In this interview, George Christie speaks with Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere S.p.A., about the upcoming Vinitaly.USA event on October 5-6, 2025, at Chicago's Navy Pier. This third edition will showcase Italian wine excellence to the American market, featuring top-tier producers like Antinori, Frescobaldi, and Ferrari, plus the prestigious announcement of OperaWine 2026 participants selected by Wine Spectator. The event expects 3,000-3,500 B2B professionals and includes educational components like business forums and masterclasses. Adolfo discusses broader industry challenges, particularly engaging younger consumers, but remains optimistic about innovation opportunities including low- and no-alcohol wines. He emphasizes Italy's unique grape variety diversity and the importance of combining tradition with modernization through education and storytelling. The conversation positions Vinitaly.USA as both a showcase for Italian wine excellence and a forward-think

Afternoon Brief: Global Wine Recovery on the Horizon

The wine industry could be back on an upward trajectory in as little as 12 months, according to one study...

Afternoon Brief, May 16th

Windsor Winery Owner Accused of Years of Childhood Sexual Assault by His Sister in Lawsuit: The owner of a prominent Sonoma County winery is accused of sexually assaulting his sister over years when they were both children in a lawsuit in San Francisco County court...

Afternoon Brief, July 24th

Livermore Winery Owner Dies After Car Crash: A two-car collision Friday afternoon resulted in the death of a 59-year-old man, the Livermore Police Department said. The driver was identified as Mitchell Katz, the Alameda County Coroner’s Office confirmed to KRON4. Katz was the owner of Mitchell Katz Winery in Livermore...

Afternoon Brief, May 25th

Drinking Preferences: The Decline of Wine: New data shows a paradox in the U.S. wine industry last year with more regular wine drinkers, but consuming in falling volumes...

Frescobaldi & Gorgona: The Social Project That Reduces Recidivism and Teaches the Values of an Extraordinary Island

The social project that began in 2012, in collaboration with Italy’s sole remaining island prison,  celebrates its tenth vintage  June 9th, 2022 – Gorgona, Italy.  Gorgona’s tenth vintage is the […]

Afternoon Brief, June 10th

Sonoma County Farmworkers Say They Are Shut Out of Evacuation Zone Policy Revamp: Sonoma County farmworkers say their voices are missing in the redevelopment of a local policy that would determine when vineyard owners and other employers can bring workers into evacuated areas threatened by wildfire or other natural disasters...