The “wine of tomorrow”? Trends can be followed, and innovate remaining linked to the territory

Wine represents one of the greatest and most enduring traditions of Italy, but its future belongs to those people who have he courage to innovate. And, the masterclass “Il vino del domani: 9 visioni di eccellenza” - “The wine of tomorrow: 9 visions of excellence” headed by wine expert and educator Cristina Mercuri, at Vinitaly 2025, in Verona, explored the ability of nine producers of Italian Signature Wines Academy – Iswa to redefine the identity of their wines – giving therefore also a new interpretation of their respective territories – for the upcoming years.
“These producers didn’t reveal to be only quality custodians  - Cristina Mercuri introduced them -  but also pioneers of transformation, a positive example of a new era of excellence rooted in sustainability, research, and international positioning”. And, by pursuing exactly these aims, Iswa arose in 2014 when some of the most authoritative witnesses of the most important denominations of Italian wine united to make the meaning of word authenticity and quality be appreciated by the consumer when talking about Italian wine and hospitality. A structured occasion to communicate Italian culture of wine in a more accurate way contributing to its growth, and to the correct positioning on world markets of its best products. And, to show that trends can be followed, and innovate remaining linked to the territory. Today, Iswa collects nine excellences of Italian wine: Fontanafredda in Barolo in Piedmont, Bellavista in Franciacorta in Lombardy, Allegrini in Valpolicella and Villa Sandi in Valdobbiadene in Veneto, Frescobaldi in Tuscany, Arnaldo Caprai in Montefalco in Umbria, Masciarelli in the Abruzzi, Feudi di San Gregorio nell’Irpinia in Campania and Planeta in Sicily. Prestigious wineries holding 50 wine companies, and represent more than 60 brands; which count more than 5,000 hectares of vineyards, and put together over 550 million of euros of turnover with an export share of 60% in 35 million of bottles produced overall.
Throughout a deepening of their distinctive approaches, the labels on tasting, in WineNews tastings revealed how each company is translating its vision of innovation into action. From emblematic wines reflecting daring philosophies, to key factors of change such as native vineyards, the advanced techniques of aging, and the practices oriented to climate: a masterclass which offered a stimulating look on how the future of Italian wine is conceived. Starting from Villa Sandi, which with its Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Le Rivette produced the first Cartizze in Brut version making it more gastronomic than the traditional Dry version, but also more identitary. A diriment matter for Prosecco to distinguish it not only by its widest production, but also in Docg Conegliano Valdobbiadene (which produces 100 million of bottles on average per year), and in the same Cartizze (1 million of yearly production on average). A choice which talks about territory vocation, involving, therefore, only the hills of the denomination, Unesco Heritage since 2019. In tasting, 2024 version, a citrine and sweet wine thanks to aromas of elder, wisteria, and vanilla, but also balsamic, thanks to the nuances of sage and savory, it is sapid at the palate, slightly almonded and central in the adherence, which then cedes towards sweet notes of mature pear and chantilly.
Francesca Moretti, family enologist in Bellavista, brought a dowry, on the contrary, the new version of Alma, Extra Brut Assemblage I, invented together French enologist Richard Geoffroy starting from his arrival in the winery since 2021. A small revolution of style in Franciacorta which wants to bring wines towards higher linearity and compactness; certainly, with the implementation of the most advanced technologies (drones, machinery, and satellites), but also throughout a meticulous study of the territory, and a detailed parceling of vineyards. This allows to diversify the manufacturing of parcels in vineyard exalting the single taste perceptions, and the consequent assembly. Alma Assemblage I Extra Brut is made up of Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and Pinot Bianco of 2021 which contribute to the tension and compactness, while the part of vin de reserve of 2014, 2019, and 2020 offer width and complexity: the result is a complex and stratified wine including vanilla, citrus, flint stones, white flowers, panettone, delicate and vegetable toasting nuances.
According to Antonio Capaldo, heading Feudi di San Gregorio, first Italian wine company B-Corporate recognized, there is absolutely nothing creditable in being sustainable. “Today, being sustainable, also in the relations, is essential, because, at this point, we know that the resources of the planet are limited, and our task is to leave the world in a better condition compared to how we found it”, he said recalling that in Irpinia, there are vines that are more than 200 years old (the so-called “vine patriarchs”), which restates that high quality viticulture has always thought to the future of sons and nephews. After all, no serious business could think to survive, if it compromises the raw material with which it works: ground and vine, in this case. In tasting, Greco di Tufo Cutizzi Riserva 2023, vinified in steel, an intense wine but with discretion, from identity nuances of hay with citronella, mature orange, flint stone, and chilly sensations, which, at the sip, unites the linearity of acidity with the roundness giving softness.
Eruzione 1614, Catarratto in pureness which Planeta produces on Northern slope of Mount Etna, was an innovative way to talk about territory starting not from its vineyards, but from eruptions. Which, on Mount Etna, occurred for centuries with different compositions and ripening, and, therefore, different results in grapes bunches. Particularly, the eruption in 1614 was legendary: it lasted 10 years in a century which, unfortunately, was generous in earthquakes such as that which destroyed the coast in 1693. The history of Planeta which contributed as protagonist to the production of high quality Sicilian wine, and to its “renaissance” started from Menfi, an earth of boundary between Eastern and Western Sicily. From that boundary, it then began to explore other territories of the island finishing on Mount Etna in the Nineties: here, on the volcano, it began planting native white vines “because high quality production of producers in the place at that time – in the Nineties, exactly – was white”, recalled Alessio Planeta. No red and international vines, but what that earth expressed at its best, even if at the time it could seem counter-productive. Version 2022 is sulfurous, citrine, balsamic, and iodized: the sip manages to expresses soft tension and salty adherence towards a sweet-chilly end.
Alluring rosè wines which grow double-digit, and which, at this point, are drunk all year long (not only in summer anymore), Frescobaldi – with its 700 years of history – decided to produce its interpretation of pink  uniting a white wine, Vermentino, with a red wine, Syrah, coming from its most contemporary property: Ammiraglia winery, built in mid 2000s in Montiano, in low Tuscan Maremma. “Seven hundred years are not sufficient to distinguish in time, and when you realize it, innovation comes out. With this rosè wine, we exited from our classical production of red wines  - explained Andrea Orsini Scataglini, director of communication Frescobaldi -  and, we began to experiment with vineyards which express Ammiraglia earths at their best. Always following our driving principle: instead of following market trends, producing wines so good to be appreciated by everyone”. Aurea Grande Rosé is made up of a part of Syrah of the previous year to give width to wine, and also time. Version 2023 manages to well balance freshness and sweetness with vegetable, peppered, and violet aromas; the sip is round, sapid and hot, from the net central persistence releasing vanilla, elder, and blackberry in candies nuances.
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is obviously dragged from this success of rosè wines with one of its peculiar characteristics: that of color, bright pink, intense and brilliant clearly distancing from Provençal rosè wines color onion peels. Masciarelli con Villa Gemma began a path of style research in the far 1981: a path in loneliness in the Abruzzi of that time, a path launched in the future, therefore. “Cerasuolo is the fourth color of wine, it is versatile, energetic and perfect also when iced”, stated Marina Cvetic, heading the company, and who strongly believes in regenerative agriculture, and in its influence on the deriving wine, and which “becomes better, more precious, and, therefore, more expensive. There is no alternative: its benefits are so evident, which soon, this type of agriculture will be widespread in all the sectors, and will be essential”. The version 2024 of Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore Villa Gemma has a vibrant acidity, and a tannic smooth but deep weft: a taste stratification which makes it gastronomic without leaving meatiness and fluidity during the sip, and generosity of flower and fruity aromas.
Also La Grola by Allegrini is a perfect example of innovation starting from the tradition. Produced from the top of a 400 meter high hills positioned at the Western extremity of Valpolicella – influenced in a decisive way, therefore, from the mild climate of the Garda Lake, and from temperature variations of Baldo Mount  - it has always been able to break away from the paradigm of opulence imposed for many years by Amarone, of which the company is symbol. But, the renewal path doesn’t stop: “From harvest 2022 we decided to leave out Syrah from grape varieties – specified Silvia Allegrini -  being back to the classic blend of Corvina, Corvinone, and a touch of Oseleta, and therefore being back inside the Doc”. Therefore, innovation and tradition embrace continuously interpreting also the contemporaneity in which one lives. Valpolicella Classico Superiore Grola 2022 is a hot and spicy wine, rich in black fruits and wilted flowers; but, the sip earns in fluidity thanks to silky tannins, and to fruity acidity which keeps under control alcoholic content, and underlines the fresh part of spiciness.
“In the new, there is little of new, but much of rediscovered – said Andrea Farinetti, heading Fontanafredda – because you can’t really dedicate to future without looking at the past, and understand in which direction you have to go”. And, with this philosophy, Fontanafredda undertook a path of rediscovery in the historical vineyards of Barolo which the company already vinified separately at the beginnings of the XX century. Therefore, in 2019, the first vintage in pureness of La Delizia Vineyard exits on the market, located in the Mga of Lazzarito (among the most ancient ones of the denominations) to arrive in 2021 to the separated vinification of all 11 vineyards of Fontanafredda. A serious wine with aromas of wilted flowers, dried fig, and Mediterranean scrub, Barolo Lazzarito Vigna La Delizia 2019 characterized by dense but juicy tannins, extremely fresh and peppered which closes on citron and balsamic nuances. And, talking about trends and taste evolution, “if we organized this masterclass 10 years ago – added Andrea Farinetti – certainly, this wine structure would have been more important, but mainly red wines would have been in majority in the panel”.
To close the tasting, Montefalco Sagrantino 25 anni by Arnaldo Caprai, a wine, a vineyard, and a territory that demonstrated how one can revolutionize the perception of market starting from the vision of a company, and of people working in it. “To me, the challenges are, since always, three – concluded Marco Caprai, author of the reborn of Umbrian red wine, and of its territory -  and they are: make identity and understandable wines, and appreciated wines. Sooner or later, everyone passed from it, but the path began after the scandal of methanol of 40 years ago when we understood that quality changes the world”. Marco Caprai made Sagrantino analyze discovering he enormous endowment in terms of polyphenols and tannins, and decided that they didn’t need to be managed, but valorized. In this way, he made Sagrantino be discovered to the world, and, then, he made it also be appreciated. The version 2020 of 25 years is dark, determined, thick and deep where smells of goudron, blackberries, undergrowth and cloves spread in a smooth, but decisive, sweet, and sapid, hot, and intense sip.