Marchesi Frescobaldi, Oniverse (the Veronesi family), Da Vittorio: wine & food at “Leonardo Awards”

From wine to haute cuisine, when it comes to major awards celebrating made in Italy, wine & food are always among the protagonists. This was also the case at the prestigious “Leonardo Award” 2026, organized by the Leonardo Committee - which today brings together more than 110 companies operating both in traditional and innovative made in Italy sectors, with a combined turnover exceeding 400 billion euros and an average export share of 57% - to honor excellence in Italian entrepreneurship (with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy). At the edition of this year, the “Leonardo Award for Historic Enterprise” 2026 was presented to a major name in Italian wine, Marchesi Frescobaldi, while the “Leonardo Award for Quality Italy” 2026 went to organizations such as Oniverse Holding of the Veronesi family. The holding brings together all the Group activities, spanning fashion with brands including Falconeri, Tezenis, Intimissimi, and Calzedonia, to wine & food, through Oniwines, which includes the wineries Tenimenti Leone in the Colli Albani (Lazio), La Giuva in Valpolicella, Podere Guardia Grande in Sardinia, Villa Bucci, a jewel of the Marche region and of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, the historic Pico Maccario estate in Monferrato, as well as Ert105 in Trentodoc, and the Signorvino wine bars with kitchens in Italy and abroad. The award also went to the Da Vittorio Group, a global excellence in fine dining run by the Cerea family, with the three-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio restaurant in Brusaporto and beyond, as well as a “Special Mention” for La Molisana, one of the most renowned names in Italian pasta. This edition also honored, among others, Claudio Descalzi, ceo of Eni (Leonardo Award 2026), Christophe Weber, President and ceo of Takeda (Leonardo International Award 2026), Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, and H.E. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation (Special Leonardo Award 2026).
“An occasion which brings together a wealth of expressions of Italian genius, manifested across many sectors and fields, revealing the high level of entrepreneurial inventiveness, social solidarity, and enthusiasm present in our country, all identified by the Leonardo Committee through the selection of positive role models,” commented President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, during the award ceremony held in recent days at Palazzo Piacentini in Rome (here are all the official award motivations).
“Made in Italy continues to demonstrate an extraordinary power of attraction, confirming itself as a decisive factor for success and competitiveness on a global scale. The quality, creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship of our companies  - declared Sergio Dompé, president of the Leonardo Committee -  constitute a unique heritage, recognized and appreciated worldwide. Istat data for 2025 on foreign trade show that exports reached 643 billion euros in 2025, growing by 3.3% compared to the previous year”.
“For more than thirty years , and still today thanks to the work of President Sergio Dompé, the Leonardo Award has represented one of the most authoritative instruments for telling the world about the quality, vision, and competitive strength of our production system. The awarded companies show how made in Italy continues to stand out for innovation, sustainability, and strong ties to local territories, which form the foundation of its strength in international markets. In a complex global context, the role of institutions and economic diplomacy also thanks to the commitment of the Government and Ministers Antonio Tajani and Adolfo Urso, is crucial in supporting our companies in their international growth paths. Ice Agency - added president Matteo Zoppas -  will continue to stand alongside the Italian entrepreneurial system so that excellences like those celebrated today can consolidate and expand their international presence, contributing to economic development and Italy prestige worldwide, and paving the way for small and medium-sized enterprises, which represent the backbone of the country”.
“It is with great pride that we celebrate today the excellence of Italian know-how, quality, creativity, and innovation of companies in key sectors of our economy and exports. Despite the difficult international climate, we continue to grow exports, and made in Italy is increasingly in demand worldwide. The Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are concretely supporting Italian entrepreneurs in their constant search for new growth opportunities. Our goal of reaching 700 euros billion by the end of the legislative term drives us to give our very best together”, affirmed Antonio Tajani, deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
“In a geopolitical scenario dominated by conflict, trade wars, and instability, our production system appears more resilient and capable of reacting: it is increasing exports, placing Italy alongside Japan as the world’s fourth-largest exporter, and attracting foreign investors, as highlighted by the main attractiveness indicators”, declared, among other things, Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, among other remarks.
Among the awarded excellences, as mentioned, wine also plays a key role, with the “Leonardo Award for Historic Enterprise” 2026, “granted to made in Italy excellences capable of combining tradition with a contemporary vision” awarded to Marchesi Frescobaldi. “This award represents an important recognition of the work of thirty generations and of a business vision that has always combined respect for tradition, responsibility toward local territories, and the ability to innovate. It is an incentive to continue bringing the excellence and identity of Italian wine to the world, with a future-oriented outlook”, declared Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of Marchesi Frescobaldi. Active since the 14th century, the company is one of the most prestigious historic realities of made in Italy, with 5,000 hectares of owned land, including more than 1,700 hectares of vineyards, 14 estates in Tuscany, one in Friuli, one in Sicily, and one in Oregon, and a quality distribution network in over 107 countries worldwide.
And, linked to wine, at least in part, is also the “Leonardo Award for Quality Italy” 2026, awarded to Oniverse, which “has created an entrepreneurial ecosystem of excellence which combines strategic vision with the enhancement of made in Italy in 59 countries. With a turnover of 3.7 billion euros in 2025, the Group stands out for a diversified model spanning fashion, wine, and yachting, focusing on technological innovation and sustainability. Oniverse also includes Signorvino, a retail chain specialized in the sale of Italian wines. The recognition celebrates Oniverse ability to enhance the international prestige of Italy industrial identity”, explains the Leonardo Committee.