A New Vine on the Map: Campania Joins Italia del Vino as Academy Finishes Its First Module

Consortium ends the year on a high note as Campania joins and the inaugural academy module wraps

Italia del Vino closed the year with a clear bit of momentum. The consortium welcomed Donnachiara, a Campania-based producer, broadening its reach across Italy just as the Wine Business Academy completed its first training module with Luiss Business School. The twin developments send a practical message: this is not just talk about promotion and education — members are signing on and people are being trained.

The move follows months of quiet work to knit together producers, export groups and regional players. Bringing Campania into the fold fills a geographic gap and gives the consortium fresh local expertise on southern wine styles and tourism links. At the same time, the academy’s first classroom run focused on real-world skills for sales, marketing and regional promotion — skills the consortium says it urgently needs if Italian wine is to stand out abroad.

How the membership now looks and what Donnachiara brings

Italia del Vino now counts 24 member companies from 18 Italian regions. That mix includes small family estates and larger cooperative groups, giving the consortium both boutique credibility and distribution heft. Donnachiara’s entry adds the southern Campania voice, with its hill vineyards and a growing tourist market that feeds interest in food and wine routes.

For the consortium, Campania was a strategic gap. The region mixes unique grape varieties and a different style of wine tourism compared with Tuscany or Piedmont. Donnachiara is expected to contribute on two fronts: local storytelling that helps sell provenance, and practical links to tourist operators in Naples and the Amalfi area. In short, the new member helps balance north-south representation and gives the group new material for promotion abroad.

What the Wine Business Academy taught in its first module

The Wine Business Academy ran its debut module in partnership with Luiss Business School. The course was short, focused and built around three goals: sales techniques for modern markets, marketing that talks to tourists and foreign buyers, and an overview of logistics and supply chain basics for export. Participants included winemakers, sales managers and regional promotion officers.

Classes mixed lectures with practical exercises and real case studies from member companies. Organizers said the aim was not to create consultants but to give hands-on tools that producers can use the week after the course finishes — clearer sales pitches, better tasting-room plans and simpler export checklists. The partnership with Luiss brought a business-school structure to a traditionally craft-focused sector, and participants said they appreciated the practical tone.

Why this matters for regional promotion, supply chains and tourism

The consortium’s twin push — more members and a training program — has practical implications. First, stronger regional representation makes joint promotion abroad easier. A tour operator in London or New York wants a single contact who can offer a route through multiple regions; a broader consortium can sell that package.

Second, training that covers sales and logistics helps small producers meet export demands more reliably. When a winery can pack, label and ship without surprise delays, buyers are more likely to reorder. Finally, linking producers with tourism networks means wine experiences stay local money-makers: visitors who come for wine often spend on hotels, restaurants and guides, which keeps value in the region.

What leaders and partners are saying

Consortium leadership framed the developments as steady, practical progress. “Adding Campania shows our network is filling in across Italy,” said the consortium president. “We are building a platform that helps real businesses sell more and tell clearer stories abroad.”

Donnachiara’s representative highlighted local benefits: “Joining gives our region a seat at the table and brings our tourism partners into wider promotion efforts,” the company spokesperson said. From Luiss, the academy director noted: “This first module proved there is strong demand for business skills in the wine world. Producers want tools they can use right away.”

Looking ahead: what to expect in 2026 and how producers can plug in

The consortium plans more academy modules in 2026, with topics slated to include digital marketing for wine, export paperwork and tasting-room management. It also wants to stage joint stands at select trade fairs and create region-focused promotional packages for target markets.

For producers and regional bodies, the message is simple: the consortium is scaling up from pilot projects to repeatable programs. Those who want to join or collaborate should watch for announcements about the next academy dates and the consortium’s fair calendar. The emphasis for now is on building practical skills and usable promotion rather than headline-grabbing promises.