Italian wine is strengthening its international presence through education. With the first historic Canadian edition of the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA), held on 22 and 23 June in Toronto, 35 Italian Wine Ambassadors were certified, confirming the growing interest of the North American market in Italian wine. The initiative, promoted by Veronafiere and Vinitaly in collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, represents a further step in the strategy of promoting Italian wine culture through a global network of highly qualified professionals.
Toronto Enters the International Geography of Vinitaly International Academy Education
The Canadian stop marked the 35th edition of the Italian Wine Ambassador certification course and, above all, the programme’s debut in Canada.
A significant milestone for a project that over the years has established itself as one of the leading tools dedicated to the promotion and education of Italian wine in international markets.
Over two days, the programme brought together 55 professionals and wine enthusiasts from different countries, invited to explore the richness of Italy’s wine heritage through a structured and highly specialised educational programme.
Participants were welcomed by Carlo Angelo Bocchi, Director of ICE Canada, while the educational programme was led by Sarah Heller MW, member of the VIA Faculty, alongside John Szabo MS.
Two Days Exploring the Complexity of Italian Wine
Native grape varieties, territories, appellations, production styles, tasting techniques and international communication tools formed the pillars of the educational programme developed in Toronto.
The theoretical training was accompanied by guided tastings of 43 Italian wines, selected to represent the extraordinary diversity of Italian wine production.
The programme was designed to provide a systematic and in-depth understanding of Italian wine to professionals active in trade, communication, distribution and wine education.
The Italian Wine Ambassador title was awarded after a comprehensive examination consisting of a blind tasting of two wines, short-answer questions and a multiple-choice test.
The 35 Italian Wine Ambassadors Appointed in Toronto
The Canadian edition concluded with the certification of 35 Italian Wine Ambassadors, including 31 new certifications and 4 professionals who renewed a title previously obtained.
The official ceremony took place during the traditional Pinning Ceremony hosted at ARIA Ristorante, in the presence of Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere; Giulia Romani, Acting Consul General of Italy in Toronto; Carlo Angelo Bocchi, Director of ICE Canada; Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly; Sarah Heller MW; and John Szabo MS.
The new Italian Wine Ambassadors certified in Toronto are:
Ana Bertha Gallegos Barcenas IWA, Rocco Fasano, Beverley Bourdin IWA, Felipe Avendano, Gianluca Alaimo Di Loro, Antonio Ruscetta, Paul Perugini, Ben Plisky-Somers, James Chatto, Danielle Chandler, Kimberley Berdusco, Sean Rowlands, Alfred Lamprecht, Alain Laliberte, Linda Lee, Winston Sullivan, Bethann McLaren, Bernard Stramwasser, Damien Detcheverry, Mackenzie Peippo, Matthew Pauls, Debbie Shing, Alison Lee, Robert Gravelle, Graeme Moore, Stephanie Guth IWA, Olivia Siu, Ellen Lainez, Treve Ring, Marzia Gallo IWA, Junxing Li, José Fernández, Arezu Salamzadeh, Mario Cagnetta and John Szabo MS.
The composition of the 2026 class reflects the international nature of the VIA project, bringing together professionals from different sectors of the wine supply chain, communication and wine education, who are now called upon to become ambassadors of Italian wine culture in their respective markets.
Special Awards and New Talents Within the Vinitaly International Academy Community
During the programme, several awards were presented to participants who achieved the best results.
The Best Blind Tasting Exam Award was presented to Salvatore Morra and Ellen Lainez, while Gianluca Alaimo Di Loro received the Best Multiple Choice Exam Award.
Winston Sullivan distinguished himself in the Best Short Answer Exam, while the Best Video Project Award went to James Chatto, Danielle Chandler, Malcolm Jolley and Renée Sferrazza.
For the first time, the Top Performing Students category was also introduced, recognising Ben Plisky-Somers, Graeme Moore and Gianluca Alaimo Di Loro for their outstanding performance throughout the programme.
The Enthusiasm of the Canadian Market
The strong interest generated by the first Canadian edition of the Vinitaly International Academy was highlighted by Sarah Heller MW, one of the key figures behind the educational programme in Toronto:
“Bringing Vinitaly International Academy to Canada for the first time was a highly meaningful experience. The participation of 55 candidates from different professional backgrounds and organisations such as LCBO confirms that Italian wine is experiencing a moment of significant growth in Canada. The enthusiasm we encountered in Toronto is an important signal and gives us great confidence in the future of the category in this market.”
The Canadian debut confirms the international growth of Vinitaly International Academy.
Today, the programme counts 525 certified Italian Wine Ambassadors, of whom 22 have also achieved the qualification of Italian Wine Expert.
The VIA Community now exceeds 1,600 members across more than 57 countries, bringing together professionals, educators and communicators committed to promoting Italian wine through educational activities, study tours in Italy, participation in the juries of 5StarWines – the Book, attendance at OperaWine, and involvement in the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum.
From Toronto to New York: Vinitaly International Academy’s International Journey Continues
The Canadian edition also served as a bridge towards Vinitaly’s next international event.
During the programme, dedicated presentations were organised for Vinitaly.USA, scheduled to take place in New York in October.
It is precisely in New York that the international journey of Vinitaly International Academy will continue: the next Italian Wine Ambassador certification course will be held on 25 and 26 October at Banville Wine Merchants, alongside Vinitaly.USA.
