The News
The Savor Quality from Europe campaign announces a series of invitation-only events in May 2026 to highlight Tuscany’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG wine and APOT Tuscan Olive Oil. Events will take place in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Canada, featuring tastings, producer meetings, and media sessions. The initiative is co-financed by the European Union and aims to share the stories and traditions behind these products.
Savor Quality from Europe is framed as a high‑touch marketing effort. The release spotlights invitation‑only tastings in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Canadian cities for media, sommeliers, importers and hospitality professionals.
Compared to industry averages, the numbers are modest. ProWein attracted 52 622 visitors in 2025; the Savor Quality tour reaches only a few hundred trade professionals. The EU has allocated more than €1.5 billion for agricultural promotion between 2023 and 2027, and the release confirms that Savor Quality receives co‑financing from the Union—underscoring a commitment to positioning Tuscan products in North America beyond traditional wholesale channels.
In 2025 U.S. imports from the EU made up 58 % of total wine volume, showing that Italian producers already command a significant portion of the market. The campaign’s focus on Tuscany could help brands refine their premium positioning within this share, especially as the global wine market is projected to grow at 5.2 % CAGR through 2030.
Distributors should move away from mass trade‑shows and instead use Savor Quality events to forge relationships with key buyers, giving sales reps a richer narrative for their pitches. Retailers might place DOCG wines in premium sections and lean on the tasting‑room experience as a halo cue—showcasing heritage without stocking an exclusive SKU that isn’t available wholesale.
Bars cannot purchase the limited‑edition olive oil or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, but they can capitalize on tasting‑room exclusivity by presenting guests with curated experiences. Savor Quality focuses on depth rather than volume, aiming to refine the dialogue around premium Tuscan offerings. High‑touch events backed by EU funding give distributors, retailers and bars a focused tool for differentiation in a market where 58 % of U.S. wine imports are European and global growth remains steady.
Original Press Release
This May, the Savor Quality from Europe campaign returns with a limited series of invitation-only events designed to immerse U.S. trade and media in the authentic flavors of Tuscany. Co-financed by the European Union, the initiative brings together Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG and artisanal olive oils from APOT – Tuscan Olive Oil Producers Association, showcasing them as benchmarks of European quality, heritage, and sustainability.
Following a successful 2025 program, the 2026 U.S. tour highlights New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, offering curated experiences for select wine and food journalists, sommeliers, importers, distributors, retail buyers, and hospitality leaders—going beyond tastings to reveal the people, stories, and traditions behind these iconic products. Additional events will take place in Canada, including Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto.
What to Expect: A Curated Taste of Europe
Discovering European excellence and Quality Schemes by leveraging the Tuscany case history, represented by Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine and Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil.
The U.S. tour will both begin and conclude in New York City, featuring exclusive, high-level programming tailored for media and trade.
Press Conference & Lunch: An exclusive session to discover Tuscany’s wines and olive oils, featuring tastings and the chance to meet producers.
Press Conference & Lunch: An exclusive session to discover Tuscany’s wines and olive oils, featuring tastings and the chance to meet producers.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass: In partnership with Vinous and as part of the Vinous Icons Italy 2026 – New York City event, this masterclass will explore the newly defined Pievi subzones of Montepulciano. Attendees will taste benchmark wines from leading estates, showcasing the unique character and elegance of each terroir.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass: In partnership with Vinous and as part of the Vinous Icons Italy 2026 – New York City event, this masterclass will explore the newly defined Pievi subzones of Montepulciano. Attendees will taste benchmark wines from leading estates, showcasing the unique character and elegance of each terroir.
In Los Angeles and San Francisco, guests will experience a full day dedicated to Tuscan wine and olive oil. The immersive program features:
APOT Masterclass: Developed with the support of the Centro Ricerche Scientia Atque Usus (sAu) and Comunicazione Generativa ETS, the program begins with a presentation offering a multidisciplinary exploration of Italian extra virgin olive oil as a cultural and sensory expression of Mediterranean identity. It continues with a masterclass curated by Patrick Zinelli, providing a guided journey into quality principles, origin and traceability systems (PDO and PGI), Tuscan cultivars, and the distinction between premium and commercial extra virgin olive oils, concluding with a professional guided tasting experience.
APOT Masterclass: Developed with the support of the Centro Ricerche Scientia Atque Usus (sAu) and Comunicazione Generativa ETS, the program begins with a presentation offering a multidisciplinary exploration of Italian extra virgin olive oil as a cultural and sensory expression of Mediterranean identity. It continues with a masterclass curated by Patrick Zinelli, providing a guided journey into quality principles, origin and traceability systems (PDO and PGI), Tuscan cultivars, and the distinction between premium and commercial extra virgin olive oils, concluding with a professional guided tasting experience.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass: A guided tasting of DOCG and DOC wines, focusing on the region’s stylistic identity and terroir expression, with insights into the newly defined Pievi subzones and their role in shaping structure, elegance, and diversity across leading estates.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass: A guided tasting of DOCG and DOC wines, focusing on the region’s stylistic identity and terroir expression, with insights into the newly defined Pievi subzones and their role in shaping structure, elegance, and diversity across leading estates.
Walk-Around Wine & Olive Oil Tasting & Curated Lunch: Direct engagement with leading Tuscan wine producers—such as Carpineto, Il Molinaccio di Montepulciano, Fattoria Svetoni, Le Berne, La Ciarliana, Marchesi Frescobaldi, Podere Tiberini, Tenuta Valdipiatta, and Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano—and leading Tuscan extra virgin olive oil producers represented by APOT, including IGP Toscano, DOP Terre di Siena, DOP Lucca, DOP Seggiano, and Chianti Classico DOP, offering a dual expression of Tuscany’s wine and olive oil excellence.
Walk-Around Wine & Olive Oil Tasting & Curated Lunch: Direct engagement with leading Tuscan wine producers—such as Carpineto, Il Molinaccio di Montepulciano, Fattoria Svetoni, Le Berne, La Ciarliana, Marchesi Frescobaldi, Podere Tiberini, Tenuta Valdipiatta, and Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano—and leading Tuscan extra virgin olive oil producers represented by APOT, including IGP Toscano, DOP Terre di Siena, DOP Lucca, DOP Seggiano, and Chianti Classico DOP, offering a dual expression of Tuscany’s wine and olive oil excellence.
New York - May 4 | Ai Fiori
Event: Press Conference & Lunch with APOT and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Location: 400 5th Ave #2, New York, NY 10018
When: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Los Angeles – May 6 | Eataly LA
Event: APOT Masterclass, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass, and Walk-Around Wine & Olive Oil Tasting
Location: 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067
When: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Featured Expert: Diego Meraviglia is President and Director of Education of the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), guiding sommeliers and wine professionals across North America. His philosophy, captured in his words, “Wine is love, nature, history, passion, emotion, art… it is humanity. It is what we are,” will guide his masterclass, offering U.S. audiences a unique perspective on Tuscany’s wines.
San Francisco – May 7 | Hotel Fairmont
Event: APOT Masterclass, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass, and Walk-Around Wine & Olive Oil Tasting
Location: 950 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108
When: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Featured Expert: Deborah Parker Wong (MSc, DipWSET) is a journalist, educator, researcher, and one of the most respected voices in the U.S. wine industry. She serves as Global Wine Editor for SOMM Journal and National Editor for the Slow Wine Guide USA. Guided by her motto—“To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach.”—she brings depth and clarity to every exploration of Tuscan wines.
New York - May 15 | Hall des Lumières
Event: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Masterclass
Location: 49 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007
When: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Featured Expert: Eric Guido is a Vinous wine critic and editor with extensive experience covering Italy and other key wine regions. Known for his engaging writing and photography, he brings U.S. audiences a unique perspective on Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Tuscany’s historic appellations.
Attendance & Registration
Savor Quality from Europe events are invitation-only experiences. Journalists, sommeliers, importers, distributors, retail buyers, and leading hospitality professionals are invited to express their interest by contacting the U.S. Press Office - Beviour Marketing.
Sources consulted (web research):
- Key Trade Shows To Mark In Your Calendar For 2026
- Prowein Trade Fair Germany 2026
- Wine World In 2026
- Seasons Greetings From Tuscany Savor Quality From Europe Returns To N…
Source: BevNET