The Winter Olympic Village’s Casa Italia Is Pouring a Gold Medal Wine List

•  By Rachel Shanker
• Feb 11, 2026

The 2026 Olympics offer amazing competitions, but where can fans go for a delicious meal and an outstanding glass of wine? This is Italy, after all.

When the Olympic Committee first announced that the Winter Games would be coming to Northern Italy in 2026, wine and food lovers rejoiced. Not only would some of the world’s greatest athletes take center stage, but so would Italy as a cultural and gastronomic epicenter. And this year the Olympic Village is opening its doors in a way it never has before, blurring the lines between athletes and fans and allowing all of them to enjoy a little taste of Italy.

Benvenuti a Casa

The project is called Casa Italia, a special outpost in the Italian portion of the Olympic Village, where athletes reside during the Games. Italy launched the concept at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio as a space for athletes to gather and celebrate.

But for Italians, hospitality goes beyond just having a place to rest your head, so in recent years the project has evolved into a space spotlighting Italian artistry, history and culture for athletes and their guests. And this year, CONI, the Italian National Olympic Committee, has opened the doors of Casa Italia to the public, encouraging an immersive athletic, artistic and gastronomic experience in three of the Olympic locations: Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Livigno.

Entrance to the Casa Italia is open to the public for the first time. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images)

The three Casa Italia locations host Italian galleries, art exhibitions, live performances and three official Olympic restaurants celebrating Italy’s recent UNESCO World Heritage–recognized cuisine.

Dov’è Il Vino?

And it wouldn’t be Italy without wine. The wine list at the venues consists of 26 noteworthy Italian wines “united by the passion with which they bring their bottles to the world” according to CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio. “On such occasions, celebratory wine becomes a moment of cultural diplomacy, carrying with it the territory from which it originates, the story behind the label, Italian savoir faire—in a word, its uniqueness and authenticity.”

In a true celebration of Italian viticulture, the diversity of wines spans from Friuli to Sicily, including Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo 2020, Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2023 and Elena Walch Pinot Bianco Alto Adige Kristallberg 2023.

The Cortina d’Ampezzo outpost enjoys views of the surrounding landscape. (Courtesy of CONI)

“This inclusion is not only a recognition of the quality and character of our wines,” Karoline Walch of Elena Walch in Alto Adige told Wine Spectator, “but also a meaningful opportunity to share our region, its unique culture and its passion for excellence with an international audience at such an inspiring global event.”

Athletes and fans can travel between the Milanese location, a central hub for gathering over food and celebration, the Cortina d’Ampezzo location, focusing on warm Alpine flavors and ambience, and the Livigno location, featuring Valtellina chefs with a focus on local cuisine and tradition. While the cuisine and Olympic sports vary from location to location, the wine list remains a consistent through line between each space.

For the Italians, hosting the Olympics goes beyond athletics. “It’s about celebrating excellence,” says Lamberto Frescobaldi of Tuscany’s Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi. “But also about what happens after the competition: coming together, sharing a glass, laughing and enjoying life and the good things it offers.”

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