The Consorzio Garda DOC is set to make a splash at Vinitaly 2026 with the return of its innovative GARDA360 social tastings, a unique experience designed to transport visitors to the shores of Italy’s famed Lake Garda through wine, storytelling, and sensory engagement.
Announced from Sommacampagna, Verona, the initiative will offer visitors a series of immersive 30-minute tasting sessions featuring three Garda DOC wines. More than a traditional wine tasting, GARDA360 invites participants on a narrative journey that celebrates the natural beauty, culture, and environmental significance of the Lake Garda region.
This year’s theme centers on Lake Garda as a delicate ecosystem where nature, landscape, and human activity coexist in balance. Through guided tastings and interactive experiences, the Consorzio hopes to inspire greater awareness of the need to protect this treasured environment.
Leading the experience is Sissi Baratella, winemaker and Vinitaly Ambassador for Garda DOC, who returns after helping launch the project’s successful storytelling format in 2025. Baratella believes the region possesses a unique magic that is reflected in its wines.
“Lake Garda is a place that stays with you,” she said. “Its light, mountains, and constant winds create an atmosphere unlike any other. Through GARDA360, we want people to feel as though they are on holiday, even if only for the duration of a glass of wine.”
Joining Baratella for one of the event’s most distinctive experiences is freediver and trainer Dario Boschetto. Together, they have created a program that combines wine appreciation with mindfulness and self-reflection.
The GARDA360 tastings will take place over three themed days. On April 12, visitors will explore the influence of Lake Garda’s winds on the landscape and local wines. April 13 will focus on depth and introspection through freediving concepts and conscious breathing techniques. The final day, April 14, will delve beneath the lake’s surface, examining aquatic ecosystems and the challenges posed by invasive species.
Each session will feature a curated tasting of three Garda DOC wines developed in collaboration with project partner Euchronicles. Participation is free for Vinitaly attendees with advance reservations, though space is limited.
Part of the European promotional project Euchronicles, the initiative aims to increase awareness of European agri-food excellence among both industry professionals and consumers. By blending wine education with environmental storytelling, Garda DOC is offering Vinitaly visitors a memorable taste of one of Italy’s most beloved regions.