wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum 2025 lands in Chicago on October 5-6 2025.
VERONA, Italy, Sept. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum debuts in Chicago on October 5–6, 2025, at the iconic Navy Pier, marking its first international edition. Over two days, the program will feature a rich lineup of sessions across multiple thematic “tracks”, designed to address every facet of the contemporary wine industry, offering invaluable insights and expertise to wine professionals attending the event from across the globe. In particular, the Communication and Wine Economics & Trade Insights tracks offer industry players cutting-edge data and analysis of the powerful forces currently shaping the global wine market.
This year’s Forum confronts head-on the seismic shifts in media and technology, consumer behavior, and international trade, equipping producers, distributors and communicators with all the information and tools they need to thrive in an increasingly complex trading environment. Delivered by leading international figures from across the sector, each session offers cutting-edge analysis and actionable strategies for immediate implementation.
Some highlights of the Communication track include:
- The Promise and the Perils of Generative AI in Wine
Speaker: Felicity Carter
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are democratizing access to sophisticated data analysis and marketing capabilities. Carter will explore how wineries, large and small, can harness AI’s potential while avoiding the pitfalls of generic and unoriginal content. - The End of an Era: What the Collapse of Traditional Wine Media Means for Communicators – and the Industry
Speaker: Robert Joseph
With traditional critics losing ground to influencers and peer reviews, Joseph examines what this shift means for brand visibility and consumer trust in today’s fragmented media landscape. - Promoting Wine – Achieving Success in a Hostile Environment
Speaker: Karen MacNeil
Against a backdrop of health-related scrutiny, shifting generational tastes, and competition from alternative beverages, MacNeil will reveal the strategy behind successful campaigns such as Come Over October and Share & Pair Sundays, demonstrating how creativity can overcome industry headwinds. - Wine Titles Decoded: Why MS and MW Both Matter
Speakers: Jessica Dupuy DipWSET, Doug Frost MW, MS, and Jim Bube MS
A dynamic panel unpacking the value and perception of wine’s most respected credentials, the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, and guiding professionals in choosing the educational path that best suits their goals. - Talking Wine in a Talking World: The State of Wine Podcasts Today
Speakers: Felicity Carter, Kristen Reitzell
Explore the state of wine podcasts today: how they compare to other channels, their ability to build loyal audiences, and whether audio can truly capture a sensory product like wine. Leading examples in education, trade, storytelling, and entertainment will also be highlighted.
Highlights of the Economics & Trade Insights track include:
- Navigating Tariff Turbulence: Strategies for Italian Wine Producers Amid U.S.–Italy Trade Shifts
Speaker: Benjamin Aneff
As Italian wine grapples with ongoing U.S. tariffs, Aneff offers actionable strategies for producers to sustain market share. Attendees will learn how to leverage advocacy, strengthen importer partnerships, and emphasize the unique value of Italian wine to remain competitive in the world’s largest market. - Beyond the Decline: how American 21-39 year-olds really see wine
Speaker: John Gillespie
Sales of wine in the U.S. are trending downwards. The session will unveil the results of a July 2025 survey of U.S. beverage alcohol consumers in ages 21-39 with the primary objective of detailing the current position of wine among the overall beverage alcohol usage and attitudes of the consumer segment that will drive the beverage alcohol market for the coming 20 years.
The full wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum – Chicago Edition program is now available on the official website: https://www.vinitalyusa.com/program-wine2wine
About: wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum is a dynamic international wine industry forum organized by Veronafiere and held annually in Verona, Italy, since 2014. wine2wine Business Forum 2024 took place on November 4th and 5th at the Palaexpo in Veronafiere, Verona. The event is a key reference point for wine producers and wine professionals eager to develop and grow their wine business worldwide. wine2wine Business Forum provides unique opportunities to share ideas on the most important issues facing the rapidly evolving wine industry and to connect with wine professionals and experts. The forum takes place over two days and features keynote sessions, seminars, and interactive workshops which aim to equip participants with practical tools to improve their business. Speakers are renowned experts in their field and among the brightest minds in the wine world from Italy and abroad. Additional information is available at https://www.vinitaly.com/en/forum/wine2wine-business-forum/ or by emailing [email protected]
https://www.vinitaly.com/forum/wine2wine-business-forum/
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