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, September 11

Proposed Winery Assessment Fee in Lodi District Takes Step Forward: The San Joaquin County Board Supervisors has voted to allow the Lodi Winegrape Commission and consulting firm Civitas to speak with the cities of Elk Grove and Galt and consider forming a Lodi Winery Business Improvement District...

Afternoon Brief: The Annual SVB State of the Industry Survey Is Closing

These are the final days to participate in the 2024 State of the Industry Survey. We have a soft close scheduled for Friday the 18th but have decided to leave the survey open for stragglers through the weekend...