Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine

Nice thing about Vinitaly is getting to see the wine producers, whether old friends or new acquaintances. Meeting who is behind the wine is what it’s all about. And besides, it’s fun!

So here are some of my highlights of the last Vinitaly!

Just another Italian American from New York living in Italy? Joe Bastianich, author of Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy. This ‘Restaurant Man’ produces wine in his family’s home region of Friuli at Bastianich Wines.

With Calabrese producers of GB 2014, Gregorio Lillo Odoardi and his wife Barbara Spalletta.

Opera Wine is always a good place to meet producers, like Luca and Marta De Ferrari of Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

A new, happy acquaintance: Stefano Matturro of L’avventura azienda agricola (The Adventure) in Lazio, subtitled Producers of Happiness. I guess producing happiness beats being producers of wine, any day!

One of my favorite photos from this Vinitaly: with Ottavio Piersanti in front of a still from Luchino Visconti’s Rocco and His Brothers. Why? Because on the table behind Alain Delon is a bottle of none other than Piersanti wine from the Marche region! Serendipity, in many ways!

Sharing a laugh, and a sip, with Conte Beppe Tasca d’Almerita, one of Sicily’s premier wineries!

Let’s not forget who is actually behind the wine: the enologist! Here with Filippo Angileri of Fazio Wines from Sicily.

Another enologist, Ilaria Anichini of Fattoria di Monte Maggio in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany, who conducted a fun and interesting blind tasting that was a game.

Enjoyed the presence of Paolo Castegnedi (left, in the vest) at the Tenuta Sant’Antonio tastings, which we happily attended, and while I did not document my conversation with Paolo Cotroneo of Fattoria La Rivolta, I did get a photo of his great wines (right).

Always a pleasure to meet and chat with the next generation! Carolin Martino (left) of Armando Martino Vini from Basilicata and Nicola Illuminati (right) of Illuminati Vini from Abruzzo.

And talk about producers! Here is a gathering where east meets west, Puglia meets California, with (from left to right) Cosimo and Marzia Varvaglione of Varvaglione 1921, and Lucio and Peter Mondavi of Charles Krug Winery.

Wine people, relationships, meeting, speaking, sharing….   Isn’t that what it is all about?