(Tokyo, November 14, 2025). The international Vinitaly tour picks up again in Japan which—after the recent stop in Chicago for Vinitaly.USA—will host the Vinitaly Tokyo Preview on November 17–18. Organized by Veronafiere in collaboration with the Italian Embassy and ITA – Italian Trade Agency, the event takes place during the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World and aims to strengthen Vinitaly’s presence in the most mature wine market in Asia.
The opening ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, which on the evening of November 17 will host a gala dinner for 50 guests including institutions, buyers, influencers, and specialized operators. During the dinner, presented in partnership with SOL Expo, a special “olive oil cart” will offer tastings of five extra virgin olive oils guided by JOOP competition judge Mariko Shimada. The evening will be followed by two masterclasses led by wine educator Filippo Bartolotta and Italian Wine Ambassador Asami Yoshikawa, scheduled for Tuesday, November 18, at the InterContinental Tokyo Bay.
The tastings—featuring eight wines per session plus two blind tastings—are organized by Veronafiere and ITA – Italian Trade Agency, which has selected 50 trade professionals for each event. The first session will focus on “The Lightness of Contemporary Italian Winemaking,” an exploration in the glass of clarity, transparency, drinkability, and lightness as expressions of terroir and elegance. The afternoon tasting (2:00 PM) will be dedicated to “Italy Reimagined,” a journey through contemporary Italian winemaking with emphasis on the history, data, and trends reshaping landscapes and production styles.
According to Veronafiere President Federico Bricolo: “Targeted international promotional initiatives such as the Vinitaly Preview Tokyo are essential to strengthening the positioning of Italian wine, especially in markets where we face the historic leadership of France. Only through focused, joint, and continuous promotion can we enhance our excellence and gain new market share, particularly in high value-added categories”.
Veronafiere CEO Adolfo Rebughini adds: “Since 2021, Japan has returned to being Asia’s leading wine-importing market and remains a strategic partner for Italian wine, which here positions itself mainly in the premium segment. In terms of exports, Japan represents a mid-sized market for Made in Italy: around 183 million euros in 2024, accounting for 2% of Italy’s total wine exports. Yet, when considering overall Japanese wine imports, France still leads the ranking. It is exactly this gap that targeted promotional and positioning efforts can address—and make a difference.”
According to the Uiv–Vinitaly Observatory, despite slightly contracting consumption dynamics—particularly for still wines—the market shows encouraging signals for Italy in the sparkling wine segment, which is expected to grow by +3% in both volume and value by 2028.
Vinitaly’s promotional marathon will continue in Serbia with Vinitaly @Wine Vision by Open Balkan (Belgrade, November 22–25) and then in Albania (Tirana, November 26), before closing out 2025 in Asia with two Vinitaly Previews in Thailand (Bangkok, December 8) and India (New Delhi, December 10). Veronafiere’s 2026 international calendar will begin with Previews in Norway and Poland (Oslo in January and Warsaw in February), followed by the Vinitaly Roadshow India (Mumbai and Panaji, January 15 and 18, 2026). Asia returns to center stage in March with Vinitaly China Chengdu (March 22–25), which will pass the baton to Verona for the 58th edition of Vinitaly (April 12–15, 2026). The 3rd Vinitaly.USA is also confirmed for October 2026.
With the Tokyo stop, Vinitaly strengthens its role in strategic markets for Italian wine and confirms an increasingly structured international roadmap committed to creating value throughout 2025–2026. The objective is clear: to support companies in achieving global and sustainable growth, reinforcing the presence of Made in Italy where competition is highest.
Participating Wineries:
Agricola Forte; Azienda Agricola Villa Le Prata; Collemattoni; Corte Sermana; Enologo per Amore; Fontezoppa; Marchesi di Barolo; Prosecco Belvedere Soc. Agr. Ss.
Participating SOL Expo Producers:
Frantoio Franci; L’extravergine Montagano; Palazzo di Varignana; Salvagno Giovanni; Ursini.