Damien Wilson, Ph.D., holds the inaugural Hamel Family Chair of Wine Business Education at Sonoma State University's Wine Business Institute. In a thought-provoking op-ed, Wilson argues that the wine industry must dismantle elitist gatekeeping practices and instead adopt consumer-centric, fact-based strategies. He emphasizes the industry’s tendency to overlook significant cultural trends, citing the “Swiftization” (rise in popularity) of Sauvignon Blanc following Taylor Swift's public endorsement of the varietal. Wilson calls for a personalized tasting room experience and advocates for the use of evidence to gauge customer engagement, suggesting that the industry's future hinges on its ability to adapt to a younger, more dynamic demographic.
Cristina Mercuri, the Founder and CEO of Mercuri Wine Club, has made history by becoming the first Italian woman to achieve the esteemed title of Master of Wine. Her accomplishment raises the total number of Italian MWs to four, joining the ranks of Gabriele Gorelli, Andrea Lonardi, and Pietro Russo. Mercuri, who transitioned from a successful career as an M&A lawyer to the wine sector in 2015, completed the rigorous Master of Wine certification following a hard seven-year journey that involved extensive blind tastings, theoretical examinations, and a final research paper. Her research topic, "Wine, Women and Fascism," utilized visual semiotics to explore the representation of women in propaganda found in the magazine “Enotria” from 1922 to 1942. Beyond her personal achievement, Mercuri’s status is expected to enhance the international presence of Italian wines by implementing global education and market standards.
In 2026, the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines will return to the United States to educate American wine professionals about the unique Alpine terroir and its Mediterranean warmth. They will conduct a series of masterclasses in major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. Led by experts like Vanessa Conlin MW and Brandon Kerne MS, these seminars will highlight the diversity of Alto Adige DOC wines, including varietals like Pinot Blanc, Lagrein, and Schiava, while showcasing their versatility in food pairings that range from seafood to steak.
Sardinia’s Santa Barbara Mining Trail has won Komoot’s prestigious Global Choice Award, becoming the first long-distance walking route ever to receive the accolade from the world’s largest outdoor platform (50 million users).
The award was presented earlier this year at CMT Stuttgart, Europe’s leading travel and outdoor fair, following a global community vote in December 2025. The Sardinian trail triumphed over major international finalists including Tourspain, the Trans Canada Trail and destinations in Germany and Corsica — a significant endorsement from Komoot’s global audience of active travellers.
Dedicated to the memory of Giampiero Pinna, founder of the Cammino Minerario di Santa Barbara (CSMB), the award recognises the Trail as an outstanding example of experiential and slow tourism.
Stretching over 500 kilometres in a circular route across south-west Sardinia, the Santa Barbara Mining Trail connects dramatic coastal scenery, abandoned mining villages, historic industrial sites, ancient forests and remote rural landscapes in the Sulcis Iglesiente region.
The project also includes the Carignano del Sulcis Trails, linking slow travel with wine tourism. Here, visitors encounter some of Europe’s rare ungrafted Carignano vineyards (a piede franco), cultivated on sandy soils near the coast — an authentic expression of Sardinia’s terroir and winemaking heritage.
Komoot highlighted the Trail’s dedicated digital Collection as a key factor in its success, enabling travellers to plan the official route easily and independently.