Cristian Specogna and Tommaso Canella, Italy in the “Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 Tastemakers 2025”

Cristian Specogna, winemaker at Azienda Agricola Specogna, third generation at the helm of one of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s jewel wineries in the Colli Orientali del Friuli, and Tommaso Canella, managing director of Casa Vinicola Canella, in San Donà di Piave, in the land of Prosecco but above all icon of the famous Bellini, the iconic cocktail of Venice (made with Brut sparkling wine, white peach juice and pulp, and raspberries): they are also representing Made in Italy among the “Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 Tastemakers 2025”, the personalities who, according to the US magazine Wine Enthusiast’s (whose Italian contributors are Danielle Callegari and Jeff Porter, ed.), will influence the sector in the coming years. A list of 40 names chosen from among winemakers, producers, sommeliers, distillers, brewers, entrepreneurs, educators, and more, destined to change the beverage industry in some way, according to the magazine.
“Cristian Specogna sees winemaking as orchestration: listening to the land, the people, the seasons, and letting his corner of Friuli Colli Orientali DOC sing through the wine glass. A third-generation grower for Azienda Agricola Specogna, he’s pushing his family’s legacy forward with efforts to adapt the estate into a fully organic, energy-independent operation. In addition, he has enacted initiatives to have the estate serve as a site for social inclusion, including offering training opportunities to people with autism spectrum disorder and collaborating with Fondazione Progetto Autismo FVG to create a line of special bottlings that raise funds and awareness”, explains Wine Enthusiast. In the case of Tommaso Canella, however, it writes: “Tommaso Canella aims to share la dolce vita with the world, one Bellini at a time. Canella, the third-generation managing director of his family winery, Casa Vinicola Canella, merges tradition with innovation, expanding the family business to new audiences. He expanded the brand with creative, cultural experiences on the property and led the launch of Granriviera, a line of ready-to-drink cocktails that combine high-quality Italian ingredients like bergamot and Sicilian oranges. “I see my role as looking ahead: taking something deeply rooted in Italian culture like the aperitivo, and making it feel pop, fresh and relevant today”, he says.