Not just the Concours mondial de Bruxelles, which will return to Calabria in March 2026 after the 2022 edition, which cost over €300,000. The Merano Wine Festival is also benefiting from Italy’s new eldorado of publicly funded wine events. The southern Italian region plans to invest heavily in promoting the wine sector. And it appears to have found a privileged partner on the national territory in Gourmet’s International Srl, the company that manages the “The WineHunter excellence brand,” organizes the Merano WineFestival, and the “WineHunter” events.
By order of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, headed by Gianluca Gallo, Calabria allocated another €300,000 between 2023 and 2025 for participation in and organization of initiatives related to the Merano Wine Festival. Both at the historic venue in South Tyrol and in the Calabrian version of the event, in Cirò Marina.
The investments, formalized through a series of executive decrees, concern organization, setup, and event management services, awarded exclusively to Gourmet’s International, holder of the trade fair format.
INVESTMENTS IN MERANO
In 2023, the Calabria Region committed €48,678 for institutional participation in the Merano Wine Festival, held from November 3 to 7. The expenditure covered organizational and ancillary services related to the regional presence at the fair.
The following year, for the 2024 edition of the Merano festival, scheduled from November 8 to 12, the investment rose to €99,051.80, including VAT and ANAC contribution. In this case, the assignment concerned the organization of the Calabria regional collective, with stand setup services and operational management of the participation.
THE EVENT IN CALABRIA: ESSENZA DEL SUD
The most economically significant chapter is the one related to the Calabrian edition of the festival. For the “Merano Wine Festival Calabria – Essenza del Sud 2025”, held in Cirò Marina from June 7 to 9, the Region allocated €154,365 including VAT.
The amount covered the overall organization of the event, from the exhibition structure to format management, including technical and logistical services. The event uses the Merano Wine Festival brand, for which Gourmet’s International holds exclusive rights.
In September 2025, the final payment of the entire sum was arranged, following the accounting of activities and verification of proper execution of services.
THE OVERALL PICTURE
Over the three-year period considered, the Calabria Region’s total public investment for initiatives related to the Merano Wine Festival amounts to €302,094.80. The resources come largely from the Development and Cohesion Fund 2021–2027 and are part of regional policies for promotion and internationalization of the agri-food sector.
A financial commitment that highlights the central role attributed to the Merano Wine Festival format in strategies for promoting Calabrian food and wine, both through presence at major national events and through the organization of events in the regional territory.
THE POSITION OF CALABRIA REGION
“While it’s true that it’s important to take our wines around Italy and the world—Councilor Gallo comments on the investments—it’s essential to welcome the main wine players to our beautiful region. Because only by experiencing our territories firsthand, being overwhelmed by the beauty of the places where our wines are born, can one fully understand what Calabrian viticulture truly means.”
New efforts are on the horizon for the Calabrian wine sector. 2026 will see confirmed participation in ProWein. Space will be expanded at Wine Paris 2026. The “calendar of events that will characterize the Calabrian agenda during Vinitaly” will be very full. And the liaison with the Verona event will be further consolidated, with the third edition of Vinitaly and the City to be held in Sibari at the end of July.
Vinitaly: over €1.77 million from Calabria Region between Verona and Sibari
Vinitaly is a significant expense item for the Calabria Region. Between 2023 and 2025, it committed €1,770,219.08 for participation in and organization of initiatives related to Vinitaly and the Vinitaly and the City format. All between Verona and Sibari, in the province of Cosenza. The resources were allocated to trade fair and organizational services awarded to Veronafiere Spa, holder of the event brands and formats.
THE COMMITMENT TO VINITALY 2023
The most significant expenditure chapter concerns the 2023 edition, which includes Vinitaly, Sol & Agrifood, and Vinitaly and the City in Verona. For the institutional participation of the Calabria Region in the three events, the regional administration paid €1,221,820.08 including VAT.
The amount covers services related to exhibition spaces, setups, and management of the regional presence at the fair. The assignment was awarded to Veronafiere Spa. Compared to the initial commitment of €1,286,549.00, savings of €64,728.92 were recorded.
VINITALY AND THE CITY IN SIBARI IN 2024
In 2024, the Calabria Region funded the organization of the event “Vinitaly and the City Sibari: Calabria in Wine”. The event took place from August 30 to September 1 in the archaeological area of Sibari.
The total investment amounts to €273,864.00, including VAT and ANAC contribution. The service concerned the design and implementation of the territorial promotional event awarded to Veronafiere Spa.
THE 2025 EDITION
For the 2025 edition of Vinitaly and the City Sibari, scheduled from July 18 to 20, the Region arranged payment of €274,535.00 in total. In this case too, the event is part of the regional program for promoting the agri-food and wine sector and was awarded to Veronafiere Spa on an exclusive basis, as holder of the brand.
