned 61 promotional initiatives for 2026 in 24 priority markets, from the Balkans to China. Our goal is to transform the prestige of the Italian brand into effective business opportunities, ensuring that every glass of wine served around the world is an ambassador of our production and cultural system.”
Alberto Stefani, President of the Veneto Region.
“Vinitaly is much more than just a trade fair: it is the home of wine from the Veneto and Italy as a whole, a venue where the strength of a strategic sector for our economy can be measured. The Veneto Region views this event as a fundamental platform for consolidating international relationships, opening new markets, and showcasing our excellence. The Veneto wine sector comes forward at Vinitaly with solid foundations and potential for growth: In 2025, grape production increased by 6.8% and wine production by 7%, with yields up by 4.8%, while quality remained high despite a complex year in climate terms. The value of production came to 1.789 billion euros, equal to 23.1% of regional agriculture. Exports, while holding up at 2.9 billion euros, posted a slight downturn (-1.2%), which requires close attention: we need new markets and less dependence on individual areas. In this context, Vinitaly is a strategic showcase that strengthens the identity, innovation, and competitiveness of Veneto wine on an international scale.”
Flavio Massimo Pasini, President of the Province of Verona
“Vinitaly is a strategic system infrastructure for the Province and Local Councils: not only an international showcase but a venue for gathering ideas and putting forward wine tourism projects. Given the complex global scenario, wine tourism emerges as an effective lever for regional development, capable of generating value, attracting investment, and strengthening competitiveness. The growing appeal of wine-producing areas helps redistribute tourism flows by supporting a broader seasonal spread and combating over-tourism. The role of institutions, against this background, is to accompany and coordinate these dynamics, as well as to promote territorial identities as a distinctive and unique factor. Vinitaly is the mosaic and the coordinated overall vision of all these extraordinary identities.”
Damiano Tommasi, Mayor of Verona
“My first thanks go to the people who work in the fields, in the cellars, and throughout the entire sector, who are all too often forgotten but should truly be at the heart of the institutional agenda. We need to address issues such as employment, immigration, and housing with less ideology and more pragmatism, while providing effective support to businesses and workers in an effort that concerns everyone. My second thanks go to the Government and institutional attendance at Veronafiere, which helps Verona grow and improve. Verona is Italy: The Olympic experience made us understand what it means to represent one's country. Wearing the blue jersey changes perspectives, responsibilities and ambitions.”
TALK: WINE, ANCIENT WAYS AND NEW ROUTES
Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of the Italian Wine Union
“It is no secret that the current situation is complicated, given the many factors in play, including external ones. Yet we need to view things in overall terms: Italian wine leads the world, and this must be remembered. UIV is convinced that we must hold firm and relaunch, be prepared and ready on the markets and while bearing in mind that wine, despite an unlucky 2025, posted turnover of €7.2 billion, retaining second place in the Made in Italy balance of trade. The wake-up call posed by trade tensions means we need to put our own house in order and broaden our commercial horizons. The time is therefore ripe for a leap in quality: more managerial skills, greater attention to markets and analysis of demand. UIV has two objectives: be more active and get to know our customers, produce contemporary wines in line with demand. More than ever, we need shared responsibility, with clear and unequivocal choices along the entire supply chain.”
Giacomo Ponti, President of Federvini
“The world of wine is geared towards exports. We must defend the US market with determination even though the duties still in force have not helped matters. Export figures speak for themselves but we must bear our value firmly in mind. We must also and especially intercept consumption among young people, not the least through more streamlined communication.”
Alessandro Giuli, Minister of Culture
“I as particularly proud that an initiative of the Ministry of Culture at this edition of Vinitaly sees several works in display that highlight the ancestral value of wine in Mediterranean culture. Six mostly Roman masterpieces in marble, from the Pitti Palace and the Uffizi Galleries, associated with the myth of Dionysus and his symbolic procession of intoxication, creative impulse, and sensual liberation. They are tutelary deities evoking the communal and ritual dimension of wine. It reflects our magnificent landscape, the wisdom of our artisan supply chains, and the solidity of our national industry - all components in a mosaic that inspires unconditional admiration.”
Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy
“Vinitaly showcases the strength, resilience, and competitiveness of the Made in Italy brand, where wine is one of our most visible products. Wine is made to combine the identity of Italian region, culture and civilization through its production system, capacity for innovation, and presence on international markets. The desire to get things done, to relaunch ourselves, and invest in global markets - which were already perceived in previous editions of Vinitaly - is rewarding in that we hold on to traditional markets while, at the same time, entering new avenues and markets, well suited to Italian wine and Made in Italy products.”
Antonella Sberna, vice-president of the European Parliament
“Vinitaly is the event where Italy tells the world a story through wine of identity, culture, and enterprise. The approval of the Wine Package sees Europe guide the sector towards greater flexibility, resilience, and openness to new markets. However, it is essential that this evolution does not weaken the bond between wine, territory, and production quality. At the same time, we must ensure that the new regulations do not place a disproportionate burden on businesses, especially SMEs. As regards labelling, a balance is needed: distinguishing between abuse and responsible consumption is essential, without penalizing a sector that is a symbol of European excellence or distorting the identity of wine. The real challenge is not adding alarming content to labels. It rather means building serious policies that help Italian and European wine remain competitive, strong, and recognizable all over the world. Nutritional information is good, even on electronic labels, but we must reject intimidating labels. The challenge is therefore real and Italy, more than anyone else, is playing a fundamental role in transforming these regulations into useful tools for producers and regions, strengthening the competitiveness, innovation, and value of the winemaking industry.”
Gianmarco Mazzi, Minister of Tourism
"I am thrilled and honoured to be here in my home city for the first time as Minister of Tourism at the inauguration of Vinitaly. Tourism is a pillar of the Italian economy, accounting for 13% of GDP and worth €240 billion. Wine is a millennial history of human knowledge. Every bottle contains its local territory and often a generation that has decided to stay put and safeguard it. I intend to focus on wine tourism during my mandate. This field is currently worth 3 billion euros in Italy and is growing constantly. I believe this is an important segment, because one of my goals is to bring more tourists to wineries—wonderful places of well-being—and help them to get to know local areas, be they from Italy or abroad. This is therefore a way to promote these territories and perhaps also to reduce congestion in city centres through better distribution of tourist flows.”
Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry
“In December, we achieved a great result: Italian cuisine was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage at the end of a process that began at Vinitaly three years ago. This acknowledgement protects not only the art of cooking local delicacies but also the values of conviviality and togetherness. Italian cuisine would not be what it is without wine, forming an inseparable bond at the heart of our tables. Vinitaly celebrates this central role with an exhibition venue and installations that narrate the story of wine and our native grape varieties. The dialogue between wine and art is strengthened thanks to the Ministry of Culture, with six statues depicting the myth of Bacchus on loan from the Uffizi Galleries and the Pitti Palace. As Minister of Agriculture, I want to share a message of optimism: Italian wine will continue to be a world-renowned excellence, and Vinitaly is its perfect showcase.”