The 2026 edition of Vinitaly — the 58th in its history — has officially come to a close. Over the four-day event, 90,000 visitors attended, meeting with 4,000 exhibiting companies. International attendees accounted for 26% of the total, representing 135 countries — five more than in 2025.
Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, stated: “We are satisfied because, in an international context marked by complex geopolitical dynamics that significantly affect the flow and mobility of trade professionals toward major European trade fairs, the results achieved are far from guaranteed. The confirmed presence of over 1,000 top buyers from more than 70 countries — selected and hosted in collaboration with ITA Agency — together with other profiled operators, demonstrates the event’s ability to attract qualified demand and ensure strong market representation.
The participation of consolidated markets such as the United States, Canada and Europe, alongside high‑potential areas including Mercosur with Brazil, India, Australia and Africa, helps create an ecosystem geared toward generating new commercial relationships and development opportunities.”
The next edition of Italy’s and the international wine world’s major trade fair will take place at Veronafiere from 11 to 14 April 2027.
Vinitaly 2026: key markets and protagonists
Among the consolidated markets present at Vinitaly 2026 — an edition attended by numerous political and government representatives, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida — Germany, North America, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Denmark), Poland and Austria all confirmed their strong interest. Their presence underscores the solidity of the main demand hubs for Italian wine.
On the side of emerging high‑potential areas, the top 10 markets include China, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, the Baltic States (Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia), Serbia and Singapore, highlighting a growing foothold in fast‑expanding regions. Interest from Africa is also increasing, with South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria and Angola showing strong engagement. In Asia, Japan and Vietnam stand out for their dynamism and attention toward Italian labels.
A notable new entry this year was Ukraine, with a large and highly qualified group of buyers.
Gianni Bruno, Deputy General Manager, commented: “Veronafiere confirms the organizational strength of the event and its ability to ensure continuity and quality in business relations even during a challenging economic phase. Internationalization remains a strategic priority on which we will continue to invest: we are already working to develop new Vinitaly stages in Africa, Canada and Australia, and we will double our presence in Brazil, strengthening the platform already active with Wine South America. The level of satisfaction expressed by exhibitors and trade operators over these days confirms the effectiveness of the strategic path undertaken. Vinitaly is a concrete accelerator for companies’ market positioning, capable of transforming trade fair participation into promotion and business opportunities.”
The results of Vinitaly and the City
As for Vinitaly and the City — where our publishing group Nelson distributed the first issue of the year of the B2C magazine I Quaderni di WineCouture — 50,000 tasting tokens were recorded. The project continues to expand through its itinerant format: after Calabria, it will stop in the Marche region, in Ancona, this autumn. This path enhances the off‑site program as a tool to activate territories and reach diverse audiences, contributing to the creation of an integrated system that engages and fosters dialogue with final consumers, especially younger ones.
The event schedule featured nearly 100 appointments, including tastings and conferences, in addition to the thousands of initiatives organized directly at the stands by companies, regions and consortia. Among the main innovations were the development of NoLo – Vinitaly Experience, the strengthening of Xcellent Spirits and the consolidation of Vinitaly Tourism, increasingly integrated into the event’s overall offering.
Vinitaly also reaffirms its role as a key platform for dialogue between the supply chain and institutions at both national and European levels. Among the most important moments, the Wine Roundtable brought together the entire sector to address strategic issues ranging from exports to the new OCM framework, as well as production dynamics and consumption trends. This role further strengthens the event’s function as a place of synthesis and direction for the development of the wine industry.
