GLOBAL PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Opening Hours 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Excel - Halls 19, 20, 21
APRIL 25 - PREVIEW EVENTS
APRIL 26 - EXHIBITION DAY 1 - EXCEL
APRIL 27 - EXHIBITION DAY 2 - EXCEL
APRIL 25, 2026 PREVIEW EVENTS
BLIND TASTING
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Excel
An exclusive tasting event inviting engaged wine lovers and professionals to experience wines served blind while interacting directly with producers in an intimate setting designed to stimulate discovery and dialogue.
APRIL 26, 2026 EXHIBITION DAY 1
OPENING CEREMONY - RIBBON CUTTING
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Excel, STAGE 1
Official inauguration of Wines Experience London 2026 and formal opening of the exhibition floor.
This institutional moment marks the beginning of two days dedicated to strengthening the commercial, cultural and strategic relationship between Italian producers and the UK trade. The ceremony sets the tone of the event: positioning Italy not only as a heritage agrifood country, but as a contemporary, competitive and future-focused player in one of the world’s most sophisticated markets. The ribbon cutting formally opens the exhibition and tasting halls.
FOOD TASTING EXPERIENCE | Sicily on the Plate: Authentic Flavours, Ingredients & Culinary Identity
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM | Excel, Food Area
A guided tasting celebrating Sicilian culinary heritage through artisanal pasta and carefully selected regional ingredients. This vibrant experience brings together a curated selection of producers, showcasing how traditional recipes and artisanal techniques translate into products with strong contemporary appeal. From rich, sun-driven flavours to fresher Mediterranean profiles, the session explores textures, aromas, and the identity of Sicily’s gastronomy, while offering practical insights into positioning Sicilian food across retail and hospitality, with a focus on storytelling and cross-category opportunities.
PANEL TASTING | NextGen Sparkling Panel Tasting: Can Sparkling Be the Spark?
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM | Excel, STAGE 2
This session is part of the Dialogue in Motion series—an evolving format designed to move beyond traditional panels and into more dynamic, participatory conversations.
Centered on Italian sparkling wine, this discussion brings together next-generation voices from both the production and vineyard sides, offering a more complete view of how wines are shaped, communicated, and brought to market. Rather than a single, static conversation, participants will engage through a series of guided table rotations. Each round builds on the last, allowing ideas to develop in real time while creating space for direct exchange between speakers and attendees.
At the core of the session is a central question: Can sparkling act as a catalyst—for new audiences, new narratives, and new ways of thinking about Italian wine?
Through this lens, the conversation will explore:
How sparkling wines are currently perceived across key markets
The role of the next generation in redefining identity, communication, and strategy
The tension between tradition and evolution, including new styles and cultural approaches
The realities of vineyard work and how they connect to commercial decisions
The role of consorzi and NextGen networks in shaping collective direction
Where investment—across marketing, trade engagement, and pricing—has the greatest impact
By bringing together perspectives that are not always in direct dialogue, the session aims to create a more connected understanding of the category—from the vineyard to the final point of sale. The format is designed to be both personal and commercially relevant, encouraging honest discussion, shared insight, and a deeper connection to the people and decisions behind the wines.
DWWA Masterclass | Northern Italy’s Whites: Terroir, Tradition & Innovation, Awarded at DWWA
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Excel, STAGE 2
Speaker: Vincenzo Arnese - DWWA Judge, Wine Director
Italy is globally celebrated for its reds, yet many of its most compelling wines come from its white wine traditions, particularly across Northern Italy. Shaped by diverse landscapes, from mountain vineyards to lake and coastal influences, these wines reflect a wide range of terroirs, grape varieties and winemaking approaches.
From wines defined by clarity and immediacy to those built with structure and the capacity to evolve, the selection highlights how Northern Italy’s white wines move beyond familiar perceptions, with some increasingly recognised within the fine wine conversation.
Through the perspective of Decanter World Wine Awards Judge and fine wine specialist, Vincenzo Arnese, this session explores how Northern Italy’s white wines are increasingly recognised on the global stage. Featuring a tasting of six wines awarded at DWWA, the selection reflects the competition’s rigorous judging process and highlights benchmark examples that are shaping the category today.
Wines on tasting:
1. Muzic, Valeris Friulano, Collio, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2023 - Platinum, 97 points
2. Podere Selva Capuzza, Menasasso, Lugana Riserva, Lombardy, Italy 2020 - Gold, 95 points
3. Zýmē di Celestino Gaspari, From Black to White, Veneto 2022 - Gold, 95 points
4. Cantine Volpi, Derthona La Zerba Timorasso, Colli Tortonesi, Piedmont 2023 - Gold, 95 points
5. Les Crêtes, Cuvée Bois Chardonnay, Valle d'Aosta 2022 - Gold, 96 points
6. Cantina Terlano, Rarity, Alto Adige Terlano 2012 - Gold, 96 point
WINE & MEAT Pairing Experience | Fat. Fire. Acid. Structure
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | EXCEL, STAGE 2
Speakers: Roberto Costa – Founder, Macellaio RC and Luca Dusi – Founder, Passione Vino
A guided tasting with Roberto Costa and his head sommelier (Macellaio RC), exploring pairing through contrast and context. Each course moves from a classic match to an unexpected interpretation, evolving further with the addition of sauce or seasoning to reveal how subtle shifts can completely transform the wine in the glass, expanding the boundaries of what pairing can be.
Participants are invited to engage throughout, comparing wines, sharing observations, and experiencing how individual palate and perspective shape perception. Chefs and sommeliers are encouraged to attend together, reflecting the collaborative nature of pairing in practice.
THE FUTURE IN THE GLASS – TASTING SERIES. Climate, Biodiversity, Freshness, Altitude & Premium Strategy in the UK Market
A tasting-led analysis of adaptation already happening in vineyards worldwide. Each session connects climate science → viticulture → sensory outcome → commercial decisions.
Format: 60 mins moderated panel discussion + guided tasting + 15 min Q&A.
Audience: Importers, distributors, buyers, sommeliers, wine directors, independent retailers.
Masterclass SLOW WINE | Good, Clean and Fair Wine: Understanding the Principles Behind the Selection
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Excel, STAGE 1
Speaker: Jonathan Gebser - deputy curator, Slow Wine Guide
MASTERCLASS | Sardinia: Island of Character. Sea, Salt, the New Freshness
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | EXCEL, STAGE 1
An immersive tasting focused on one of Italy’s most distinctive yet underexplored regions. Sardinia offers wines defined by sea influence, native varieties and natural freshness, key attributes for today’s UK market.
The session provides a practical framework for positioning Sardinian wines, highlighting their gastronomic versatility, strong identity and potential for differentiation in both on-trade and retail environments.
APRIL 27, 2026 EXHIBITION DAY 2
WINE MARKET SHAPERS AWARD
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | EXCEL, STAGE 1
The Wine Market Shapers Award celebrates individuals, wineries and organisations that are actively shaping the future of Italian wine in the UK and international markets. The award recognises outstanding initiatives that combine innovation, cultural impact and market development, highlighting those who contribute to strengthening the visibility, quality perception and commercial success of Italian wine.
Market Pulse: The UK Wine Market — Data, Insights & Industry Voices on the Future of the UK Wine Market / Trends Shaping 2026 and Beyond
11:30 AM – 2:05 PM | EXCEL, STAGE 1
Speed Conversations with Industry Leaders
A dynamic sequence of short, high-impact conversations exploring the forces currently reshaping the UK wine market. Through a series of rapid 15/20 minutes Speed Conversations, leading importers, buyers and industry commentators address some of the most pressing questions facing the trade today: navigating cost pressure and margin compression, identifying the wine styles gaining traction with consumers, understanding the real commercial value of sustainability, and analysing how social media is transforming wine discovery and brand storytelling.
Each discussion is followed by 30-minute B2B networking breaks, allowing participants and attendees to continue the conversation directly on the exhibition floor and translate insights into real commercial connections. Designed for importers, distributors, buyers, sommeliers and wine professionals, Market Pulse offers a concise, practical snapshot of what is driving wine sales in the UK today — and where the market may be heading next.
Panel Tasting | Calabria Next: Indigenous Grapes, New Energy & the Future of Southern Italian Wine
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | EXCEL, STAGE 2
A guided panel tasting dedicated to the new generation of Calabrian wines, showcasing a curated selection from 11 wineries representing the region’s evolving identity.
The session explores the balance between tradition and innovation, highlighting the recovery of indigenous grape varieties, the role of young producers, and the growing focus on sustainability and contemporary winemaking approaches. Particular attention is given to the international positioning of Calabria, with insights into style evolution, market relevance, and opportunities within the UK trade.