Trade Tasting Featuring Italy’s Top Wine Producers Will Bring Acclaimed Tour Stateside February 2026, in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York
ROME, Italy – World-renowned Italian media company, Gambero Rosso, kicks off its 2026 U.S. Tre Bicchier Tour on February 24. The U.S. tour, open to all media professionals and current members of the wine trade, will feature some of the top wines across Italy. These prestigious “Tre Bicchieri” tastings are taking place in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City.
“Tariffs on imports of European wine into the US have caused headaches for producers and merchants alike over the last year, and the reality is that Italian wine is now more expensive to buy in America than it used to be,” says Marco Sabellico, Editor-In-Chief of the annual Vini D’Italia guide. “It has never been more important to find wines that deliver top quality. We know buyers are buying fewer bottles, but want to be buying the best. That’s where the Tre Bicchieri 2026 comes in.”
These tastings will showcase the wines that have been awarded the Tre Bicchieri designation, the highest rating, in Gambero Rosso’s recently launched Vini d’Italia 2026 guide. Of 40,000 wine samples tasted by its expert panel, just 508, or 1.3% percent, are deemed worthy of that top accolade. The Tre Bicchieri shows bring a curated selection of those wines to the U.S.
2026 Tre Bicchieri Tour Schedule:
- Tuesday, February 24, 2026 – Los Angeles
- Thursday, February 26, 2026 – San Francisco
- Tuesday, March 3, 2026 – Chicago
- Tuesday, March 5, 2026 – New York City
Gambero Rosso’s walk-around tasting events and masterclasses are exclusively open to qualified, current members of the wine trade and media. Each Tre Bicchieri stop will feature a grand tasting showcasing wines that have achieved the prestigious Tre Bicchieri designation. Additionally, most cities will feature masterclass sessions limited to 30 participants, available by application only.
Masterclasses will spotlight different winemaking regions of Italy and consortia to highlight emerging wines and grape varieties from those areas. Industry professionals interested in attending the masterclasses should email gr@mccuepr.com for more information. Additionally, each event will host Top Italian Restaurant Awards, where Gambero Rosso recognises the best local Italian wine bars, pizzerias, trattorias, gelaterias, and cafés in each of the host cities.
“Italy has obvious, deep connections with the United States, and these events show it isn’t just history that links these two countries, but wine too,” comments Tiina Eriksson, international director of Gambero Rosso. “We’re very excited to be visiting four great American cities and sharing Tre Bicchieri-winning wines. Americans have a great love of Italian wine, be it Prosecco or Brunello di Montalcino, and these events are the ideal setting to get reacquainted with some familiar favourites while also discovering some hidden treasures. Italy still has so much to offer the American wine drinker.”
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About Gambero Rosso
Gambero Rosso® is Italy’s publishing and training leader in the field of wine and food, known primarily in the U.S. for its renowned annual Guide to Italian Wines (Vini d’Italia). It is the only multimedia company in the sector that offers magazines, books, guides, a website, smartphone applications, and a television channel – Sky 412. Since 1987, Gambero Rosso has represented Italian-made food and wine, testing and certifying the quality of products and telling the stories behind the flavors and traditions of the Bel Paese. In Italy, Gambero Rosso offers Città del Gusto® training courses in five cities. Gambero Rosso has developed a rich, worldwide network of partnerships with prestigious culinary institutes to promote authentic Italian culinary traditions and products.
