Two symbols of Italy in the world, one above the other. The most beautiful ship in the world and the Italian wine met on 5 July in New York, when on board Nave Amerigo Vespucci, moored at Pier 86, Veronafiere, Vinitaly and the Italian Trade Agency presented the first New York edition of Vinitaly. USA, scheduled on 26 and 27 October. A meeting that has joined the Navy School Ship, in the city for the celebrations of the two hundred and fifty years of American independence, and the most important Italian wine fair in the United States.
“The Vespucci as Made in Italy in the world and wine as a great art of Italian excellence, two ambassadors in comparison”, said Federico Bricolo, president of Veronafiere, who presented the event on the occasion of the arrival of the Ship in New York. “It is a Italy, the best Italy possible, the one that travels, that creates new relationships and that in the end helps us also that we do promotion activities to better promote the Made in Italy in the world”.
Bricolo told the next edition, the third of Vinitaly. USA and the first in New York. It will not only be a classic fair, he explained, but a hub of Italian wine, with formative moments, wine talk, comparisons with the operators of the field, Vinitaly International Academy and an area dedicated to wine tourism, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism.
On the American market and the impact of duties, the president of Veronafiere did not hide the difficulties, but claimed the Italian wine estate. “The American market remains and will remain for a long time the most important market, of reference for Made in Italy and for the world of wine”, he said. “The rates have created problems, as well as a very strong euro, and have contributed to a moment of tension of sales, not only of Italian wine but of all producing countries. At this time of difficulty, however, Italy has managed to give better results of other countries, and there are denominations that are also growing”.
The force, Bricolo explained, is in the determination of the producers and in the Italian ability to innovate. “There is the great desire and great determination of Italian producers, who believe a lot in this market,” he said, recalling how the adesions at the fair were already close to the whole exhausted. “Unlike perhaps other countries, Italy knows how to innovate and knows what are the right products to present to a changing market”.
To close, we asked him which wine would choose Vespucci to celebrate a moment like this. “To celebrate, we need a sparkling wine, an Italian bubble, there are many, an excellence”, Bricolo replied, indicating in Italian Prosecco and bubbles the right toast for a similar occasion.
Erica Di Giovancarlo, director of the Italian Trade Agency in New York, also attended the event, which brought greetings from ICE President Matteo Zoppas, absent. “It is an honor to participate in the World Tour Amerigo Vespucci 2026, and it is exciting to be on this ship, the most beautiful ship in the world,” he said, recounting having seen the boats arriving in New York from Governors Island. Giovancarlo recalled the recent Summer Fancy Food Show, where Italy once again had the largest pavilion, and connected wine to the recognition of Italian cuisine as an intangible heritage of UNESCO. “There cannot be Italian cuisine without Italian wine”, he observed, announcing that at Vinitaly. USA will host its own pavilion dedicated to Italian wineries and will welcome major American buyers.
Stevie Kim, from Vinitaly International Academy, who illustrated the program of the event, articulated between the exhibition, the academy that forms Italian wine ambassadors and the wine2wine forum, this year dedicated to the theme of training as an instrument of influence on the market. One way, he explained, to put to the center the professionals who translate Italian wine to the world, from sommeliers to importers, to journalists and creators of content.
After the presentation, as from the tradition of every wine event, guests were able to taste on board a taste of the great Italian wine variety, with the mosaic of native vines that remain the distinctive trait of Italy in the world.
The article Vinitaly. USA presents itself on Vespucci, two symbols of Italy meet in New York proviene da IlNewyorkese.
