And another Vinitaly - celebrating its 50th anniversary - comes to a close. By all accounts, this year was a success; producers big and small sold more wine to more markets than in the past. And that's what it's all about, right? Wrong! It's about people, personalities, communication, sharing, spreading the passion for the grape,…
Tuesday afternoon at the 50th Annual Vinitaly, a special homage to women winemakers at the Allegrini stand. The event featured 5 Italian women winemakers - Marilisa Allegrini, Raffaella Bologna (Braida), Francesca Planeta, Marina Cvetic, and Elena Walch - who welcomed two foreign visitors, women winemakers Andrea Wirsching of Germany and Xandra Falcò of Spain. A…
Today I participated in the Young to Young tasting for up-and-coming winemakers. It was a morning filled with emotions. Three heavy hitters: a Brunello di Montalcino, a Barolo and an Amarone. All this before noon! At this 50th annual Vinitaly, we've been talking about traditions and family and the land (more than the 'terroir'). This…
Here at this 50th annual Vinitaly, I am reflecting on family, traditions, values, and the land that is Italy. Let's face it, this country is one of the world's most industrial, and it has a unique model to propose: the small- and medium-sized business. There are 4.4 million companies in Italy with less than 250…
The 50th annual Vinitaly was inaugurated yesterday by none other than the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella. Italians love all the pomp and circumstance of ribbon cutting and speeches. Yesterday, it was standing room only to hear what the President and Minister of Agriculture had to say. The people were fighting to get in: Sunday…
When they say it's wonderful to age like a good wine, do they really contemplate a wine that is 50 years old? Today, the Donne del Vino - the Women of Wine - held a unique tasting: 10 women producers presented their wines. First, a recent vintage, something we all might buy at the wine…
The people who came up with this idea of Opera Wine really were on to something. The combination of opera and wine isn't incidental: there are divas in both worlds. Great personalities, dramatic stories, love affairs, betrayals, elaborate plans, soaring emotions, figures that are somehow larger than life, exquisite beauty... All the mixings of a great opera…
When women get together, great things happen! Don't take my word for it, just take a look at what was shaking at this week's Verona super-event, Wine2Wine. When you have the chance to listen to Jancis Robinson live and up close, well, you listen! Her core message? Italy has terroir, it has geography, it has…
Back in Verona for two days of conferencing about wine, trends in the market, marketing, Italian wine... It is the Wine2Wine sponsored by VeronaFiere and Vinitaly, an event for people in the field. Sorry if the photos aren't sexy, this is serious business! It's post-vendemmia, let's-get-down-to-business planning, strategising, networking. There isn't even that much…
Or so they say in Italian (La classe non è acqua!) Maybe it's Brunello, or Amarone, or Chianti, or Prosecco, or Furore. See what I mean? That phrase could have been the caption for Wednesday night's super gala dinner for Le Donne del Vino (the Women of Wine Association). The event is called Finitaly, a play…
Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine 