Another milestone on the road to the Italian wine event, taking place in New York for the first time on October 26–27, with 250 exhibitors already confirmed and the event nearly sold out
NEW YORK, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Veronafiere and Vinitaly marked a major step toward the third edition of Vinitaly.USA on July 5, using a U.S. stop of the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026 — part of Italy’s official program marking the 250th anniversary of American independence — as the occasion to present the upcoming event to American trade and media. The visit also served as a key moment in Vinitaly’s ongoing communication and buyer recruitment campaign for the U.S. market.
The presentation took place aboard the Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian Navy’s historic training ship, while it was docked at Pier 86 in New York City. There, Veronafiere — the organization behind Vinitaly, the world’s leading trade fair for Italian wine — spotlighted one of the clearest symbols of the Italy–U.S. trade relationship, with support from the Italian Trade Agency (ITA).
The United States remains one of Vinitaly’s top priorities, accounting for nearly a quarter of all Italian wine exports. At the New York event, organizers unveiled details of the third edition of Vinitaly.USA, set for October 26–27 at Pier 36 in New York City, to roughly 40 hand-selected buyers representing major markets across North America.
To date, the event has already confirmed 250 exhibitors representing Italy’s leading wine regions and appellations, putting Vinitaly.USA on pace to sell out its 118,000 square feet of exhibition space well ahead of the October event — a strong signal of how quickly the fair has become a go-to platform for Italian wineries looking to expand their footprint in the United States. Confirmed participants include the Asti DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino, Sicilia DOC, Prosecco DOC, and Vini dell’Elba consortia, as well as Italia del Vino. Regional collective exhibits from Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, and Sardinia have also been confirmed, with several additional major participations currently being finalized. They will be joined by a delegation of 95 wineries organized by ITA.
“We are working intensively both in Italy and in the United States, where we are carrying out a comprehensive buyer recruitment campaign that, starting with Vinitaly.USA, aims to engage trade professionals in view of the 59th edition of Vinitaly in 2027. The U.S. Northeast is a particularly strategic area, accounting for 19% of total Italian wine consumption by volume and 22% by value,” said Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, during the presentation of the third edition of Vinitaly.USA aboard the Amerigo Vespucci. “In this challenging environment, we are working alongside public institutions to strengthen economic diplomacy while supporting businesses, for which the U.S. market remains indispensable. We are therefore intensifying our relationship-building efforts to expand our network of contacts and create new business opportunities. For this reason,” Bricolo concluded, “the next edition of Vinitaly.USA will offer qualified buyers two days of high-level programming, including masterclasses, tastings, Vinitaly Tourism initiatives dedicated to wine tourism inbound opportunities, wine2wine business sessions focused on market insights, and SolExpo, Veronafiere’s exhibition format dedicated to premium extra virgin olive oil. All of this will be complemented by authentic Italian cuisine, allowing trade professionals to enjoy a truly immersive Made in Italy experience.”
The presentation featured remarks from Erica Digiovancarlo, Coordinator of the ITA – Italian Trade Agency USA Network; Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International; and Veronafiere President Federico Bricolo. Guests then attended a tasting showcasing wines from the Asti DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino, DOC Sicilia, Prosecco DOC, and Vini dell’Elba consortia, as well as the Friuli Venezia Giulia region — all exclusive Vinitaly partners for the events held aboard the Amerigo Vespucci.
As the final stage of Veronafiere’s North American mission, following the recent Vinitaly.USA Canada Preview, the organization travels to Miami, Florida, on July 7, where it hosts an event at the award-winning Italian restaurant Macchialina. The program includes a presentation of Vinitaly.USA to an additional 35 distributors, buyers, and media, along with the masterclass “Italy Beyond the Usual Suspects,” led by Jacqueline Pirolo, co-owner and beverage director of the restaurant and Michelin Guide Florida Sommelier 2025, organized in collaboration with Coldiretti.
The tasting features wines and olive oil from Cantina dei Colli Ripani (Marche), Cantina delle Vigne di Piero Mancini (Sardinia), Accademia Olearia – Tenute Fois (Sardinia), Cantina VentiVenti (Emilia-Romagna), Azienda Di Sante (Puglia), Cantina San Pancrazio (Puglia), and Vendrame – Vignis del Doge (Friuli Venezia Giulia).
The Amerigo Vespucci World Tour is led by the Italian Ministry of Defence and the Italian Navy, produced by Difesa Servizi S.p.A., and developed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Culture, the Minister for Sport and Youth, and the Minister for Disabilities.
Source of data cited in President Bricolo’s remarks: UIV–Vinitaly Observatory.
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SOURCE Vinitaly.USA
