Tariffs, Optimism and Community: A Dispatch from Vinitaly 2025

You wouldn’t know it from the buzz in the aisles, but Italian wine is staring down one of its biggest international challenges in recent memory. At the 57th edition of Vinitaly, held from April 6 to 9 in Verona, tariffs dominated conversation, but so did optimism, resilience and a powerful sense of community. 

Despite global anxieties, the fair felt vibrant and collaborative. Every stand seemed packed. Producers poured with purpose, importers tasted with focus and buyers moved with intent. There was business to be done, and the energy on the floor reflected it.

“I saw a number of friends and the idea behind our Vinitaly was trying to stay closer to our friends to overcome this difficult period,” says winemaker Cristiano Garella of Colombera e Garella and Le Pianelle, in Alto Piemonte. “We saw all our U.S. importers and, in general, their mood is: breathe, think and then place orders because in a few months we’ll need some wine.”

A Strong Showing in Italy

Vinitaly 2025 hosted 97,000 attendees, with more than 32,000 international buyers from over 130 countries—a 7% increase over the previous year. 

The fair featured 4,100 exhibitors and spanned 90,000 square meters, reinforcing its role as a global wine hub and one of the most important wine fairs in the world. 

Attendance from key international markets was notably up. Visitors from the United Kingdom and France increased 30% and 5% for the U.S. However, the number of Chinese attendees dropped 20%, perhaps due to overlapping trade fairs in Asia. 

Tariffs, a Policy Evolving in Real Time

The elephant in the room—and most meeting rooms—was the reappearance of U.S. tariffs on European wines. As of April 2, a 10% tariff has taken effect, with the threat of a 20% rate hanging in the balance. But, just as Vinitaly was ending, President Trump announced a 90-day “pause.” According to the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance, Italian wines alone could face an estimated €323 million ($371 million) annual loss in exports. 

“First, the term ‘pause’ is a misnomer,” says Harmon Skurnik of Skurnik Wines & Spirits and board member of the USWTA. “There is a 10% tariff in place this month that didn’t exist last month. What has been paused is the imposition of all tariff rates greater than 10%.”

A United Front in the Face of Uncertainty

Still, many in the industry are leaning into creativity and collaboration. Despite economic turbulence, the overall mood was more proactive than panicked. Conversations were creative. Producers were present. Ideas were flowing.

Francesca Paladin of Casa Paladin in the Veneto shares that her team is “working with partners in the U.S. to minimize the impact of tariffs by sharing costs.” In practice, this means everyone along the supply chain from producer to importer to distributor will take less margin and absorb parts of the tariff to maintain a comfortable price point for consumers. What she isn’t doing, however, is backing out of the U.S. market. She will continue to visit the U.S. to promote Casa Paladin wines, support importers and share Italian culture.

Paladin also noted the importance of not just considering producers, but the broader economic ecosystem around wine. “For every dollar made by an Italian winery, there are four to five dollars made in the United States across the distribution chain,” says Paladin. “Tariffs affect everyone: retailers, restaurants and, ultimately, consumers.”

While geopolitics stirred tension, it also sparked a sense that everyone is in it together.

“There was a strong sense of commitment to working together, across regions and sectors,” says Danielle Callegari, a Wine Enthusiast writer at large and reviewer of wines from Tuscany and Southern Italy. “You could feel a growing camaraderie in the face of external pressures—it was a beautiful example of how wine brings people together via both culture and commerce.”

Carlin Karr, the beverage director of the Colorado-based Frasca Hospitality Group, echoes the sentiment. “Of course, there was heightened anxiety around the tariff situation, but we were also able to discover new wines and revisit old favorites,” says Karr. “In times of uncertainty, it’s comforting to circle back to great relationships.”

A Generational Passing of the Torch

One thing that stood out this year: a generational shift is well underway. Across pavilions, you could see sons, daughters and young winemakers stepping forward to lead family wineries. These new voices are fluent in both tradition and innovation, just as comfortable talking about soil types as they are TikTok and Instagram. To wit: Chiara de Pepe of Emidio Pepe has spearheaded the winery’s convivial Instagram and Maria Niedrist and her brother Johannes of the winery Ignaz Niedrist have been been sharing video from the vineyard on their account.

Though Italy is conservative, packaging and product styles are evolving too. Canned wines, high-end boxed wines and RTDs made strong showings, reflecting how producers are adapting to changing consumer behaviors.

And while the fair wasn’t short on the classics—like Brunello, Barolo, Amarone and more—bright, fresh styles led the way: sparkling wines, zippy whites and crunchy reds. A clear sign that Italian wine is responding not just to tradition, but to modern palates. 

“We’re seeing people be more forward-thinking,” says Callegari. “The uncertainty is a lot to shoulder, but it’s triggering people to brainstorm and take risks.”

A ‘Transforming’ Industry

Forward momentum may just be Italy’s secret weapon. 

In the face of tariffs, climate change and evolving global tastes, the Italian wine industry isn’t retreating, it’s transforming. And perhaps that’s what made Vinitaly 2025 feel so alive. 

Beneath the surface of tension and tough conversations, there was an undeniable sense of unity. This industry knows how to adapt. It knows how to hustle. And most importantly, it knows how to do it together. 

If this year proved anything, it’s that the Italian wine world is at its most creative when faced with obstacles—especially the kind that to most might seem too high to clear. The path ahead may be uncertain, but it’s one this community walks together, with grit, grace and a glass in hand.

Vinitaly 2026 is set for April 12 to 15 in Verona. 

More Italian Wine Coverage

• Read last year’s Vinitaly dispatch.
• At the Wine Enthusiast 2024 Sip of Italy conference, experts agreed that Italian wine is on the upswing.
• A beginner’s guide to the wines of Piedmont.
• The best Italian wine under $15.
• Inside the rise of Italian grapes in American vineyards.

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