Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie is the “Official Wine” of Giro d’Italia 2026

The bond between wine and sport has long been well established and is renewed year after year at the most important and iconic sporting events. One such event is Giro d’Italia, the most famous multi-stage cycling race in Italy and one of the most prestigious in the world, capable not only of telling the story of the exploits of great champions but also, indirectly, of showcasing Italy wine territories. And even though, for some years now, there has no longer been a true “Wine Stage”, the wine districts crossed by the race continue to play a central role, as they are part of the popular culture that the Giro narrates at every edition, together with Italy wine and food excellence. A true protagonist of the edition No. 109 of Giro d’Italia, however, will be Pinot Grigio Doc Delle Venezie, which will serve as the “Official Wine” of Corsa Rosa. The partnership, which will be presented by Consorzio Doc Delle Venezie, headed by Luca Rigotti, on April 13th at the Ministry of Agriculture during Vinitaly 2026 at Veronafiere in Verona, is the result, explains a note, of “a strategic choice: it expresses identity, vision, territorial cohesion and ambition, consolidating the reputation of the Denomination of Origin and strengthening its positioning in the eyes of national and international audiences, media and stakeholders, evolving from a category success into a national excellence”.
Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie, Italy leading still white wine by export volume and one of the most appreciated wines worldwide, will accompany not only Giro d’Italia (May 8th - 31st), but also Giro d’Italia Women (May 30th - June 7th), Giro-E (May 9th - 31st) and Giro Next Gen (June 14th - 21st), bringing its “Italian style” along the entire circuit and into the homes of viewers, in order to best convey the work of producers, the wine-growing territories and the communities which safeguard them. The Doc Delle Venezie is, in fact, a cornerstone of the Italian wine landscape, as demonstrated by the figures: with a production area of 27,000 hectares and an output of 230 million bottles, supported by a supply chain comprising 6,141 winegrowers, 575 wineries and 371 bottling companies, it today represents 85% of Italian Pinot Grigio and 43% of global production.
Starting from May 8th, Giro d’Italia will cross borders (the race will start in Bulgaria) travelling through territories and building connections: it is a major event with an estimated global audience exceeding 650 million viewers and television coverage in 200 countries. And with “Pinot Grigio Doc Delle Venezie - The Official Wine of Giro d’Italia” 2026, the wine will be a constant presence, raising a toast to the values of conviviality and Italian wine and food culture.
“With the sponsorship of Giro d’Italia, a great cycling event and a symbol of our country - affirms Luca Rigotti, president of the Consorzio Doc Delle Venezie - we will officially bring Pinot Grigio Doc Delle Venezie into a narrative that unites sport, territory, community and lifestyle, consolidating our role as ambassadors of an authentic and contemporary Italian identity. It is an important step in clearly affirming the value of the denomination and its leadership in international markets, while defending quality, origin and reputation in a complex and constantly evolving global scenario. We believe this initiative represents a choice of vision and enhancement, an opportunity to create and strengthen synergies and dialogue at multiple levels with consumers, media, institutions and local stakeholders, who will toast with the Doc Delle Venezie during the stages, reinforcing the symbolic value of the collaboration”.
Matteo Mursia, Chief Revenue Officer of Rcs Sport & Events, said: “we are proud to welcome Pinot Grigio Doc Delle Venezie as the “Official Wine” of our three Grand Tours - men, women and youth - through a partnership which perfectly enhances the meeting point between sport, passion, territory and culture. Giro d’Italia is a unique and exclusive communication platform capable of amplifying authentic stories and creating deep connections with a broad audience. Together, we will bring to life a narrative that highlights Italian excellence and lifestyle. This collaboration further strengthens the international positioning of our event and its role as an ambassador of made in Italy worldwide”.
The coherence of the partnership with the Doc vision is also reflected in a strong commitment to enhancing the territories. Stage after stage, the Consortium will create an itinerary designed to tell the story of the home territory of Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie which includes the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Autonomous Province of Trento, through landscapes, villages, widespread hospitality and gastronomic traditions. The project promotes a sustainable and slow vision while enhancing the tourist and cultural vocation of the Triveneto, from Lake Garda to Friuli Venezia Giulia, from the Trentino mountains to the Venice Lagoon. This project, focused on territories and excellence, comes at a time when Italy is more than ever in the global spotlight following the recent recognition of Italian cooking as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (the first to achieve this, ed). This milestone has brought the identity value of our wine and food tradition back to the center of global debate, reinforcing the awareness that wine has accompanied our gastronomic culture for millennia as an element of conviviality, cohesion and storytelling of territories.