Why talk about Wine During the Winter Olympics
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics represent a global event, capable of shining a spotlight not only on sport but also on the places that will take centre stage. Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino-Alto Adige, besides being competition venues, are regions that have coexisted with the mountains for centuries, confronting their challenges and championing their resources.
It is within this context that this series of articles was born, designed to unite two worlds that are seemingly distant yet deeply kindred – winter sports and viticulture. The objective is to tell the story of how viticulture, particularly mountain viticulture, often described as heroic, shares values such as sacrifice, precision, and the pursuit of excellence with Olympic athletic practice.
Wine thus becomes a key to interpreting the territory; a fascinating narrative woven between climate, soil, landscape, and culture. This is an independent journey dedicated to the oenological excellence of the involved regions, with the intent of promoting their history and specificities through a disseminative perspective. It is not linked in any way to the choices of official sponsors or the selections planned for Casa Italia, the symbolic venue for Italian Olympic celebrations.
How Climate Influences Winter Sports and Mountain Viticulture
Climate is one of the central elements linking the Winter Olympics and viticulture in the Italian Alpine regions, even though the competition venues feature very different climatic conditions. These range from the urban continental climate of Milan and Verona—characterised by cold winters and humidity leading to potential fog, to the harsh, snowy Alpine climate of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Valtellina, Val di Fiemme, and Val Pusteria, where temperatures typically drop well below zero.
Similarly, the main wine-growing areas of Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino-Alto Adige are situated in a predominantly continental climatic context with strong Alpine influences. Cold winters and temperate summers, combined with marked daily and seasonal temperature ranges, represent a determining factor for grape quality. These conditions favour the maintenance of high acidity, the development of complex aromatic profiles, and consequently, a slower, more progressive ripening.
Altitude also plays a key role; vineyards located between 300 and over 800 metres above sea level benefit from greater ventilation, more constant solar radiation, and lower pressure from fungal diseases. Furthermore, altitude reduces the risk of spring frosts common in valley floors, allowing for more regular production.
However, there is one natural element that undeniably binds winter sports and viticulture and that is snow. While fundamental for the staging of Olympic competitions, it also represents a strategic water reserve for the vineyards. Its slow melting as temperatures rise ensures a gradual water supply that contributes to the vine’s vegetative balance.
Soils and Extreme Slopes – Geology and the Identity of Wine in the Host Venues
If climate represents the common thread linking winter sports to viticulture, the soils tell the story of the geological complexity of the territories involved in the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Every wine-growing area shows a unique combination of origin and texture, the result of millennia of geological evolution.
In Lombardy, Valtellina stands out for its sandy soils derived from the erosion of granitic rock, ideal for the production of long-lived wines of great finesse. In Franciacorta, soils of morainic origin prevail, containing clay, silt, sand, and pebbly elements, which are fundamental to the style and structure of the famous traditional method sparkling wines. In the Oltrepò Pavese, the alternation of marl, sandstone, and limestone contributes to the complexity of the wines, particularly Pinot Noir.
Trentino presents an equally varied mosaic of soils: dolomitic limestone in the Val d’Adige and Vallagarina, and gravel and pebbles in the Piana Rotaliana. Alto Adige combines calcareous and porphyritic soils, which are light and well-draining.
Veneto completes this picture with extraordinary diversity: from the basaltic soils of the Monti Lessini, to the volcanic hills of Soave and Gambellara, through to the clay and limestone soils of Valpolicella and the foothills of the Marca Trevigiana.
A common trait across many of these zones is the extreme slopes that characterise the vineyards’ aspect. Just as steep inclines are central to many Olympic disciplines, they represent a technical and agronomic challenge in the vineyards. Poor, shallow, and well-drained soils naturally limit yields and favour quality, but they require specific interventions to prevent erosion and instability.
Heroic Viticulture – Human Labour in Extreme Conditions
Olympic and Paralympic athletes embody the idea of the modern hero: absolute dedication, discipline, sacrifice, and the ability to push beyond one’s limits. These same values form the foundation of heroic viticulture, practised in extreme contexts such as the Alpine and pre-Alpine areas involved in the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Growing vines in the mountains means facing prohibitive gradients, limited accessibility, and often difficult climatic conditions on a daily basis, alongside managing almost all vineyard activities manually. To make these areas cultivable, man has developed ingenious solutions over time, such as terracing supported by dry-stone walls and specific training systems. In particular, dry-stone walls, beyond performing a structural and safety function, contribute to creating viticultural landscapes of extraordinary beauty.
The result of heroic viticulture is not just a technically exquisite wine, but a product capable of narrating the territory, its history, and the deep relationship between man and mountain. It is a wine that, like an Olympic performance, is the result of preparation and vision.
The Starring Wine Regions in the 2026 Winter Olympics
This introductory article opens a series that will ideally follow the path of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, relating to sporting disciplines, territories, and wines.
Series Index
- Winter Olympics and Wine – A Tale of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Territories: Why talk about Wine During the Winter Olympics.
- Milan – The Urban Stage of the Winter Olympics: Indoor sports, major events, and the role of urban and foothills Lombardy in the regional viticultural landscape.
- Valtellina – The Nebbiolo of the Alps: Men’s Alpine skiing, ski mountaineering, and heroic viticulture in the heart of the Lombardy Alps.
- Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Dolomites – Elegance and Altitude: Women’s alpine skiing, speed sports, and dolomitic soils between Veneto and Alto Adige.
- Val di Fiemme and Anterselva – Endurance and Purity: Cross-country skiing, biathlon, and mountain wines amidst rhythm, concentration, and Alpine identity.
- Verona – The Closing of the Games and the Oenological Heart of Veneto: Closing ceremony and the story of the great Venetian wine territories.
Each article will explore the link between sport, region, and wine, offering an original perspective on the 2026 Winter Olympics.