wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum 2025

The two-day program is divided into different thematic areas so that the many sessions address the most topical issues in the Italian wine sector.

Stevie Kim, organizer of the forum, explains that although the venue has changed the purpose of wine2wine remains the same as ever. “To provide indispensable skills and analytical-practical tools to industry professionals from around the world who will attend the event.” Particularly interesting this year will be the tracks of Communication e Wine Economics & Trade Insights. Packed with up-to-date data and analysis related to changes shaping the global wine market.

Other themes that characterize this year’s forum are the momentous changes in the media. Le emerging digital technologies and the new consumer consumption styles. The aim of this set of meetings is to provide industry professionals (producers, distributors and communication specialists) with increasingly precise tools to orient themselves in the complex system of the wine industry.

Sessions included in the thematic focus Communication:

• The promises and risks of generative artificial intelligence in wine

Speaker: Felicity Carter

Generative artificial intelligence such as Chat-GPT is helping to make market data analysis accessible to everyone. Fostering new marketing strategies. Carter will explain how wineries-small and large-can take advantage of this enormous potential.

• The end of an era: what the collapse of traditional wine media means for communicators-and for the entire industry

Speaker: Robert Joseph

As traditional critics lose ground to new figures such as influencers, Joseph will explain the significance of this revolution by advising how to maintain consumer trust within the current fragmented media landscape.

• Promoting wine: succeeding in difficult times

Speaker: Karen MacNeil

In recent years, the spread of wine has found many obstacles in its way. The difficult relationship with medical reports, the generational change of consumers, the new orientation toward other alcoholic beverages and the general change in taste. MacNeil will analyze this difficult time by revealing the strategies behind successful campaigns such as Come Over October e Share & Pair Sundays. – Wine Titles Decoded: why MS and MW are both valuable titles.

Speakers: Jessica Dupuy DipWSET, Doug Frost MW, MS, and Jim Bube MS

This panel of experts will explain why titles such as Master Sommelier and Master of Wine are the most influential in the wine world. Why a wine professional must make reasoned choices to invest in these paths.

• Talking wine in a talking world: the current state of wine podcasts

Speakers: Felicity Carter, Kristen Reitzell

What is the current status of podcasts about wine? The two speakers will tell us how they compete with other channels, what is their ability to build audience loyalty, and how you can with an audio track capture the sensory experience of wine.

Some examples of the sessions included in the thematic focus Economics and Trade Insights:

• Navigating duty turbulence: strategies for Italian wine producers facing changes in trade relations with the United States

Benjamin Aneff

2025 is for Italian wine the beginning of U.S. duties and big unknowns: Aneff will advise producers on strategies to maintain their market share: more targeted communication, strengthening crucial partnerships, and improving the perception of Italian wine; these are just some of the issues that will be discussed

• Beyond the Decline: perceptions of wine among 21-39 year old U.S. consumers Speaker: John Gillespie

The session will reveal the results of a July 2025 survey of a sample of U.S. alcohol users, ages 21 to 39. The research provides an overview of current trends in the United States and helps to understand where wine stands among other alcoholic beverages.

For the full program of wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum – Chicago Edition: https://www.vinitaly.com/forum/wine2wine-business-forum/programma/

About: wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum is a dynamic international wine industry forum organized by Veronafiere. It has been held annually in Verona since 2014. The 2024 edition was held on November 4 and 5 at Veronafiere’s Palaexpo. The forum is a focal point for wine producers and professionals eager to develop their business globally. wine2wine offers unique opportunities to share ideas on the most relevant issues in the evolving wine industry and to connect with industry experts. The event is spread over two days with plenary sessions, seminars and interactive workshops. Speakers are recognized experts and among the brightest minds in the industry, both Italian and international.