Last night, the Italian Ambassador to Oslo, Stefano Nicoletti, attended Vinitaly Preview, a promotional and preparatory event for Vinitaly, the international wine and spirits exhibition, to be held in Verona from April 12 to 15. Part of the Vinitaly Around the World project, a global tour of events promoted by Veronafiere in conjunction with Italian Embassies and ITA offices abroad, the Norwegian leg of Vinitaly Preview targeted buyers, industry professionals, trade press, and professionals, with tastings, masterclasses, and networking opportunities to strengthen the awareness and presence of Italian wine on international markets. Organized by the ITA Office in Stockholm in collaboration with Veronafiere, the event took place at Vaaghals, one of Oslo’s most renowned restaurants serving Norwegian cuisine, and was attended by nearly 40 importers and selected wine industry professionals.
The evening opened with a greeting from Ambassador Nicoletti, followed by introductory remarks from Gianni Bruno, Deputy Director General of Veronafiere, and Granit Feneri, Trade Analyst at the ITA Stockholm Office. Marco Battocchia, Head of Incoming Management at Veronafiere, then presented the 2026 edition of Vinitaly, an opportunity to increase the visibility and positioning of the Vinitaly brand abroad and support the participation of Norwegian professionals at the show. The evening concluded with a dinner featuring Norwegian cuisine paired with a selection of Italian wines, with Master of Wine Mai Tjemsland expertly guiding guests through the tasting.
During the event, Ambassador Nicoletti noted that “Italian wine production maintains top positions in all sales segments in this market. With 12.6 million liters sold in 2025 through the Vinmonopolet, we remain the undisputed leader in red wine, while with 3.3 million liters overall, we are just behind France in sparkling and rosé wines. With 2 million liters, we are in fourth place in white wines. Norway is a rich and constantly evolving market, where foreign competition spares no effort to attract an increasingly demanding and mature consumer audience. This is demonstrated by the fluctuating performance of our production over the last two years. I am therefore pleased that Veronafiere, recognizing the importance of the Norwegian market, has added Oslo to its roadshow calendar this year. I believe that the initiative launched by ICE and Veronafiere represents a significant moment in the calendar aimed at supporting and promoting Italian food and wine in Norway.”
Gianni Bruno, Deputy Director General of Veronafiere, emphasized that “Vinitaly Preview Oslo is a strategic stage in our 2026 international calendar, allowing us to establish direct relationships with importers, operators, and institutions, creating lasting relationships and increasingly targeted buyer attraction ahead of Vinitaly in Verona. In a market like the Norwegian one, where Italy remains the leader in wine import volumes and, historically, has shown particular strength in key segments such as still red wine, our goal is to ensure continuity in the positioning of Italian wine—together with our partners, ITA-Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Embassy—through networking, content, and training: from buyer selection to educational activities, and the growth of an international network of professionals and ambassadors of Made in Italy wine.”
