Vinitaly 2026: wine at the heart of Italian cuisine with monumental

Vinitaly 2026: wine as a pillar of Italian cuisine

At the center of the 58th Vinitaly in Verona, the Ministry of Agriculture presents a striking exhibition space: a 30-metre-long, 10-metre-high bottle labeled “Inside there is Italy”, designed to showcase the grape varieties that define the country’s regions.

The project merges wine, art and performance: thanks to the Ministry of Culture, six Roman-era statues from the Gallerie degli Uffizi and Palazzo Pitti are on display, while artistic director Giuliano Peparini stages continuous outdoor performances to draw visitors into a sensory and narrative journey.

• Works and heritage: sculptural groups including Bacchus and Satyr, Bacchus and Ampelos, Nymph with panther, statues of Bacchus and Hora (Uffizi) and a Bacchus statue from Palazzo Pitti.
• Grape varieties on show: 22 types such as Nebbiolo, Primitivo, Nero d’Avola, Friulano, Sagrantino, Montepulciano.
• Sensory experiences: three sommeliers from the Italian Sommelier Federation will lead olfactory tastings using glass cloches preserving grape essences.
• Performance: shows by the Peparini Academy in collaboration with Fondazione Inda to highlight young performers.
• MASAF Area at Palaexpo (Verona): renewed institutional stand and a program of panels on innovation, sustainability and internationalization of the wine sector.

Minister Francesco Lollobrigida emphasized the inseparable bond between wine and Italian cuisine, pointing to Vinitaly as the showcase for the country’s wine excellence. The initiative aims to highlight not only the sector’s economic role but also its cultural and identity value.