Make room at the table — “nonna-maxxing” is officially having a moment. The internet’s obsession with Italian grandmothers, slow living and cooking from the heart has become a legitimate cultural force, and brands are paying attention.
Enter Cavit Wines, which has teamed up with Nonna’s Italy — a Rome-based cooking school where real Italian grandmothers teach their cherished family recipes online and in person — to launch “Celebrate Like an Italian” for the 2026 holiday season. Announced October 22, 2026, the partnership pairs Cavit’s portfolio of classic Italian wines with the larger-than-life personalities of the Nonnas themselves.
A Holiday Campaign Built on Heritage and Hospitality
The idea is simple and shrewd: give American families a reason to shake up their holiday traditions with good food, great wine and a little extra Italian warmth. For Cavit — billed as America’s #1 Italian still wine brand, per Circana Total US MULO + Liq + Conv. L52W data — the alignment is natural.
“As America’s #1 Italian Still Wine Brand, Cavit has always been rooted in the Italian tradition of bringing people together over good food and wine,” said Patrick Cappellini, Manager – Americas at Cavit Wines. “Our partnership with Nonna’s Italy reflects a shared appreciation for the heritage, traditions and rituals that have been passed down through generations and continue to make Italian food culture so special. This holiday season, we’re proud to celebrate that enduring spirit and inspire Americans to bring a little more Italian warmth, generosity and joy to their own gatherings, with Cavit wines at the table.”
How Consumers Can Participate
Cook Up Some Holiday Magic: Cavit is opening the doors to Nonna’s kitchen with a free online cooking class and accompanying shopping list at cavit.com/italianholiday, featuring step-by-step instructions for recreating a holiday meal alongside the Nonnas, paired with Cavit wines.
Bring Nonna Home for the Holidays: Consumers can claim 15% off a live Nonna’s Italy cooking experience at nonnalive.com/discount/WELOVECAVIT using the code WELOVECAVIT, cooking alongside Nonna to bring Italian holiday recipes into their own kitchens.
For Nonna’s Italy, the secret ingredient isn’t on any shopping list.
“If you ask our Nonnas what the secret ingredient in their recipes is, they’ll say: love. It’s love that turns even the simplest dish into something memorable, with a little improvisation and plenty of personality. We’re proud to partner with Cavit to celebrate the creativity and character of Italian hospitality, where good food and good wine are always best enjoyed together around the table. Because, as Nonna always says, there’s always room for one more at the table,” said Chiara Nicolanti, CEO & Founder of Nonna’s Italy.
Pairing the Feast: Cavit’s Holiday Lineup
From homemade pasta to rich, savory dishes, Cavit offers a pairing for a festive Italian feast:
Cavit Pinot Grigio — notes of green apple, pear and elderflower; pairs with fresh or slightly creamy pasta dishes.
Cavit Sauvignon Blanc — crisp lime and grapefruit notes for herb-driven recipes with a citrusy kick.
Cavit Pinot Noir — delicate black cherry and red berry notes to complement earthy, savory fare.
Founded in Italy eight years ago by Chiara Nicolanti and her grandmother Nerina, Nonna’s Italy has grown from a single grandmother into a family of 11 Italian Nonnas teaching scratch-made pasta in a charming village just outside Rome. The concept is now crossing borders — six French grandmothers are sharing recipes in Paris, with Greek and Spanish Nonnas planned next.
Why It Matters
For operators, marketers and buyers, this partnership is a tidy case study in turning a social-media moment into commerce. “Nonna-maxxing,” slow living and heritage cooking are resonating with consumers hungry for authenticity — and Cavit is meeting that demand not with a discount banner but with an experience and a recipe-to-pairing path that drives purchase intent.
A few takeaways F&B pros can act on:
Experience over promotion. Pairing a product with a free class and a live cooking experience gives shoppers a reason to engage — and a built-in occasion to buy wine, ingredients and tableware.
Lean into heritage storytelling. Grandmother-led, from-scratch, love-as-secret-ingredient messaging is a proven engagement driver. Restaurants and retailers can echo it with Italian menu features, pairing displays and holiday prix fixe events.
Own the pairing. Cavit’s grape-by-grape pairing guidance is a template operators can replicate on wine lists and shelf talkers to lift average check and basket size during the highest-traffic season of the year.
Thinking about your own holiday wine program or an Italian-themed activation? Explore more of our beverage and hospitality coverage — like this intimate wine dinner series at Four Seasons Palm Beach and the Prosecco DOC chef residency’s first edition — then tell us in the comments: how are you bringing Italian warmth to your table this season?
