New York, 27 October 2026. Forty-six Italian wineries led by women. This is the new feature of Vinitaly OperaWine 2027, which is introducing the ‘Led by Women’ category for the next edition as part of Wine Spectator’s selection of 150 wineries. These wineries will take centre stage at the super tasting scheduled for Saturday 10 April 2027 at the Gallerie Mercatali in Verona, serving as a prelude to the 59th Vinitaly.
The announcement was made last night in New York by the American magazine, one of the world’s most influential publications in the wine sector, at the close of the first day of Vinitaly.USA and the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum. The list, unveiled by Alison Napjus and Bruce Sanderson, both senior editors at Wine Spectator, is rounded out by 31 ‘Legacy Icons’ (wineries that have been included in every edition and have helped shape the history of Italian wine) and 73 ‘Classics’ (leading producers in their respective regions with an established track record of quality).
According to Wine Spectator: “OperaWine brings together some of the leading wineries on the Italian wine scene, showcasing great wines, many of which come from producers’ collections of older vintages. This year, the new ‘Led by Women’ category highlights wineries where women hold key roles, from ownership and production to representation. Alongside ‘Legacy Icons’ and ‘Classics’, this group enriches our unique tasting event outside the United States.”
In total, there are 16 new entries for the upcoming edition and 17 wineries returning to OperaWine after a period of absence. As for the regional origins of the 150 leading names in Italian wine selected by Wine Spectator, Tuscany is the most represented region, with 48 wineries, followed by Piedmont (27), Veneto (15) and Sicily (14). Campania and Trentino-Alto Adige share fifth place, with seven wineries each.