Tariffs or not, the US is crucial for Italian wine. Which it promotes with Vinitaly.USA

Tariffs or not, the US remains and will remain an essential and irreplaceable market for Italian wine exports, with €1.9 billion out of €8 billion in 2024, and €838.7 million out of €3.2 billion in the first five months of 2025, according to Istat, with growth of +5.7% in value compared to -0.8% for Italy as a whole. Things will certainly become more complex, however, which is why it is more important than ever to monitor the markets and promote the “stars and stripes” market. This continues at full speed, also with Veronafiere-Vinitaly, Ita - Italian Trade Agency, Fiere Italiane and the Italian American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest-Chicago, together with Vinitaly.Usa No. 2, scheduled to take place at Navy Pier in Chicago, one of the economic capitals of the United States, on October 5 and 6. According to a Veronafiere press release, almost 250 exhibitors, including wineries and consortia, with an aggregate turnover of €7.2 billion, are expected to attend the event. This result confirms and relaunches Vinitaly.USA as a benchmark for Italian wine in the United States, capable of promoting both major brands and consortia, even in a delicate phase of the market and the international context.
“We are seeing strong motivation from many of the leading Italian wine companies”, said Veronafiere President Federico Bricolo. “There is an awareness that the difficulty of tariffs must be addressed with greater presence and promotion”.
In Chicago, thanks to the joint efforts of Veronafiere and ITA - Italian Trade Agency, “the leading brands from across the peninsula will be present,” from Antinori to Ferrari, Bellavista to Berlucchi, Planeta to Allegrini, Angelini Wines & Estates to Pasqua, Masciarelli to Feudi di San Gregorio, Varvaglione to San Polo - Marilisa Allegrini, from Tasca d’Almerita to Rocca delle Macìe, from Tommasi to Famiglia Cotarella, from the massive representation of Prosecco producers (Villa Sandi, Mionetto, Valdo) to Mezzacorona, from Gruppo Italiani Vini (GIV) to Frescobaldi. In addition to the many consortia (from Prosecco DOC to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, from Asti DOCG to Valpolicella, from Brunello di Montalcino to Custoza, from Chiaretto and Bardolino to Lugana, from Garda to DOC Sicilia). But there will also be many importers and buyers attending the event, including Volio Fine Wine Imports, Vias, Terlato Wines, More Than Grapes Wine Imports, Winebow Fine Wines - Spirits, and Eagle Eye Wines, among others.
“This is still a partial result”, emphasizes Veronafiere CEO Adolfo Rebughini, “but it is already significant in terms of the American market’s interest in Italian wine. With Vinitaly.Usa, we want to offer a stable and strategic platform capable of strengthening the presence of our companies in the United States. By creating a network between institutions, consortia, and companies, we can transform even the most complex phases of the market into opportunities for growth and consolidation of commercial relations”.
In addition to the many tastings, supply-demand matching, and market focus events, the calendar includes the debut of the “wine2wine business forum”, with its first edition abroad (and which, therefore, will not be in Verona in 2025, while further assessments will be made for 2026, according to WineNews): twenty sessions are scheduled, including tastings, market analysis, and the announcement on October 5 in Chicago of the protagonists of Vinitaly OperaWine 2026 by “Wine Spectator”, the now traditional grand tasting with wineries selected by the famous American magazine, which precedes Vinitaly in Verona (scheduled, therefore, Saturday, April 11, 2026, with the largest Italian wine fair following from April 12 to 16, 2026, ed.). There will also be space for wine tourism, with Vinitaly Tourism proposals, training at Via - Vinitaly International Academy, and extra virgin olive oil tastings at the Oil Bar by SolExpo. As always, showcasing the best of Italian products.