Vinitaly USA Opens in Chicago with 300 Italian Wine Producers

Iniziata a Chicago Vinitaly USA, con 300 produttori vitivinicoli italiani
The ribbon-cutting ceremony at Vinitaly USA. Courtesy of: VNY Media

The new edition of Vinitaly USA has opened at Chicago’s Navy Pier, bringing together 300 wineries and over 2,000 labels in the most important Italian wine fair abroad. Organized by Veronafiere, with the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, the event celebrates the strength and creativity of Italy’s wine industry.

At the opening, Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida called Vinitaly a key platform for promoting Made in Italy wine and renewed Italy’s UNESCO candidacy for its cuisine, with wine as a vital cultural element.

Αgriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida during the dinner celebrating the nomination of Italian Cuisines as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Courtesy of: VNY Media

Among the new features is the debut of the wine2wine Business Forum, 20 masterclasses led by international experts, and the Vinitaly Tourism project, promoting wine tourism as an economic and cultural force.

Despite trade tensions and tariffs, Minister Lollobrigida expressed optimism, saying, “The data is positive”. He details that Italy remains Europe’s top agricultural economy, with €8.1 billion in wine exports last year. With 570 native grape varieties and a €14.5 billion turnover, Italian wine continues to embody excellence globally.

Source: La Voce di New York, Federica Farina

Adapted by: Kate Netzer

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