Who will become the next certified Italian Wine Ambassador? Registration Now Open

VERONA, Italy, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The prestigious Italian Wine Ambassador Certification Course at Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) will take place in Verona on 15-19 April, 2026. The course is open to international wine students and professionals and consists of four days of in-person lectures, masterclasses and tasting sessions followed on the fifth day by a final exam. Those who successfully complete the exam become certified Italian Wine Ambassadors, joining an international community of ambassadors. Registration is now open at: https://vinitalyinternationalacademy.com/checkout.

The Italian Wine Ambassador Certification Course at Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) is the gold standard in Italian wine education. The course is structured in two modules. The first module includes a series of online theory lessons while the second consists of four days of in-person practical lessons. The course was designed by the VIA Faculty with the goal of certifying qualified Italian Wine Ambassadors capable of promoting Italian wine globally. In addition to joining a prestigious global network of qualified wine professionals, those who obtain the title of Italian Wine Ambassador gain an valuable advantage in building a long-term career in the global wine sector. 

Course format
VIA focuses on the study of native Italian grape varieties, region by region, with a deep focus on the geology, history, terroir and denominations. Students are provided with a 360° experience, learning about geology, viticulture and winemaking and their connection to Italian food, wine tradition, history and culture. The in-person sessions take place at the Vinitaly International Academy in Verona.

VIA Supporters Confirmed

A number of important consortiums have already confirmed their participation at the 2026 edition of the Italian Wine Ambassador Certification Course, representing some of the most prestigious wine-growing regions in Italy and providing students with direct access to the very best local expertise through a series of in-depth masterclasses. The consortiums currently confirmed for the 2026 edition are: Consorzio per la Tutela del Franciacorta, Consorzio di Tutela del Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, Consorzio Tutela Vino Custoza DOC, Consorzio del vino Brunello di Montalcino.

Register now
For more information about the course and how to apply, visit the Vinitaly International Academy website at: https://vinitalyinternationalacademy.com/checkout or contact VIA directly at: [email protected] 

About: Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIA's main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly. The new VIA ecosystem avails of the guidance of Italian trade associations Federdoc, Federvini, Vignaioli Indipendenti FIVI, and Unione Italiana Vini as members of the Institutional Advisory Board. Italian vine genetics scholar, Prof. Attilio Scienza, oversees VIA's scientific and educational direction as the Chief Scientist. VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW teaches the flagship Italian Wine Ambassador course. To date, there are 464 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 22 are also Italian Wine Experts.

SOURCE Vinitaly International Academy