Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine

There are many words to describe Italian wine. Much ink has been spilled, and some vino too, trying to find the right ones to communicate the complex and fascinating sensations associated with wine. But if there is one word that is highly overused to describe wine and winemaking in Italy, that word is passion.

I am so tired of hearing about passion and wine, I could – well, how to put this nicely? – scream? Italians are a passionate people, and that’s good. Wine incites emotions, and that’s good too. But does it always have to be the word passion?

From the top to the toe of the boot, we need more words to talk about wine. Don’t believe me? Take a look at what I found at this year’s Vinitaly:

Simple, transparent passion

As George Clooney would say, “What else?”

It’s a family affair!

Land, wine and… passion? You could have fooled me!

For culture and passion, or to cultivate your passion… Whatever!

Just in case you didn’t understand the Italian…  You’ve got the English translation! Can someone pass the passion?

Explanatory wall panels were big this year. So much to say, so much to communicate, so many words. But first among them: PASSION!

Even Italy’s famed journalist, Bruno Vespa, now a winemaker himself, could not resist the tempation to use passion:

Vignaioli per passione or Winemakers for passion! Did you catch a glimpse of Vespa himself at the stand in the back?

His stand neighbor, former Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema who has also turned to winemaking, was also manning the stand this Tuesday morning, and has the same weakness for passion!

Here it’s not winemakers for passion, but wines for passion!

Passion as a perspective on wine? I’ve lost my perspective in the midst of all this passion, frankly!

At least the Losi Family is to the point: the land, the vines, the passion: the wine. Classic and elegant.

The bold and the beautiful? The noble and the passionate? Of course, we’re talking Vino Nobile. And passion. Or exhaustion. Exhausted from all this passion. Passed out from the passion. If I had a nickel for every time the word passion was used on a sign at Vinitaly 2017…