Time for Vinitaly: the areas to keep an eye on and the tastings not to be missed

An international agora for the wine business. This is the mission of the 56th edition of Vinitaly, the International Wine and Spirits Exhibition, returning to Verona from April 14th to 17th, boasting an exhibition space of over 180,000 square meters and featuring the participation of more than 4,000 wineries. A key strength is the presence of increasingly qualified international buyers, thanks to the Veronafiere-Ice recruiting program, which, through trade shows, previews, and roadshows, has deployed resources of €3 million. In 2023, there were 29,600 international operators at the Fair from 143 countries (out of a total of 93,000 attendees), including over a thousand top buyers selected and hosted by Veronafiere and Ice-Agenzia.

From left, Veronafiere President Federico Bricolo with CEO Maurizio Danese.

The thematic areas of the 56th edition

Amid confirmations and new entries, Vinitaly remains a reference point for new consumption trends.

To keep an eye on, the Organic Hall, which for this edition changes location and occupies area C. This is the salon dedicated to certified organic wine produced in Italy and abroad, bringing together a hundred companies this year, with the presence of international exhibitors from Hungary, Slovenia, and Austria. Confirmed for 2024 are the Enoteca Bio and tastings in the pavilion in collaboration with FederBio and Vi.Te.

Also in the same area is Micro Mega Wines - Micro size, mega quality: the exhibition unit under the banner of "small is beautiful" conceived by wine writer Ian D'Agata for Vinitaly. At the heart of the project are niche productions in limited editions. There is also space for foreign labels in the International Wine Hall (tensile structure D), including champagne, as well as wines produced in Georgia, Hungary, Brazil, Armenia, South Africa, Greece, and those adhering to the Open Balkan project (Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia).

For enthusiasts of mixed drinks, the appointment is on the first floor of Palaexpo with Mixology, the exhibition section that, for three years now, has showcased the art of cocktails and mixing wines, spirits, and liqueurs based on new international trends. Scheduled over the four days of the event are masterclasses led by the most talented and fashionable bartenders.

Among the novelties of this edition is the pavilion entirely dedicated to extra virgin olive oil. For its 28th edition, Sol returns to its origins, transforming into the International Olive Oil Trade Show, which also includes derivatives of the green gold, such as table olives, pickled olives, spreadable pastes based on EVO oil, flavored oils, cosmetics, and nutraceutical products. Here, there is also a station by Gambero offering tastings of the best extra virgin oils rated Tre Foglie by the Oli d'Italia 2024 guide of Gambero Rosso, which is presented here at Vinitaly on April 15th at 3:00 p.m. in Palaexpo.

Beer, which in previous years had been hosted within the Sol&Agrifood pavilion, will have its own specific area named Xcellent Beers (area C): a salon within the salon with a small autonomous pavilion bringing together craft and foreign beers, located near the international area. This position will undoubtedly give them greater visibility and prominence.

The tastings not to be missed

If business is at the heart of Veronafiere's objectives, tastings are an essential step during Vinitaly. Kicking off the tastings is the customary walk-around tasting of the Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso (Sunday, April 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Silver Room of Palaexpo), which brings the best labels from the Vini d'Italia 2024 guide to the Fair. The following day, in the same room, don't miss the Orange Wine Festival (from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Silver Room of Palaexpo) to get up close with the best expressions of this type. There is also space for Young to Young (April 14th, 15th, and 16th - room A, first floor pavilion 10), tastings where young producers share their stories with young wine communicators under the direction of wine and food journalists Paolo Massobrio and Paolo Gatti.

For fans of bubbles, the appointment is on April 15th with Cool under pressure Italy’s sparkling world (11:00 a.m. at the Tulipano Room Palexo) curated by the Master of Wine Gabriele Gorelli. Dedicated to great reds is the tasting Le quattro Grandi B del Vino Italiano: Barbaresco, Barolo, Bolgheri, and Brunello by Ian D'Agata (April 16th at 11:00 a.m., Silver Room of Palaexpo). Finally, the great Italian native wines are the focus of the tasting led by oenologist Riccardo Cotarella (April 16th at 3:00 p.m., Silver Room of Palaexpo).

Vinitaly and the city. Events in the city

Not all Vinitaly appointments end within the fairgrounds. While the fair remains the center of the wine business, the city has become the preferred destination for wine lovers.

From April 12th to 15th, Vinitaly and the city takes place, the side event designed for enthusiasts, unfolding in the center of the city, with tastings and show cooking.

Also, as usual, the eve of the Fair is dedicated to Vinitaly Opera Wine (Gallerie Mercatali, Saturday, April 13th), with 131 producers selected by Wine Spectator and Veronafiere for the 13th edition of the premier event of the international fair, which each year highlights the ambassadors and iconic labels of Italian wine in the States. The theme of the Vinitaly Operawine 2024 layout is opera, now included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List and a symbol of Verona worldwide thanks to the Arena Opera Festival.

Vinitaly | 14/17 aprile 2024 | Verona \ viale del Lavoro, 8
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