OperaWine 2027: Wine Spectator Selects Top 150 Italian Wines for Vinitaly Curtain Raiser

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine Spectator, the world's leading wine magazine, revealed its selection of 150 Italian wine producers for OperaWine 2027, Vinitaly's grand gala opening event. The announcement was made in front of a packed audience of industry professionals at the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum at Pier 36 in New York City on 26 October 2026. OperaWine 2027 will take place in Verona on 10 April 2027. Wine Spectator senior editors Alison Napjus and Bruce Sanderson unveiled the lineup of the selected producers alongside President of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) Matteo Zoppas, President of Veronafiere Federico Bricolo, General Manager of Veronafiere Giovanni Sacripante, and Vinitaly Managing Partner Stevie Kim.

How Wine Spectator Selected the Producers and Wines for OperaWine 2027

Wine Spectator selects producers and wines for OperaWine through a rigorous editorial and tasting process led by the magazine's senior editors and tasting panel. Senior editors Bruce Sanderson and Alison Napjus, alongside Wine Spectator's tasting panel, personally curate the list. Wines undergo thorough visual, aromatic, and palate analysis, backed by the magazine's ongoing professional reviews, scores, and track records. Editors also evaluate producers based on qualitative consistency, historical significance, and how well they represent Italy's diverse wine-growing regions.

To reflect the evolution of Italian winemaking, the lineup of producers represents three distinct categories of producer. Historically significant wineries that have demonstrated continuous qualitative excellence and that have participated in every edition of OperaWine since its launch in 2012 are included as Legacy Icons (representing 31 producers). Leading estates with a strong, established track record representing their respective regions are categorized as Classic (representing 73 producers), while Led by Women (representing 46 outstanding female producers) is a new category recognizing the excellence of women in Italian wine. This year there are 16 producers participating in OperaWine for the first time, while 17 wineries return after a period of absence.

Wine Spectators commented: "Wine Spectator is excited to announce the list of 150 producers participating in the 16th Edition of OperaWine. This group are among the leading wineries in Italy, pouring great bottles, many from their libraries of older vintages.

This year, we are thrilled to feature a new category, 'Led by Women,' a collection of wineries that feature women in key roles, such as owner, winemaker, or representative.

The 'Led by Women' group joins our 'Legacy Icons' and 'Classic' producers for the unofficial kickoff to Vinitaly the day prior to the opening of the Italian wine trade fair. It's Wine Spectator's only international tasting event."

Wineries selected for OperaWine 2027

The full list of Italian wine producers selected by Wine Spectator (reproduced below) is also available on the official Vinitaly website at:

https://www.vinitaly.com/en/events/operawine/operawine-2027/

OperaWine 2027 – Selected Wineries

About Vinitaly:
Vinitaly, now in its 59th edition, is the compass for the Italian wine business worldwide. An incubator of ideas, trends, and transformations, this international wine and spirits fair at Veronafiere, taking place from April 11th to 14th, engages the entire wine industry. An unmissable event, its goal is to strengthen global sector networking, with 4,000 exhibitors and professionals from 140 countries expected. Vinitaly features 18 pavilions to explore, offering regional or thematic focuses to discover the latest innovations in the wine industry. With a mission to promote the excellence and diversity of Italian wine worldwide, Vinitaly, in collaboration with Vinitaly International, launched the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA), an educational initiative. This year, VIA Verona celebrated its eleventh edition and hosting the 34th edition of its prestigious Certification Course. To date, there are 550 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 22 are also Italian Wine Experts.

About Wine Spectator:
Wine Spectator is the world's leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web's most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature tasting events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine's role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 10,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken's Impact Newsletter.

SOURCE OperaWine