VERONA, Italy, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) has officially announced it is bringing its prestigious Italian Wine Ambassador Certification Course to Houston, offering Texas wine professionals, sommeliers, and importers a rare opportunity to earn one of the industry's most sought after wine credentials. Organized by Veronafiere in collaboration with ITA - the Italian Trade Agency and designed by the world-renowned VIA Faculty, the intensive two-day program combines deep theoretical insights with rigorous in-person tastings and masterclasses. The program, to be held at Stella's Wine Bar at the Post Oak Hotel, aims to equip the booming Texas market with authoritative Italian wine ambassadors capable of championing the vast diversity of authentic Italian wine.

Wine professionals from across North America will gather in Houston to taste, learn and prepare for the final exam to become certified Italian Wine Ambassadors. The course is structured in two modules: online theory lessons, which students complete on the VIA e-learning platform before arriving, followed by one day of in-person practical sessions. These include tastings of selected wines and Q&A sessions with the VIA Faculty. The exam takes place on the second day and is followed by the Pinning Ceremony. It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, two short-answer questions, a blind tasting of two wines and a group video project. This will be the 37^th edition of the VIA course, with the VIA Community now counting over 2,000 participants to date. So far, 550 individuals have passed the exam to become certified Italian Wine Ambassadors, of whom 22 are certified Italian Wine Experts.

"Having visited Houston twice recently, I've seen firsthand the growing appetite for a deeper understanding of Italian wine," commented Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly. "Texas is an incredibly exciting wine market, and the remarkable concentration of Master Sommeliers in Houston and across the state speaks volumes about the level of wine expertise and enthusiasm here. There's a real thirst for in-depth Italian wine education, and I think it's about time we brought the Vinitaly International Academy back to Texas. We're excited to welcome the next generation of Italian Wine Ambassadors from Houston, across Texas, and beyond, and to explore the enormous potential this market has to offer."

What is VIA

The Vinitaly International Academy certification course, organised by Veronafiere and Vinitaly, is recognised as the gold standard of Italian wine education. All elements of the course are carefully curated by the VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW, assisted and advised by scientific advisor Professor Attilio Scienza. The ethos behind the course is a sound scientific focus on the native grapes of Italy and on the characteristics of the 20 regions' biodiversity, history, culture and business. Students study geology, viticulture and winemaking region by region, and their connection to Italian food, tradition and culture.

The VIA Community, composed of all students who have studied the programme since its inception in 2015, welcomes wine professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world, forming a supportive and professional network that extends far beyond the classroom and includes lasting friendships, an open forum for sharing wine information, and career opportunities. Members continue to participate throughout the year in events such as Academic Field Trips across Italy, gathering in Verona to judge at 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls, and attending OperaWine and the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum.

Students come from every aspect of the wine sector, including educators, journalists, importers, hospitality and retailers. Faculty member Sarah Heller MW reflected on the impact of VIA, "We invite students to join a profound and up to the minute conversation about Italian wines and what makes them so unique in the world, giving them new tools to communicate these wines and the solid foundation to become true Ambassadors, promoting Italian wines around the world."

For more information: via@ext.veronafiere.it
Click on the link and complete the application form:
https://www.vinitaly.com/en/academy/vinitaly-international-academy/courses/via-houston-2026/

About: Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardised courses that teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organised manner. VIA's main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts, who in turn support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly International. Italian vine genetics scholar Prof. Attilio Scienza oversees VIA's scientific and educational direction as Chief Scientist. To date, there are 550 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors, of whom 22 are also Italian Wine Experts.

https://www.vinitaly.com/en/academy/vinitaly-international-academy/
Twitter: @VinitalyTour
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SOURCE Vinitaly International Academy