The 52nd edition of Vinitaly, Italy's annual wine and spirits trade fair, wrapped up in Verona just a few days ago: nearly 4,400 exhibitors showed their wines to an estimated 130,000 visitors.
OperaWine
A tasting for the top of Italian wine
The fair kicked off on April 14 with OperaWine, a tasting presenting 100 of Italy's top wine producers, selected by Wine Spectator to showcase the diversity and excellence of the country's wines. Bruce Sanderson, senior editor of Wine Spectator and the publication's lead taster for the wines of Piedmont and Tuscany, told 300 members of the trade and the press that the judging criteria are always the same: the quality of the wine, its regional leadership and its historical meaning.
The selection represented all 20 Italian wine regions, from icons such as Sassicaia, Bolgheri and Gaja dal Barbaresco to less-known names such as Dettori from Sardinia and Pederzana from Lambrusco. Among the rarities on show were Mastroberardino's Taurasi Radici Riserva 1998, Avignonesi's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Grandi Annate Riserva 1997 and Valdicava's Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva 1988.
Held at the historic Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Verona, the seventh edition of OperaWine attracted more than 2,000 guests from all over the world, including American restaurateur and producer Joe Bastianich and the Argentinian Alejandro Bulgheroni, who has recently bought wine estates in Italy too.
Spotlight on the U.S.
Why America mattered this year
This year Vinitaly turned the spotlight on the United States, the largest export market for Italian wines. The 2018 Vinitaly International Award went to Gina Gallo of E & J Gallo California, one of the largest wine producers in America, which also imports a series of prestigious Italian wineries through its Lux division.
Because we're still busy with our own tour of events in America, with the Wine School running at least until summer, we weren't able to take an active part in the 52nd edition of Vinitaly ourselves. It was a real regret not to be there this year, but we're also very proud to already be present on the American market, always trying to innovate and grow all over the world while keeping our traditions intact.
Over the years our Supertuscan IGT wines have received important awards, especially in the United States, and at Vinitaly too, with the Chianti Classico Riserva and the Terrestre luxury wine.
We'll be raising a glass to the next edition of Vinitaly from right here in Tuscany.
