Two symbols of Italian excellence met on 25 July in Québec City to showcase the value of Made in Italy to the world. After the New York stop, Vinitaly and the Amerigo Vespucci training ship once again joined forces as part of the Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026, placing Italian wine at the heart of an initiative that blends economic promotion, cultural diplomacy and international outreach. Canada — today one of the most dynamic markets for Italy’s premium and super‑premium wines — becomes the new stage of a strategy increasingly focused on North America.
Québec City welcomes the meeting of two ambassadors of Made in Italy
On 25 July, aboard the Italian Navy’s training ship docked in Québec City for the Rendez-vous naval de Québec, the presentation of Vinitaly.USA 2026 took place. The event, scheduled for New York on 26–27 October, was organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) in collaboration with Veronafiere and Vinitaly.
The initiative brought together leading Canadian wine professionals, including importers, representatives of provincial monopolies, agents, sommeliers, media and key industry stakeholders.
It forms part of the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026, promoted by the Ministry of Defence and the Italian Navy and carried out by Difesa Servizi S.p.A. in collaboration with numerous ministries and Italian institutions.
Canada’s growing importance for Italian wine
Choosing Canada underscores the increasing relevance of this market for Italian wine.
In the first five months of 2026, Canadian imports of Italian wine reached 278 million Canadian dollars, up 9.3% year-on-year, with a market share of 27%.
These figures strengthen Canada’s role as one of the top international destinations for high-quality Italian wine and justify a more structured promotional presence by institutions and industry operators.
Italy’s Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, highlighted the significance of the initiative:
“The two important stops of the Amerigo Vespucci training ship in Canada reflect the extraordinary strategic strengthening underway in relations between Italy and Canada, including in economic and commercial spheres. The steady growth of Italian wines in Canada can gain further momentum from Vinitaly’s presence aboard the Vespucci, a symbol of Italian excellence worldwide and of the innovation, quality and style that define Made in Italy.”
Vinitaly.USA strengthens the bridge between Italy and North America
The New York event continues to be one of the most effective tools for connecting Italian producers with North American market operators.
The 2025 edition saw record participation from Canadian professionals — importers, agents and representatives of provincial monopolies. Added to this is the success of the Vinitaly International Academy, which last June certified 31 Italian Wine Ambassadors in Canada, the highest number ever achieved in the Academy’s history.
For ICE President Matteo Zoppas, the current context calls for further strengthening of promotional activities:
“At a time that requires particular attention for the Italian wine sector, it is essential to reinforce international promotion in a structured way to support businesses. In this context, the Canadian stop of the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance, together with Vinitaly, one of the most representative excellences of Made in Italy in a strategic market like Canada and, more broadly, North America. Through ICE’s international network and our consolidated collaboration with all industry players — starting with Vinitaly — we bring Italian wine culture to the world through business matching, masterclasses, storytelling, training and promotion that engage the entire supply chain.”
The centrality of the Canadian market was also emphasized by Veronafiere and Vinitaly President Federico Bricolo:
“Canada is a strategic market in the internationalization path of Italian wine, which is why our commitment in North America is now continuous. The presence of over 300 Canadian operators at Vinitaly 2026 and the record delegation of top buyers — 50 attendees — confirms the effectiveness of this strategy of market presence, promotion and growth. Last June, together with ICE, we organized Vinitaly.USA previews in Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal, combining meetings with buyers and provincial monopolies with training from the Vinitaly International Academy. Today we continue this work by returning aboard the Amerigo Vespucci after the recent New York stop: a collaboration that unites two ambassadors of Made in Italy and strengthens the ability of the Italian system to present itself abroad in a coordinated way. This event in Québec City also marks the debut of our collaboration with ENIT, which will allow us to expand at Vinitaly.USA the storytelling of Italian wine through territories and wine tourism destinations.”
Québec and Ontario lead Canada’s demand for premium wines
Québec and Ontario stand out as the most relevant areas for Italian wine, accounting for around 80% of the entire Canadian market.
Carlo Angelo Bocchi, Director of the ICE Office in Canada, explains:
“Québec, together with Ontario, represents about 80% of the Canadian wine market and is the province where we record the best performance in the premium segment. The extraordinary appreciation of Canadian consumers for the quality, diversity and heritage of Italian wine continues to strengthen our market presence. Growth in British Columbia and Alberta further confirms a demand increasingly oriented toward authenticity, excellence and value. The joint presence of Vinitaly and the Amerigo Vespucci is the natural evolution of our commitment to creating new business opportunities while consolidating the relationship between Canadian professionals and the Italian wine sector.”
From Canada to New York: a forward-looking strategy for Vinitaly and Italian wine
The Québec City stop represents a new milestone in an international strategy aimed at strengthening the positioning of Italian wine in North America.
Vinitaly.USA 2026 will welcome an even larger Canadian delegation than in previous editions, confirming the event’s role as a key platform for producers, importers and industry operators.
The meeting between Vinitaly and the Amerigo Vespucci thus takes on a significance that goes beyond commercial promotion. It embodies an Italian system that chooses to present itself abroad in a coordinated way — combining culture, economy, food and wine, and territory — to consolidate the leadership of Italian wine in the most strategic international markets.
