THE WORLD OF VOLCANIC WINE RETURNS TO NEW YORK: THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL VOLCANIC WINES CONFERENCE TO GATHER 50+ PRODUCERS AND 200 WINES FROM THE WORLD'S LEADING VOLCANIC REGIONS

From Etna and Santorini to the Canary Islands, Hungary, Soave, and beyond, the International Volcanic Wines Conference returns with an expanded program of tastings, masterclasses, and award-winning wines exploring one of the wine world's fastest-growing categories.

NEW YORK, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As global interest in terroir-driven and site-specific wines continues to accelerate, the International Volcanic Wines Conference (IVWC) returns to New York City on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 for its fifth edition, bringing together more than 50 wineries, over 200 wines, and some of the world's most renowned volcanic wine regions for a full day dedicated to the culture, science, and future of volcanic terroir.

Hosted by Volcanic Wines International (VWI) at Manhatta in New York City, the conference will welcome sommeliers, buyers, importers, educators, collectors, and media for a global exploration of volcanic wines through walk-around tastings, educational seminars, and wines recognized at the Volcanic Wine Awards, the international competition developed in partnership with JancisRobinson.com. JancisRobinson.com also serves as the exclusive media partner of the International Volcanic Wines Conference.

Participating wineries and regions will span Etna, Soave, Santorini, Pantelleria, the Canary Islands, Hungary's volcanic appellations, Côtes d'Auvergne, and beyond, reinforcing the growing international momentum behind volcanic wines as one of the wine world's most dynamic and intellectually engaging categories. Now established as one of the leading global platforms dedicated to volcanic terroirs, the conference will feature a walk-around tasting from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM alongside a series of in-depth masterclasses examining the relationship between volcanic soils, indigenous grape varieties, regional identity, and wine longevity.

The educational program will begin at 11:15 AM with "Hungarian Uprising: Wines of the Carpathian Volcanic Arc," sponsored by Wines of Hungary and led by John Szabo, MS. The seminar will explore the volcanic regions stretching across the Carpathian Basin, including Tokaj, Somló, Badacsony, and Eger, while examining Hungary's long-standing winemaking traditions, indigenous grape varieties, and growing international momentum.

At 12:30 PM, "The Long Memory of the Earth: Volcanic Wines That Age," sponsored by Maze Row, will present a comparative tasting between Soave Classico and Mount Etna. Led by Suzanne Denevan-Brown (Estate Director at Maze Row Wine Merchant), Doug Miller (Italian Wine Scholar and Senior Sales Manager for Lux Wines), and Angelo Di Grazia (Winemaker at Tornatore), the session will examine how volcanic soils formed across vastly different geological eras influence acidity, structure, minerality, and longevity in wine. The seminar will also include a special surprise tasting.

Later in the afternoon, at 1:45 PM, Ana Belén López, enotourism expert and specialist in the wines of the Canary Islands, will lead "Volcanic Canary Whites: A Journey Through Time," sponsored by Volcanic Xperience Canary Local Product. The seminar will focus on the Canary Islands as one of the world's most compelling regions for volcanic white wines, examining the role of altitude, salinity, native grape varieties, and oceanic influence in shaping these singular expressions.

The program will conclude with "VINORA Volcanic Origin: When Volcanoes Reveal a New Signature," sponsored by VINORA and led by Pierre Desprat (President of Volcanic Origin) and Didier Gaidon (French Sommeliers Association - UDSF). The seminar will explore the scientific, sensory, and cultural dimensions of volcanic wines through the lens of the Côtes d'Auvergne and the broader mission of the Volcanic Origin initiative to identify and promote wines from volcanic terroirs internationally.

The conference will also spotlight a selection of wines recognized at the Volcanic Wine Awards, the international competition created in partnership with JancisRobinson.com to celebrate outstanding wines from volcanic regions around the world. Award-winning wines from the competition, including recipients of the prestigious Chairman's Awards, will be featured throughout the event, offering attendees the opportunity to discover some of the most compelling expressions of volcanic terroir selected by the judging panel.

Selected personally by the panel chairs from among the competition's Gold Medal winners, the Chairman's Awards represent the highest distinction of the Volcanic Wine Awards and recognize wines that most powerfully express the character, complexity, and individuality of volcanic terroir.

"What keeps drawing me back to volcanic wines, after many years of writing about them, is the stories they tell far beyond flavour alone", said John Szabo, MS, co-founder of Volcanic Wines International "And I think they continue to capture the attention of the global wine community for the same reason, speaking to geology, history, culture, triumph and struggle in a way that few other wine categories do. What we've built in New York is a uniquely absorbing opportunity to line these wines up side by side, from Etna to Tokaj to the Canaries, and let people taste for themselves, and hear the fascinating stories behind each region and producer. Folding in the Volcanic Wine Awards winners this year only sharpens that conversation."

"The International Volcanic Wines Conference has evolved into far more than a tasting event," said Gino Colangelo, President of Colangelo & Partners and partner in Volcanic Wines International. "It has become a platform for some of the wine world's most important conversations around terroir, identity, and origin. The growing interest we continue to see from sommeliers, buyers, and media confirms that volcanic wines are no longer viewed as a niche category, but as one of the most dynamic and intellectually engaging segments in fine wine today."

Exhibiting wineries this year include: Alois, Argyros, Bakkanali, Brassfield, Donnafugata, Erath, Firriato, Girlan, Graziani, Loop de Loop, Palmento Carranco, Panebianco (Cantine Olivella, La Cappuccina, Orneta), Pasqua Wines, Sangue d'Oro, Pietradolce, Planeta, Poderi Del Doge, Pieropan, Sigalas, Tommasi, Tornatore, Vassaltis, Vinora (Desprat Saint Verny, Domaine Goigoux, Château du Rouët, Héritage Volcanic, Château Paquette, Domaine Miolanne, Domaine Helena), Volcanic Xperience Canary Local Product (Bodega El Lomo. Akaet, El Rebusco, El Sitio, El Mirador de Adra, Flor de Chasna, Gallo, Niray, Piedra Fluida, Respiro, Saltaparras, Suertes del Marques, Tajinaste, Vinatigo), Wines of Hungary (Kreinbacher, Patricius, Pelle, Préselő, Sauska, Tornai, Grand Tokaj, Oremus, Zsirai, Barcza, Béres, Holdvölgy, Káli Kövek, Lenkey, Royal Tokaji, St. Donat).

For full background on the Volcanic Wine Awards as well as details on all the wines tasted and scored, and for extensive resources on volcanic wines, please visit JancisRobinson.com

For more information about attending the International Volcanic Wines Conference, please email [email protected].

To receive updates, visit www.volcanicwinesinternational.com and follow Volcanic Wines International on Instagram (@volcanicwines_intl) and Facebook (Volcanic Wines International).

About Volcanic Wines International (VWI)
Volcanic Wines International takes the leading role in defining and establishing a Volcanic Wine Movement, and in providing educational and promotional opportunities for volcanic wine producers internationally. Volcanic Wines International seeks to establish the volcanic wine brand as a premium category of high quality wines with a true sense of place.

About John Szabo
Master Sommelier John Szabo was the first Canadian to add the "MS" after his name in 2004. He holds the international Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma with honors, as well as the Canadian Sommelier Guild diploma. Reporting on the wine world for a quarter-century, he's a founding and principal critic for WineAlign.com, Canada's most widely read wine publication as well as buyer for the WineAlign Exchange wine subscription service. John is co-host and producer of the podcast Wine Thieves with a global following in the trade, and he contributes frequently to many international trade and consumer publications. His ground-breaking book, Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power, has just been re-released in Kindle format.

About Jancis Robinson.com
Founded by Master of Wine Jancis Robinson OBE in 2000, JancisRobinson.com is the world's most trusted independent source of wine knowledge. It offers expert insights, unbiased reviews, authoritative learning resources and a welcoming community for wine lovers and professionals alike. Alongside Jancis, a global team of experts, including 10 Masters of Wine, report from wine regions around the world. The site is the only place to access The Oxford Companion to Wine online and all the maps from The World Atlas of Wine, making it a uniquely valuable destination for anyone with a passion for wine.

About Colangelo & Partners
Colangelo & Partners specializes in premium food, wine and spirits brands, and has long-established relationships with the key press and trade who drive these business categories and help determine the industry leaders. Agency principals have years of experience in retail and distribution as well as communications, a rare combination that gives Colangelo & Partners invaluable insights into consumer purchasing behavior. The agency focuses on "closing the loop" between creative communications programs, distribution, promotion, publicity and the consumer in order to maximize the efficiency of its communications programs and deliver measurable results. http://www.colangelopr.com/

Morgana Germanetto
[email protected]

SOURCE International Volcanic Wines Conference (IVWC)