Merano WineFestival 2026
The Festival
The Festival is the beating heart of the Merano WineFestival – a journey through national and international wine and gastronomic excellence.
Three thematic areas dedicated to wine – Wine Italia, Wine International, and WineHunter Area – create a unique tasting path, where each glass is the result of a careful selection made by The WineHunter’s tasting commissions.
An experience that is not only tasting, but also encounter, culture, and discovery – telling the story of terroir diversity, producers’ styles, and the trends shaping the future of wine.
Ahead of the exhibitor reveal, the awarded excellences are already public: browse the Hall of Excellence and the WH Collection of awarded producers.
Wine Italia
Celebrating national flavours
This section is dedicated to the finest Italian wineries, selected for their ability to express the authentic character of their land and interpret it with excellence. Here, renowned names and small artisanal realities meet, united by quality and passion for their craft.
An opportunity to discover the richness of native grape varieties, regional traditions, and the innovations that are reshaping the Italian wine scene.
7 | 8 | 9 November 2026 · Kursaal, Kurhaus · 350+ exhibitors
Next Platinum
Excellence one step from the summit
A selection dedicated to products that have reached the peak of their award bracket: labels whose quality touches the highest recognition and which, with one small step further, can claim the Platinum Award.
Every harvest and every vintage brings unrepeatable conditions – and with them, the form and very essence of each product changes. It is in this living balance that true greatness is measured: the ability to evolve, refine, and surprise, year after year.
Here you will meet producers whose creations are ready to defend the Platinum Award they have earned, alongside excellences that could reach it at the next edition: tomorrow’s summit, tasted today.
7 | 8 | 9 November 2026 · Kurhaus
Wine International
Celebrating global flavours
A stage dedicated to the world’s best producers, where excellence and diversity come together in one grand tasting experience. A unique opportunity to compare styles, terroirs, and winemaking interpretations from countries and regions renowned for their wine traditions, and to discover emerging realities that surprise with quality and personality.
From the Old World to the New, every sip becomes a bridge between cultures and stories, opening the door to explore the variety and richness of the global wine landscape.
Among the highlights, Georgian wines hold a special place – guardians of a millennia-old tradition and the qvevri amphora winemaking method, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. These wines, an authentic expression of the deep bond between people and land, bring to the glass aromas and flavours that tell the story of the cradle of world viticulture.
7 | 8 | 9 November 2026 · Kurhaus · 100+ exhibitors
Culinaria – GourmetArena
Exploring culinary delights
Culinaria is the GourmetArena’s area entirely dedicated to the tasting path Food, Spirits & Beer – where excellence and creativity merge into a single experience.
Here, the public can embark on a sensory journey through gastronomic specialties, spirits, and beers from across Italy. Each one tells the story of its land through premium raw materials and unique interpretations. Every creation is born at the intersection of tradition and innovation, driven by the passion of artisans and producers who transform taste into culture and flavour into narrative.
Within Culinaria there is Territorium & Consortium, a space dedicated to the country’s gastronomic excellence presented by Italian consortia and regional organizations, including Abruzzo and Campania.
An experience celebrating quality in all its forms, turning every bite into a moment of discovery and pleasure – enriched by live showcooking, where stories move straight from the land into the glass and onto the plate.
Some products can be purchased directly from producers in the GourmetArena – a way to take home a piece of this unique experience.
Fuori Salone
The red carpet of Merano WineFestival
Fuori Salone is a true open-air stage where regions, consortia, and producers from all over Italy showcase themselves and meet the public.
Along the red carpet running through Corso Libertà, the beating heart of Merano, talks, tastings, showcooking, and performances turn the city into a place of sharing, discovery, and gastronomic culture.
Each event becomes a unique opportunity to experience the authentic soul of Italian excellence – stories of passion, tradition, and innovation brought to life before the eyes of visitors, inviting them to savour the very best of Italy’s gastronomic heritage.
Merano WineFestival 2026