WTI Magazine #61    2015 May, 29
Author : Elda Buonanno Foley      Translation by:

When talking to foreigners about the features of "Made in Italy", the very first image that comes to mind is the fashion runway and very expensive clothes, but the second usually produces an image of a nice glass of wine. Indeed, Italy is worldly known with names such as the Passito from Pantelleria, Donnafugata, Barolo, Pinot Nero, Bardolino, Trebbiano, Brunello di Montalcino, Malvasia, Sangiovese nero, or Chianti, which have reached the top ranks of wines in the world.

Thus, let me address this colorful Italian stereotype: wine. We are very proud of its origins that date back millions of years as some archeological ruins testify. The first examples of winery were discovered in an area close to Arezzo in Tuscany, almost 300,000 years ago. However, we, the Italians, do not simply take pride in its ancient roots: we grow up by getting to understand that drinking white, red, rose' or sparkling wine (not to mention, wines called passito, ruspo, barricato, or novello), is not simply a fancy attitude or a pleasant appendix of our food. Choosing wine and appreciating it, is an art, a symbol of appreciation for the immense treasure that our land offers us.

We know that wine can be "special or normal" according to its production, not to mention its inner qualities, such as color, taste, and smell, in addition to acidity and alcohol levels. We have dry wines, sweet wines and sparkling wines that we consume following the required patterns of taste.

As with everything else that is Made in Italy, wine also falls into the quality pattern: thus, when we decide to drink our glass of wine, we will do so by selecting the right bottle for our meal. There are several schools of thought that indicate when and how we should drink our glass: with a robust meal (meat, for example) red wines are strongly recommended, as the taste of the wine would only emphasize the taste of the meal, while, for the same reason, with a lighter meal (such as fish or cheese) a lovely dry white wine is preferred. And when dessert comes, from our cellar we select a Prosecco or a nice sparkling bottle.

In sum, producing wine, serving and drinking it, is an art, a symbol of Italian traditions and customs, but also an icon of Italian innovation and of a growing market that registers annual growth of 6% in sales. A remarkable rate that is a testimony of quality, professionalism and passion in the making. In vino veritas