The crisis in consumption, climate change, regulatory pressure, communication with younger generations and the protection of wine’s cultural identity. These were the themes that dominated the discussion between Piero Antinori, Angelo Gaja, Sandro Boscaini and Fausto Maculan during VinoVip Cortina 2026, the event organized by Civiltà del Bere that brought together four leading figures of the Italian wine Renaissance on the same stage. Despite starting from the sector’s current challenges, the debate offered a vision far from pessimistic.
Antinori: Wine must be defended as cultural heritage
For Piero Antinori, the greatest risk today is the growing tendency to equate wine with other alcoholic beverages. According to the Tuscan producer, wine has a unique cultural and social dimension that requires a more effective and modern narrative, especially for younger generations:
“One of the greatest dangers is the tendency to equate wine with other alcoholic products. It’s not the same: wine has a millenary history that accompanies the table and fosters conviviality, it has social and even health values, since moderate consumption has been proven to be beneficial. All this should be explained.”
Hence his proposal for a global communication campaign supported by producers themselves.
Gaja: “Some have already gathered at wine’s bedside”
Angelo Gaja, the king of Barbaresco, firmly rejected the most pessimistic readings of the sector’s future:
“Some have already gathered at wine’s bedside. I don’t agree—wine isn’t dead.”
For the Piedmontese producer, the difficulties are real but linked to external factors such as geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. He also reiterated the need to distinguish wine from spirits:
“Given its cultural content, I don’t think it’s right to lump it into the same vat as aperitifs and spirits.”
Maculan: climate change is more worrying than declining consumption
On environmental issues, the speakers showed significant alignment.
As reported by the Corriere della Sera, both Angelo Gaja and Fausto Maculan consider climate change an even more pressing challenge than the drop in consumption.
Maculan recalled how viticulture is undergoing transformations unimaginable just a few years ago:
“I’m more worried about climate change: I had never harvested in August—now I have. Our vines are under water stress.”
A concrete sign that climate adaptation has become a structural priority for European wine.
Boscaini: wine needs a new language
Among the most self‑critical interventions was that of Sandro Boscaini, who urged the sector to rethink its communication strategies:
“Wine is still winning. But we need some self‑criticism: we’ve been too inward‑looking, both as producers and as a system. We talk about wine the same way we did 30 years ago. We’ve self‑celebrated, we’ve been egocentric.”
For the Masi president, the wine world must learn to engage new audiences through more contemporary tools and languages.
New markets and new generations for Italian wine
The future also depends on opening new consumption areas. Angelo Gaja stressed the importance of maintaining a presence in historic markets while simultaneously exploring new wine geographies, highlighting Africa as a potential growth area.
He also encouraged the sector to move beyond the concept of “moderation” and focus more on education, awareness and a culture of consumption.
Italian wine: a sector that refuses pessimism
Despite the challenges highlighted, the VinoVip Cortina debate showed that Italian wine still possesses everything needed to face today’s transformations.
Between climate change, evolving consumption patterns and shifting international markets, the sector is called to a profound transformation. Yet the words of its leading figures reveal a shared conviction: the future of Italian wine will depend on its ability to innovate without losing the cultural, territorial and identity‑driven heritage that has shaped its global success.
