The leading event for Italian wine lands in the US, thanks to Vinitaly.USA. At the event at Navy Pier in Chicago, on 20 October, focus will be on the evolutionary trends in demand in the star-spangled market to explore the positioning scenarios for Made in Italy wine. Bill Terlato, president and CEO of Terlato Wine Group, and Lia Tolaini-Banville, founder of Banville Wine Merchants, will meet in a new wine business forum with top US buyers, including restaurateurs, importers and distributors, including large-scale retail trade. The first Italian wine fair on the US market, organised by Veronafiere and Fiere italiane in collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency (Ice-Agenzia), will close on 21 October.
The first edition of Vinitaly.USA in Chicago sees the debut of the wine business forum on the future of Italian wine in the US market
The first edition of Vinitaly.USA in Chicago, on October 20 and 21, will also see the debut of the first wine business forum “Between tradition and innovation: the future of Italian wine on the American market”.
Promoted directly by Ice-Agenzia, the meeting scheduled at Navy Pier – home of the b2b event – on Sunday, October 20 (from 4 to 6:30 p.m.) aims to shed light on the evolutionary trends of demand in the primary reference market for Italian wine to explore future positioning scenarios for the Made in Italy product.
The three working sessions will feature the main buyers from the States, including restaurateurs, importers, distributors, including large-scale retail trade.
In particular, Bill Terlato (President and CEO Terlato Wine Group) and Lia Tolaini-Banville (founder Banville Wine Merchants) will discuss the strategies and challenges of the market. While new consumer trends and obstacles to distribution will be the focus of the interventions by Lee Schlesinger (Winesellers Ltd.), Maria Megna (Winebow Imports) and Stefano Francini (Opici Wines and Spirits) who will share their thoughts with Lamberto Frescobaldi (president of Unione Italiana Vini), Matteo Lunelli (CEO Ferrari Trento) and Alessio Planeta (CEO Planeta Vini).
Here is the program with the scheduled interventions:
- Opening speech and institutional greeting
- President Matteo Zoppas, Italian Trade Agency (ITA)
- General Director Adolfo Rebughini, Veronafiere
- General Secretary Riccardo Guariglia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
- General Director Annamaria Barrile, Confagricoltura
- President Ettore Prandini, Coldiretti
- Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests
Panel 1 – Key architects of Italian wine in the US market: insights from key importers: Bill Terlato (Terlato Wine Group) and Lia Tolaini-Banville (Banville Wine Merchants). Moderator: Robert M. Tobiassen (NABI – National Association of Beverage Importers).
Panel 2 – The point of view of Italian wine producers: Lamberto Frescobaldi (Unione Italiana Vini), Matteo Lunelli (Ferrari Trento) and Alessio Planeta (Planeta). Moderator: Stevie Kim (Managing Partner of Vinitaly).
Panel 3 – Unlocking Opportunities: Italian Wine Growth in the Heartland – A Midwest Focus: Lee Schlesinger (Winesellers), Maria Megna (Winebow) and Stefano Francini (Opici Wines & Spirits). Moderator: Robert M. Tobiassen (NABI – National Association of Beverage Importers).
