Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

The Regional Institute of Wine and Oil's autumn program focuses on wine, culture, and local produce: two key events for Sicilian wine tourism.

Autumn 2025 has proven to be a strategic season for the Sicilian wine tourism sector and theRegional Institute of Wine and Oil (IRVO) he was the protagonist in two key events, in Cefalù (Palermo) and Castiglione di Sicilia (Catania). Two different stages, united by a common thread: promoting wine not just as an agricultural product, but as a cultural heritage, an economic driver, and a tool for telling the story of the region.

On November 8th in Cefalù, IRVO participated in the event for the 60 years of the Italian Sommelier Association, a moment of celebration and reflection on the association's historical and contemporary role. The program included a conference, a sensory tasting masterclass, and a gala dinner paired with local wines. The Institute's participation underscored its shared goals with AIS, starting with promoting the quality and culture of Sicilian wine.

Giusi Mistretta, IRVO's Special Commissioner, stated: "Happy birthday to AIS, an association that has brought wine to life through the glass and the stories of its producers and hard workers. AIS's journey has paralleled IRVO's: we both pursue a single goal, that of promoting the wine industry in all its aspects of production and communication." Mistretta then added: "AIS's ability to narrate the product from the glass to the consumer is to be commended. IRVO, on the other hand, has accompanied the evolution of the industry through research, product quality protection, and promotion, focusing on disseminating the history of wine and the region, which also aims to foster mutual exchange and institutional support. A scenario is unfolding that can only be one of growth, always moving hand in hand and with a unity of purpose. Because when institutions come together and work together, success is guaranteed."

Also on November 8th and 9th, IRVO took part in the review Etna, Wine Tourism Routes: Places, Wines, History, Art, and Tradition, held in Castiglione di SiciliaModerated by Pippo Raiti, ambassador of theNational Association of Wine CitiesThe event featured Etna wine tastings, music and entertainment, art exhibitions, and traditional dishes. It was an opportunity to present new tools for promoting the area, such as Virtual Wine Museum, financed through the FOSMIT Fund (Mountain Development Fund), and the short film “Etna's Wine Women”, produced by Italy Wine TV, dedicated to the women of Etna DOC and selected for the Wine Spectator Video Contest 2025.

Vito Bentivegna, director of IRVO, commented: "Castiglione represents the symbolic town of Etna wine, and it is also home to the wine shop I am proud and honored to have presided over two years ago. Etna is a land rich in harmony, coveted and admired by many around the world. It is a region that has grown tremendously, boasting unique characteristics—strengths upon which the entire production sector, and beyond, has worked tirelessly to advance and continually improve." The director then elaborated on the Institute's role in research and production support: "We collaborate with the universities of Catania and Palermo, and are developing several related projects, including in this region."

Finally, the joint action of IRVO with theRegional Department of Agriculture"The goal," he emphasized, "is to protect and promote Made in Sicily. To strengthen this presence, we have already launched the project for an IRVO office in the province of Catania, for which a recruitment competition has begun. The expansion of the IRVO office is also planned. Federation of the Wine Route, demonstrating a strategy aimed at increasingly deeply connecting products, territories and people".

Two stages, one trajectory: building an increasingly strong, distinctive, sustainable, and recognizable Sicilian wine system through genuine synergies between institutions, operators, and local communities.