by InTrieste
Friuli Venezia Giulia continued its North American wine promotion tour this week with a well-attended showcase at the Bryant Park Grill in Manhattan, part of the Vinitaly USA initiative organized by Veronafiere. The event followed a successful stop in Chicago and drew strong interest from industry professionals, journalists, and wine buyers.
“The quality of the participants and the level of engagement confirm that Friuli Venezia Giulia is well-positioned to strengthen its role in a strategic market like North America,” said Stefano Zannier, the region’s councillor for agri-food resources, who led the delegation. “The New York market, in particular, is highly competitive and full of new opportunities.”
The U.S. edition of Vinitaly — Italy’s premier wine industry event — aims to promote Italian wine across the Atlantic, connecting producers with importers and distributors. Friuli Venezia Giulia’s participation this year carries added significance, Zannier noted, as uncertainty over potential changes in trade tariffs continues to affect the sector.
“In these days of meetings in Chicago and New York, the concern that has emerged is not so much about the tariff rates themselves, but about the uncertainty surrounding them,” Zannier said. “It’s this lack of clarity that creates hesitation and slows down trade dynamics, even more than the tariffs do. The U.S. market is trying to understand what the operating conditions will be in the coming months. That’s why our presence at Vinitaly USA is strategic — it allows us to position our wines early and decisively at a key moment.”
After the Chicago debut, where 25 regional wineries participated under the coordination of ERSA (the Regional Agency for Rural Development), the New York event featured 38 producers represented by the UniDoc FVG (Union of Friuli Venezia Giulia DOC Wine Consortia).
The day included a masterclass led by renowned Master Sommelier Jeff Porter for a select audience of wine journalists and trade professionals, followed by a walk-around tasting that enabled direct engagement between Friuli producers and importers, distributors, and opinion leaders.
“These events are an effective model of B2B promotion, where supply and demand meet in a professional and prestigious setting,” Zannier said. “While many Friuli Venezia Giulia companies already have a presence in the New York market, there is still significant room for growth. Opportunities like these help create new prospects for the region’s wine exports, one of its most distinctive and celebrated sectors.”
