New York, October 23rd, 2026. Three hundred Italian companies and operators will be welcomed by 35 countries thanks to a joint incoming plan implemented by Veronafiere and ITA-Italian Trade Agency. This snapshot of Vinitaly.USAon the eve of its third edition making it debut in New York Monday26th and Tuesday 27th October at Pier 36. An audience bringing together decision makers from the main purchasing and distribution channels for Italian wine and tour operators specialising in wine tourism, with the United States, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Laos, and Morocco in the top ten for countries of origin.
“Wine is an economic and cultural lever for relationships between Italy and the United States," said Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere Companies and institutions share a specific goal with Vinitaly.USA: consolidate the positioning of Italian wine on the American market. We are determined to help strengthen the competitiveness of our companies and translate the reputation of Made in Italy wine into business value ”.
The General Manager of Veronafiere, Giovanni Sacripante, said: “The value of a trade fair brand is measured by its ability to open new business outlets and strengthen the presence of companies on markets through continual efforts that extend beyond the event days as such. It is with this vision in mind that we are consolidating Vinitaly as an international business platform serving companies all year round. New York is an effective example of this strategy: With over one thousand pre-registered buyers, we aim to connect Italian companies with key players in the American supply chain, from imports and distribution to retail and catering. Our goal is to build lasting business relationships that extend well beyond this two-day event, both in Verona and on international markets, turning every meeting into a potential opportunity for growth for our businesses”.
The inaugural session will officially open the trade fair platform promoting Italian wine in the leading non-EU destination market, with reports by Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere; Matteo Zoppas, President ITA- Italian Trade Agency; Riccardo Guariglia, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Marco Peronaci, Ambassador of Italy to the USA; Gianluca Caramanna, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Gianmarco Mazzi for institutional relations, and Marco Rago, Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Development. Institutional greetings will be completed with the video message from the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida.
Thereafter, institutions, companies, and buyers will discuss the future of Italian wine in America in two panels organized by ITA-Italian Trade Agency for the wine sector. The first session dealing with “Prospects and the construction of a new chapter in Italian-US winemaking relations” will be moderated by journalist Maria Luisa Rossi Hawkins, joined by Matteo Zoppas, President of ITA-Italian Trade Agency; Giovanni Sacripante, General Manager of Veronafiere;Bill Terlato, President and CEO of Terlato Wine Group; Matteo Lunelli, CEO of the Lunelli Group; Alison Napjus, Senior Editor and tasting director with Wine Spectator; Tim Marson MW, category management director Wine.com, and Bobby Stuckey, Master Sommelier and founder of Frasca Hospitality Group. Stuckey will receive the "Gianfranco Sorrentino Award for Italian Excellence” founded this year by Vinitaly.USA to recognize personalities in the restaurant sector in the United States who have contributed most to the promotion of Italian wine, cuisine and culture and hospitality. The first day will also see the presentation of the Taste of Italy - Wine List Excellence Awards announced last April in Verona to Babbo Restaurant (New York) and Felix Trattoria (Los Angeles).
The relationship between Italian winemakers and influencers who guide choice on the US market, on the other hand, is the focus of “Italian Producers and American Master Sommeliers: the questions that matter”. The Master Sommeliers representing the point of view of catering and professional training are Laura DePasquale (senior vice president Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits), Julie M. Dalton (Post Oak Hotel, Houston), Jonathan Eichholz (GuildSomm lecturer, with experience in New York's star restaurants), and Jim Bube (National Wine Director, Hogsalt group), conducted by Stevie Kim (Vinitaly managing partner) and Jenny Hemmer DipWSET, executive director of GuildSomm International.
The Vinitaly.USA business matching is also flanked by the agenda of the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum: it includes more than 20 events such as master classes and market focus sessions. These include events coordinated by Vinitaly Tourism and implemented by ITA-Italian Trade Agency and the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration withENIT.
From the choices made by American travelers to selling itineraries in Italy's wine regions, wine tourism will feature on both days of the program. Monday, October 26th we'll focus on figures who help make Italy known and popular with Susan Kostrzewa, former director of Wine Enthusiast and now a columnist for Resplendent Ink; Riley Pearce, director of Trip Development at tour operator Backroads; Cristina Mariani, owner and CEO of Banfi, and Seth Snider, co-founder of Your Private Italy, specializing in tailor-made luxury travel to Italy. ITA-Italian Trade Agency also promotes the wine tourism panel on Tuesday October 27th - “From the wine cellar to the itinerary: How the International Tourism Industry Sells Italian Wine Tourism,” coordinated by journalist Sara Magro (co-founder of the travel and lifestyle magazine thetravelnews.it and theitalyinsider.com, which reports on contemporary Italy to an international audience). From selling experiences to development prospects in the sector, the focus then shifts to the "Future of wine tourism in Italy: "destinations, experiences and opportunities for the global market". Ivana Jelinic, CEO and acting president of ENIT, and Gianluca Caramanna, advisor to the Minister of Tourism, will outline scenarios and opportunities (Tuesday, October 27th).
In addition, Pier 36 will see Alison Napjus and Bruce Sanderson announce the Wine Spectator selection for Vinitaly OperaWine 2027.
Veronafiere's promotion in New York also extends to extra virgin olive oil. During Vinitaly.USA, SOL Expo in the EVO Oil Showcase Area will complement wine with two companies in attendance (from the Veneto and Apulia regions) and an OIL Bar with 16 companies proposing 25 products from six Italian regions - Apulia, Veneto, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and Sicily - as well as activities and initiatives dedicated to promoting Italian olive oil on the American market.
The Consul General of Italy in New York will also be present at the inauguration of the 3rd edition of Vinitaly.USA,Giuseppe Pastorelli, and Agriculture Councillors ,Alessio Mammi, for the Emilia-Romagna region, Giancarlo Righini, for the Latium region, Stefano Zannier for the Self-Governing Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, and ,Carmine Cicala, for the Basilicata Region. The supply chain in turn will be represented by: Giovanni Bernardini, vice president of Copagri; Sandro Gambuzza, vice president of Confagricoltura; Luigi Pio Scordamaglia, CEO of Filiera Italia; Filippo Polegato, vice president of the Italian Wine Union, and Luca Rigotti, President of the Copa-Cogeca Wine Group. Guests at the Opening also include Alessandro Del Piero, Lega Calcio Serie A Ambassador.
Vinitaly.USA brings together 300 exhibitors including companies, regional groups, associations (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Latium, Sardinia, Umbria, the Regional Wine Centre of Emilia-Romagna, Italia del Vino, the Matelica Wine Producers Cooperative) and consortia (Asti DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino, Prosecco DOC, Vini d'Elba, DOC Sicilia, Vini Lugana DOC and Vini delle Venezie DOC).