Lorenzo Biscontin
I hope the operators in the wine business and, above all, Veronafiere will not be offended, but since many years already I have been convinced that Vinitaly is more than a fair: it is a celebration. And I say this in an absolutely positive meaning.
This does not take anything away from the professionalism of the event, on the contrary it adds that dimension of fun and conviviality that makes work easier.
On the other hand, even in the years in which the competition from ProWein was fiercest (who remembers the year, perhaps 2010, in which Dusseldorf closed on Tuesday and two days later Vinitaly began?) for foreign operators, Verona was something they did not want to give up, despite the crowds, the queues and the unobtainable hotels.
Years ago I defined it as a bulimic fair for the countless quantity of events and appointments, inside and outside the fairground, which are added to the 4,000 exhibitors.
The full program can be found here and I strongly recommend consulting it to prepare your visit. You will still be pleasantly overwhelmed by the fair, but at least you can say you tried to have a plan
Here I will only point out the main innovations compared to past editions.
Enoteca 0 alcol.
I know for many people they shouldn’t even be called wines, but if there is room for everyone in the vineyard of the Lord how could Vinitaly not welcome them?
Especially since in 2023 the world market for wines with 0 alcohol or with low alcohol content had exceeded 12 billion euros. A figure that will certainly be exceeded in 2024 and with growth forecasts of 7% per year between now and 2027.
It is therefore worth going to pavilion C and understanding the state of the art for this category of products, which can finally be produced also in Italy, thanks to the new law that implements the community legislation.
Vinitaly’s Gourmet Experience.
The succession of business meetings often makes it difficult to find time even to eat and it happens that you end the day having nourished yourself only with some snacks tastings offered by the exhibitors.
This year, however, the gastronomic offer of Vinitaly is expanding, and by a lot, compared to the bars in the corridors that connect the pavilions.
With a view to pairing wine and food, Vinitaly’s 2025 Gourmet Experience ranges from the three-starred cuisine of Massimo Bottura with his Osteria Francescana to street food in the two external areas in the North West and South East corners of the fair, passing through the traditional restaurant on the first floor of the Galleria dei Signori and the bistro in Pavilion F.
Wednesday, Wine Tourism!
Along with 0-alcohol wines, wine tourism is the other great trend phenomenon in the wine sector. With the advantage that we all agree on the opportunity to develop it.
Vinitaly 2025 dedicates a special space to this theme on the last day of the fair, with a marathon of conferences and seminars coordinated by Roberta Garibaldi that begins in the morning and ends in the early afternoon,
Appointments between wineries and tour operators will follow because, let’s not forget, Vinitaly remains a fair where you come to do business.
See you in Verona and remember … wear comfortable shoes.
