Editorials

The Editorials section of Winemag.it features reflections, analysis, and commentary on the most current topics in Italian and international wine. A space for in-depth exploration by Davide Bortone, dedicated to interpreting changes in the sector, Consortium decisions, market policies, and new dynamics in wine communication.
Winemag.it editorials offer an independent and critical perspective, grounded in journalistic experience and direct knowledge of the territory. Each article aims to stimulate debate and provide useful interpretations for producers, operators, journalists, and enthusiasts.
A reference point for those seeking not just news, but also context, vision, and analysis on the present and future of wine.

I had dinner with two vintages of Ben Ryé Donnafugata without pairing them with dessert passito di pantelleria 2013 2017 sicilia en primeur 2026 josè rallo

I had dinner with two vintages of Ben Ryé Donnafugata without pairing them with dessert

The latest visit to Pantelleria teaches us that Ben Ryé is not (only) a wine to be relegated to the end of the meal. It is a passito, of course. It is one of the most recognized Italian sweet wines in the world, certainly. But stopping there means reducing to a category something that is born from an island, a wind, and agricultural toil that are anything but decorative.

I had dinner with two vintages of Ben Ryé Donnafugata without pairing them with dessert Read More »

Sicily en Primeur 2026, a mini Vinitaly betting on wine tourism

Sicily en Primeur 2026, a “mini Vinitaly”: betting on wine tourism

Sicily en Primeur 2026 aims to become a “mini Vinitaly” of wine tourism. Not in size, naturally. But in approach, ambition, and reading of the moment. The twenty-second edition of the event created by Assovini Sicilia, which opened yesterday in Palermo, shifts the focus from wine previews to a broader vision: wine, territories, hospitality, training.

Sicily en Primeur 2026, a “mini Vinitaly”: betting on wine tourism Read More »

Che buono lo Schioppettino rosato «Ti viene voglia di metterlo in bocca»

How good this Schioppettino rosé is: “It makes you want to put it in your mouth”

“Schioppettino Rosé, we are the only ones making it in this territory. A very Provençal French style. Aesthetically fascinating and striking. It makes you want to drink it and put it in your mouth.” Sexualization and wine: the winery’s reel for Vinitaly 2026 reopens the theme of limits in communication. A reel published by a

How good this Schioppettino rosé is: “It makes you want to put it in your mouth” Read More »

Primitivo di Manduria Rosato, la nuova Doc ruba mercato. O lo crea modifica disciplinare primitivo di manduria versione rosé

Primitivo di Manduria Rosato: Is the “new DOC” stealing market share or creating it?

Primitivo di Manduria Rosato. Not a new DOC, but a new category that the Puglia wine protection Consortium has asked the ministry to introduce. A minor revolution for one of Italy’s most exported red wines, especially in the medium-low price bracket. On paper, the idea is easy to understand: a strong appellation is attempting to

Primitivo di Manduria Rosato: Is the “new DOC” stealing market share or creating it? Read More »

Caro Cracco, il mezzo calice è una mezza idea. A quando il mezzo piatto editoriale davide bortone winemag intervista corriere della sera vinitaly 2026 chef stellato

Cracco, a half-glass of wine is a half-baked idea. When do we get the half-plate?

In an interview with Corriere della Sera on the occasion of Vinitaly 2026, the renowned Italian chef Carlo Cracco hits the nail on the head regarding a real issue: wine consumption is shrinking, prices are heavy, and wine must be made more accessible. Hence the practical proposal: encourage the glass, even the half-glass of wine.

Cracco, a half-glass of wine is a half-baked idea. When do we get the half-plate? Read More »

Riesling italico, Oltrepò pavese credici! Tempo di riscatto a Grow du Monde 2026 repubblica ceca concorso enologico

Riesling Italico, Oltrepò Pavese believe in it! Time for redemption at Grow du Monde

A concrete opportunity for Oltrepò Pavese wineries. Grow du Monde returns, the international competition entirely dedicated to Riesling Italico, the only global event focused on this variety. Among the international judges invited to participate in the 2026 edition, hosted this year by the Czech Republic, I will also be there. GROW, THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR

Riesling Italico, Oltrepò Pavese believe in it! Time for redemption at Grow du Monde Read More »

Cari produttori di vino non fate complimenti ai giovani giornalisti di vino

Dear producers, don’t compliment young wine journalists

There is a moment, in certain professional circles, when time stops being just a unit of measurement and becomes a problem. Not for those moving forward, but for those standing still. A dinner between wine producers and journalists of different ages can thus turn into an institutional crisis. A joke, a misplaced laugh. Applause directed

Dear producers, don’t compliment young wine journalists Read More »

56 vini dealcolati alla cieca pregiudizi, realtà e qualità a Mundus Vini

56 dealcoholized wines blind tasted: prejudices, reality and quality at Mundus Vini

Tasting dealcoholized wines in a structured and rigorous context like Mundus Vini 2026 means suspending prejudices and ideological positions. Blind tasting requires focusing exclusively on what’s in the glass: clarity, aromatic precision, balance, taste coherence, persistence. Nothing more. The overall impression is that of a rapidly evolving category, but not yet homogeneous in terms of

56 dealcoholized wines blind tasted: prejudices, reality and quality at Mundus Vini Read More »