IRRESISTIBILE PIWI 2026: program for April 26–27
Third edition of the event dedicated to PIWI wines and resistant grape varieties
Two days of tastings, conferences, masterclasses, and technical discussions set in the historic setting of the Dogana Veneta in Lazise, on Lake Garda.
IRRESISTIBILE PIWI is the leading event in Italy for those who want to understand, taste, and discuss the future of resistant viticulture: producers, agronomists, oenologists, researchers, and enthusiasts gather each year in an open-minded environment, where the quality of PIWI wines is told through direct experience.
The event is conceived and led by oenologists Luca De Palma and Igor Bonvento, with the patronage of the Municipality of Lazise and the collaboration of Assoenologi, ONAV, FISAR, VCR Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, and Piwi-International IT.
Wine Fair · Masterclass Area at Dogana
Both days will be dedicated to the PIWI Wine Fair: wineries will present wines made from resistant grape varieties from across Italy and Europe, offering visitors a concrete overview of the quality and territorial diversity achieved by these grapes. Alongside producers, there will also be space for genetic selection, breeding, and vine nursery production: the entire supply chain, from varietal choice to the bottle.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Afternoon Masterclasses (Masterclass Area at Dogana):
3:00 PM – The children of GLERA
With Ermanno Murari, technician at VCR Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo. Innovation enhancing tradition and terroir for the Prosecco of the future.
4:00 PM – Resistenti Nicola Biasi: one winery across eight different territories
With Nicola Biasi, winemaker and president of the Resistenti Nicola Biasi network. 6 wines compared.
5:00 PM – 30 years of Piwi: an exciting journey marked by important milestones
With Alexander Morandell, international expert and nurseryman. 9 wines from older vintages.
6:00 PM – Blind Piwi: grape variety, style, and territory
With Marta Brentegani, FISAR Verona sommelier. A blind tasting to discover the identity of resistant grape varieties.
MONDAY, APRIL 27
Conference: The Vineyard Microbiome
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM · Conference Hall, Civic Center, Via Roma 3
The highlight of the second day is the conference “The Vineyard Microbiome: an invisible ally to discover,” organized by the Municipality of Lazise and moderated by Alessandra Biondi Bartolini, Scientific Director of Millevigne.
What lives in the soil beneath our vineyards? Which microorganisms inhabit the vine, its roots, leaves, and grapes? The microbiome—the set of microorganisms present in the vineyard—is now recognized as one of the key factors in vine vitality and the aromatic complexity of wine. Yet in everyday viticultural practice, it remains largely unexplored.
The conference will bring the most advanced research on the topic to the center of the discussion, with the aim of translating it into practical tools for producers, agronomists, and oenologists. Particular attention will be given to PIWI varieties, which are naturally more inclined toward biological balance in the vineyard.
Afternoon Workshop
2:00–3:00 PM – X-PLANT: from vine physiology to wine quality
With Gianmaria Zanella, Head of R&D Enology at Vason. The new frontier of biostimulants: how to enhance the vine’s physiological potential to improve wine quality.
Round Table
3:00–5:00 PM – PIWI grape varieties: sustainability and quality for the future of DOC wines
With VCR Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Civit Consorzio Innovazione Vite, and Piwi-International IT. The session will conclude with final tastings.
Masterclasses (Masterclass Area at Dogana):
2:00 PM – Resistenti Nicola Biasi: the art of blending and the value of crus
With Nicola Biasi. 6 wines compared.
3:00 PM – SPUMARES: suitability of PIWI grape varieties for Metodo Classico or Charmat sparkling production
With Thomas Roman, Head of the Oenological and Food Processing Unit, Fondazione E. Mach.
You are all invited to the toast for IRRESISTIBILE PIWI, which will take place at Vinitaly on April 13 at 1:00 PM at the I Grandi Vini stand, Centro Servizi delle Erbe (between Hall 4–5), stand 6.
👉🏻 More information and registration you will find here.