Masterclasses, Vertical Tastings and Talks: A Program Designed for the Anniversary
VitignoItalia marks its twentieth anniversary with a special edition in Naples designed to highlight how the Italian wine sector has evolved in recent years. From May 17 to 19, the Stazione Marittima will host 200 wineries and regional producers from across the country, offering tastings of more than 2,000 labels. The event promises a comprehensive journey through Italy’s rich enological biodiversity, supported by a program of masterclasses, vertical tastings, and discussions with leading industry figures.
A key feature of this edition is the participation of 30 international buyers from over 15 countries — including Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, the United States, and Japan — thanks to the renewed partnership with ICE, which continues to support the event’s international outreach. Networking will extend beyond the three-day fair with a press tour on May 20 focused on the wine regions of Irpinia and Sannio.
“This year, more than ever, VitignoItalia stands as a symbol of Italian wine excellence,” says Maurizio Teti, Director of VitignoItalia. “Twenty years after its creation, our mission remains unchanged: to present wine as an authentic expression of its territory, fostering direct contact between producers, consumers, and trade professionals. For this edition, we have expanded the program to enhance the sensory experience and reflect on the structural changes shaping the industry. This milestone is made possible thanks to the long-standing support of the Campania Regional Agriculture Department.”
Alongside the finest wines from Campania, the event will feature major Italian wine regions and appellations, from Chianti to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, from Friuli DOC to Sicily. The 20th-anniversary edition is further strengthened by the new main sponsors BPER Banca and Espresso, as well as institutional partners such as the Irpinia Sannio Chamber of Commerce and FEAMPA, confirming VitignoItalia’s role as a leading platform for promoting Italian wine.
VitignoItalia’s 20th anniversary edition will feature a dense schedule of tastings and talks guiding visitors through a cross‑section of Italy’s wine culture. The program opens on Sunday, May 17, with a session dedicated to ungrafted viticulture from North to South, curated by the Italian Association for the Protection of Ungrafted Vines (AVPIF). This will be followed by a meeting with G.R.A.S.P.O. (Ampelographic Research Group for the Safeguard and Preservation of Originality and Biodiversity), focusing on rare Italian grape varieties and the importance of preserving biodiversity. The day will conclude with a guided tasting by the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Consortium.
On Monday, May 18, the spotlight turns to memory and time, with an exclusive tasting of the finest Campanian white wines from the 2006 vintage, reserved for international buyers — a tribute to a year that made history. The program continues with the Friuli DOC Consortium and the seminar “Friulano vs. Sauvignon: Between Tradition, Modernity and Territorial Identity.” Later, a panel on volcanic viticulture will explore regions such as Vesuvius, Etna, the Pontine Islands, and the Colli Albani, led by Vincenzo Mercurio, named Italy’s Best Winemaker 2025. The day will close with a masterclass on Italy’s finest expressions of Chardonnay.
Tuesday, May 19 will celebrate Italy’s great reds with a masterclass comparing Barolo and Taurasi, followed by a focus on Tintore di Tramonti, the native grape still grown on its own roots along the Amalfi Coast. The day will also feature the award ceremony for the “100 Best Italian Rosé” guide, with a tasting of the top ten wines. The event will conclude with a forum promoted by BPER Banca, VitignoItalia’s main sponsor, exploring the future prospects and new drivers of competitiveness in the wine industry through dialogue between institutional representatives and the specialized press.