VERONA, Italy, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) is proud to announce the certification of 32 Italian Wine Ambassadors, of whom 30 are new Ambassador and 2 have reconfirmed their title, following the 34th edition of its prestigious certification course, held in Verona from April 15–19, 2026, which featured 164 benchmarck wines. The influential network of certified Italian Wine Ambassadors provide an important voice for Italian wine on the global stage.
The intensive five-day course and exam, organized by Veronafiere and Vinitaly in collaboration with ITA – the Italian Trade Agency, provided participants with invaluable tools to better navigate the complexity of Italy’s wine landscape, which includes hundreds of native grape varieties, distinct regional styles and thousands of producers who are preserving centuries-old winemaking traditions. This year’s edition featured 164 benchmark wines, including 66 presented by VIA Supporting Consortia, offering candidates an in-depth exploration of Italy’s diverse wine heritage.
A total of 64 wine professionals and enthusiasts from over 28 countries gathered in Verona to attend the Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador certification course, held to coincide with the culmination of Vinitaly 2026. Countries represented included the USA, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Curaçao, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Serbia, Sweden, Taiwan, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
Now in its 34th edition, the program continues to stand as one of the most advanced and rigorous educational experiences dedicated to Italian wine, equipping participants with the tools to convey the complexity of Italy’s wine landscape, from native grape varieties to distinct regional identities and evolving production styles.
A Milestone for VIA
Once again, VIA reaffirms its mission: to train the next generation of Italian Wine Ambassadors through a rigorous and structured approach, combining technical expertise with a deep appreciation of Italian wine.
Over four intensive days of lectures and tastings, VIA Faculty member Sarah Heller MW guided candidates through a rigorous program. The curriculum also featured two advanced seminars by VIA Chief Scientist Professor Attilio Scienza, alongside 11 masterclasses hosted by leading Italian wine Consortia, whose continued support remains essential to VIA’s educational mission.
On day 5, candidates faced a challenging 2.5-hour exam, including a blind tasting of two wines, short-answer questions, and a comprehensive multiple-choice test, ensuring that only those with the most extensive knowledge of Italian wine achieve certification. After the rigorous exam, the highly anticipated Pinning Ceremony was held at the PalaExpo in Verona.
Unique Insights
As part of the program, the 11 VIA supporters provided candidates with firsthand knowledge of their wine regions through indepth masterclasses led by authoritative industry representatives. This unique opportunity allowed participants to engage directly with key industry players and gain insights into current trends, production techniques, and consumer preferences shaping the global wine market. Through these interactions, students further strengthened both their technical understanding and their ability to communicate Italian wine on an international level.
Throughout the program, Vinitaly International Academy was supported by Guido Berlucchi & C. SpA as Educational Supporter, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to wine education. As part of its contribution to VIA Verona 2026, Berlucchi presented the prestigious Franco Ziliani Prize to Best Student of the course Joe Turnaturi, recognizing excellence, dedication, and academic achievement. During the course, candidates were the guests of the Berlucchi winery for a dedicated dinner, providing a unique opportunity to experience first hand the brand’s rich heritage and warm hospitality.
The VIA appointment Italian Wine Ambassadors
The Vinitaly Interanational Academy is pleased to announce the following Italian Wine Ambassadors (IWAs):
- Yanan Lee (Taiwan)
- Yaqi Shi (China)
- Joe Turnaturi (Australia) – Best Student 2026
- Daria Antonenko (Ukraine)
- Miki Yuzawa (Japan)
- Esmeralda Alborghetti (Brazil)
- Camden Harley Riethman (Canada)
- Maryna Revkova (Ukraine)
- Xinhao Liu (China)
- Saloni Khanapurkar (India) – Best Short Answer Exam
- Ryan Graber (USA)
- Benjamin Ferrand (France)
- Victoria Vigliotti (USA)
- Alper Apaydin (Türkiye)
- Miriam Nuñez Martinez (Mexico)
- Marco Fedele (UK)
- Hitomi Tsutsui (Japan)
- Sarah Sutel Looper (USA)
- Shane Stuart (USA)
- Liza Nivillac – de Windt (Curacao)
- Karin Horseling (Netherlands)
- Valentina Kirichkova IWA (Kazakhstan)
- Lucía Fragoso (Mexico)
- Lindsey Young (USA)
- Akiko Morimoto (Japan)
- Teofilo Molinelli (Puerto Rico)
- Maki Hirotani (USA) – Best Multiple Choice
- Irina Karpukhina (Germany)
- Juhee Ryun (South Korea)
- Jelisaveta Stanojevic (Serbia)
- Sabina Ping Yang IWA (China)
- Britt Schroeder (Germany) – Best Blind Tasting Exam
The Best Video Project went to Satoshi Takizawa, Alper Apaydin, Ehichioya Nicholas Isesele, James Clark, Liza De Windt.
Congratulations to all the new Italian Wine Ambassadors.
Sarah Heller MW shared: “We were delighted to welcome candidates from 24 different countries this year, which made for an incredibly dynamic and enriching cohort. What stood out was the collegiate spirit of the group, everyone was so supportive of one another, creating a truly positive and collaborative atmosphere. It is a wonderful batch of new ambassadors, and we are very proud to welcome them into the VIA community.”
Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly and VIA founder, remarked: “VIA was never meant to be just another diploma. It’s about building a global community capable of truly understanding and communicating the depth of Italian wine. These 30 new Ambassadors reflect that spirit. Different backgrounds, same commitment to going beyond the surface. In challenging times like these, wine becomes something more. It crosses cultures, political views and religions, bringing people together around a shared passion. That’s the real power of what we do. Our Ambassadors are not just certified professionals. They are voices shaping how Italian wine is understood around the world. And with that comes both opportunity and responsibility.”
The VIA Community – Building a Global Network
The Vinitaly International Academy is not just about earning the title of Italian Wine Ambassador; it’s about being part of a vibrant, global community of wine enthusiasts and professionals. With members spanning over 57 countries, VIA has become a dynamic network where individuals can connect, share knowledge and advance their careers in the wine industry.
To date, there are 494 certified Italian Wine Ambassadors, of whom 22 qualify as Italian Wine Experts. The VIA Community continues to grow, now counting more that 1500 members, who have the opportunity to engage in various events such as academic field trips across Italy, judging at 5StarWines – the Book, participating in OperaWine, and attending the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum.
VIA students come from all corners of the wine industry, including educators, journalists, importers, hospitality professionals, retailers, and beyond. The Academy’s diverse Community ensures that members stay informed and continue to develop their expertise, fostering a culture of support, growth and opportunity within the Italian wine sector.
About: Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIA’s main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly. The new VIA ecosystem avails of the guidance of Italian trade associations Federdoc, Federvini, Vignaioli Indipendenti FIVI, and Unione Italiana Vini as members of the Institutional Advisory Board. Italian vine genetics scholar, Prof. Attilio Scienza, oversees VIA’s scientific and educational direction as the Chief Scientist. VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW teaches the flagship Italian Wine Ambassador course. To date, there are 494 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 22 are also Italian Wine Experts.
https://www.vinitaly.com/en/academy/vinitaly-international-academy/
Twitter: @VinitalyTour
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SOURCE Vinitaly International Academy
