Training tomorrow’s Italian wine ambassadors

Stevie Kim, Managing Director and the face of Vinitaly International has big ambitions, one of which is to identify wine professionals around the world to spread the gospel of Italian wine. In 2014, Stevie took a step towards realising that dream. Together with Dr Ian D’Agata, a renowned Italian wine expert, she founded Vinitaly International Academy (VIA). After one year of promotion and recruitment, the first VIA Certificate Course was conducted in March 2015, just before Vinitaly 2015. By the beginning of the year, about 50 candidates had already signed up.

The objective of the course, according to VIA website, is to enable those who love Italian wine to speak of it in a unified and organised manner with truly in-depth knowledge. It is a 5-day residential programme after which students have to sit a multiple choice examination. Those who pass are awarded the title 'Italian Wine Ambassador' (IWA). Those who achieve a 90/100 score are invited to take a separate written examination to become an 'Italian Wine Expert' (IWE).

I was honoured to be invited to take part in the inaugural course. With the invitation only coming at the end of February, the course was less than three weeks away but I managed to get the must-read book, Ian D’Agata’s 600-page ‘Native Wine Grapes of Italy’, from Amazon with express shipping. My first chance to read the book was on the plane to Verona where the course was being held. Hardly ideal preparation, and my first reaction on opening it was, ‘Oh my God, I shouldn’t have accepted the invitation!’

Was the course difficult? Yes and no, but the syllabus certainly caught a lot of students out. Most of us expected topics on wine styles, regions, climate and so on, on which we might claim to have some prior knowledge, but in fact it was about the native grape varieties in Italy, focusing on classification and identification (ampelology), grape groups and families—unfamiliar territory for most of us. Take Malvasia as an example. We needed to know that there are 17 Malvasias in Italy. Most thought they are all from the same family (as they are often called Malvasia something) but in fact most of them are genetically distinct. Malvasia Bianca is mainly from the south (Puglia, Campania, Sicily) while Malvasia Bianca Lunga is from the centre (Tuscany, Umbria). And Malvasia is an easier one already! Those who read the book and prepared properly for the course probably passed but not those who didn’t take it seriously.

Was the syllabus relevant? This was discussed among the students over and over during the course...and even more so after the examination when we cleared the bar's entire stock of Prosecco because by then we all needed a comfort drink desperately! Most of us felt the information, while interesting, was too technical and niche to be part of a broad-scope Italian wine course whose aim is to turn out ambassadors who can charm general consumers into enjoying Italian wine without expecting them to differentiate Trebbiano Abruzzesse from Trebbiano Romagnolo. I was definitely on this side of the argument (after all I was the one who ordered the first bottle, and subsequently, all the Proseccos). And most in the wine trade back in Hong Kong whom I talked to agreed.

Yet, three months on and having had some time to reflect on the course's syllabus, its objectives and Stevie’s intent, I have now had second thoughts. Italy has over 500 documented varieties and probably a lot more in reality.  It is these indigenous grape varieties that makes Italian wine unique and what it is. Unfortunately a lot of native varieties have been uprooted because of low yield, disease, or, in the 70s, a perceived need to replant with more fashionable varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) because of export market demand. A typical example is Timorasso, once a highly prized variety in Piedmont. Most vineyards ware replaced by the more productive Cortese after phylloxera killed many of the Timorasso vines. It was only recently that Timorasso was rediscovered, and plantings have expanded from only 6 ha to now some 20 ha in the region. Thanks to enthusiastic winemakers many of Italy's 'forgotten' native grapes are making a comeback.

Yes, it is true that general consumers do not need to know about ampelology and grape families. But to become a true Italian Wine Ambassador/Expert, one must understand the nuances and the details and what makes Italian wine different and unique. The point is that one should not just blindly pass the information along word for word to the audience—in fact this will be a disaster as it only demonstrates that the person does not know how to communicate. The power comes from having a great depth of knowledge and being able to draw upon it with ease when the situation demands it. I believe a true ambassador of any kind must have these attributes: to have the depth of knowledge to answer almost any question, and to be comfortable, confident and competent enough to impart knowledge and arouse interest in anyone at any level without intimidating them, in other words to talk to them at their comfort level of knowledge.

My point is that I now understand and appreciate what Stevie is trying to achieve and I think it is a sensible way forward for Italian wine—to train a small team of true Italian Ambassadors/Experts to advocate Italian wine. However, given that only 26 out of 55 professionals from around the world achieved the Italian Wine Ambassadors status and none at all the Expert status this time around, VIA may want to consider an intermediate course to bridge the gap between aspiring and ready ambassadors.

I was one of the lucky 26 who passed, but I still don’t think I have enough knowledge yet. I love indigenous grapes in all countries, and in Italy's case I am especially impressed by those from Piedmont and Mt Etna. ‘Native Wine Grapes of Italy’ will be my summer read and my thanks go to Stevie and Ian for giving me the opportunity.

Indigenous grapes from Italy

Ian D'Agata's Native Wine Grapes of Italy

Italy probably has more native grape varieties than any other country. Ian D’Agata documented over 500 in his book ‘Native Wine Grapes of Italy’ and Jancis Robinson listed 377 in her latest book ‘Wine Grapes’. In reality, there are probably more. This is a treasure trove for winemakers.

However, beginning around the 1970s, wineries from Tuscany started releasing wines blended with or made 100% from international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. These fleshier wines, contrasting with the leaner and more subtle local wines made from Sangiovese and Canaiolo, proved to be a hit in the export markets, notably the US, thus leading to many more Tuscan wineries, big and small, planting at least some international varieties over the past 30 years.

My recent visit to Chianti, it seems, revealed a reversal of the trend.

Poggiotondo, with abundant seashells in the soil (foreground) 

Alberto Antonini, owner of Poggiotondo in Cerreto Guidi between Florence and Pisa, and a consultant to wineries in both North and South America, Italy and South Africa, told me that they planted international grapes in the 70s because it was fashionable, and that wineries then needed to have international grapes in order to be treated seriously. However, he realised that these varieties do not really match the terroir, and he is now gradually reducing the plantings. He still makes Marmoreccia Syrah, a 100% Syrah but he is putting his focus back onto the indigenous varieties (albeit not just Tuscan ones). His Poggiotondo Bianco is a blend of Vermentino, Malvasia (both from Tuscany) and Ansonica (aka Inzolia from Sicily), while his reds now feature more Sangiovese and less Merlot and Syrah in the blends.

44th Expo del Chianti Classico

Alberto’s remarks were echoed, somewhat surprisingly, by at least some 20 producers out of 55 at the 44th Expo del Chianti Classico, an annual wine festival held in Greve in Chianti that I visited two days later. Most of these producers are from the new generation of winemakers who practise organic or sustainable farming. They believe that by taking better care of the vines, controlling the yield and sometimes even using different clones they can make better Sangiovese and Canaiolo, expressive of Chianti’s terroir, without the aid of international grapes.

Credit: winepair.com

Elsewhere in Italy we can also see more emphasis on local grapes. Leading winemakers in Etna are making outstanding Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, while Walter Massa leads the way in reviving Timorasso in Piedmont. Indeed Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of the Vinitaly International Academy, was conducting seminars on Piedmont’s indigenous grapes at the 2014 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, introducing Grignolino, a pale red, low alcohol wine with zesty acidity and herbal, floral notes, and Brachetto d’Acqui, a sweet, slightly sparkling red, to the largely Asian audience.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay may be noble, but I think the world has more than enough of them. Italy has the fortune of having probably the most varieties of indigenous grapes that would probably not thrive outside their native country. Wine lovers are lucky that Italian winemakers are rediscovering them rather than abandoning them. The wine world would be a lot duller without them.

ProWein's super efficiency vs Vinitaly's chaotic charm

This year, I had the chance to visit two of the major international wine fairs: ProWein in Düsseldorf, Germany and Vinitaly in Verona, Italy. These two fairs are only two weeks apart and are considered by some as head-on competitors. But are they?

Massive Vinitaly!

In terms of size, both are huge. ProWein took up nine halls while Vinitaly had a whopping 18. Both required at least a 10 minute focused (ie, not distracted by wine) and brisk walk to get from one end to another, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. In terms of numbers, ProWein had about 4,700 exhibitors and over 44,000 trade visitors in three days while Vinitaly featured around 4,200 exhibitors and a startling 140,000 visitors (both consumer and trade) over four days.

ProWein certainly has much more of an international focus. Wine producers from some 50 countries in all five continents, ranging from China and Uruguay to Slovenia and England, were present, and visitors were certainly international with a significant number of Asian faces. Most exhibitors were grouped by country and region whereas WSET had three booths strategically located in different sections. In contrast, Vinitaly’s exhibitors were at least 90% home grown and visitors were largely European.

So, from the above observations, ProWein and Vinitaly are not truly direct competitors. Which fair you choose to exhibit at or visit depends on what you are looking for.

Wines from Turkey and Switzerland

For me the highlights of both fairs were the many opportunities to taste off-the-beaten-track wines. At ProWein around 50% of the space was dedicated to France, Italy and Spain but I only tried wines from two Italian and one Spanish exhibitor. I was far more attracted by the pavilions of Switzerland, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, England and Uruguay. I had two full days there but could have done with another two just for these lesser-known wine regions. At Vinitaly, we moved mostly in a group following a fixed programme but I was lucky to have some time to myself wandering the Piedmont hall. There I discovered Erbaluce, a white wine with vibrant character, and Vespolina, a minor relative of Nebbiolo that is spicy and tannic. Both come from the Alto Piedmont region. Again I would have loved to have two extra days just to explore all the native Italian varieties!

Wines of South Africa self-tasting booth at ProWein

ProWein was well organised and efficient in everything from entrance access to taking breaks. Apart from on-site restaurants there were various mobile catering vans selling hot dogs and sausages all day long. The visitor pass also included free public transportation to and from the fair. Inside I particular liked the self-service tasting area where a few hundred bottles of premium wine (over €10 per bottle) were lined up for visitors to taste. And some individual countries, including South Africa and Hungary, had their own self-service areas. This is a very good concept, especially in allowing the media and educators to get an overview of the wines on offer, and also for comparing and contrasting the many different styles of wine that can be made from a single variety, such as Chenin Blanc from South Africa or Furmint from Hungary.

Vinitaly, in comparison, was somewhat more chaotic. We were in a group led by Vinitaly staff but, even so, entrance to the venue was not always straightforward. Restaurants opened late even though there were queues of people waiting, and they ran out of food if you were too late. It seemed that most people were driving, so you can imagine the traffic around the venue. Although I don’t mind sharing a fair with consumers, their number was overwhelming, especially on the first day (I later found out that the first day, the Sunday, was indeed the ‘official’ consumer day). I was tasting and writing notes at one booth when a group of loud ladies came by, sat at the table and started ordering wine as if they were in a bar. The lady I was talking to went to serve them, and eventually I just walked away without tasting any more from that booth. By early afternoon groups of half-drunk teenagers were everywhere and some had to be taken out by ambulance.

The attitude of exhibitors at the two fairs was also very different. At Vinitaly, perhaps because it largely caters for local visitors and perhaps also because of the language barrier, I found most exhibitors not very inviting. The gates opened at 9:30 but by 10:30 some exhibitors were still not ready. As I walked around, most of them (both big and small) did not seem to want to make eye contact let alone invite me to try their wine, so I ended up doing more walking than tasting, although, having said that, once I was welcomed to a booth, exhibitors were all enthusiastic. In contrast, the exhibitors at ProWein clearly had more international experience, and tastings were always conducted in a professional and efficient manner.

So which is better? ProWein Düsseldorf is an international platform bringing together wine producers and buyers from all over the world, whereas Vinitaly Verona is about showcasing Italian wines to largely European buyers (although they are gearing up to attract more international exhibitors). Sp, if your heart is with Italy, Vinitaly is definitely a fair not be missed but if you want to have a bit of everything, and especially if you are on the lookout for wines from smaller regions, you won’t be disappointed with ProWein. And both fairs are starting to venture beyond their home turf. ProWine has expanded to Shanghai (ProWine CHINA), aiming to bring international wine producers to Chinese buyers, while Vinitaly has organised shows in several major international cities including New York, Moscow, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Chengdu, helping Italian wine producers develop new markets. Yet their essential characters still remain the same: ProWein caters for international wine producers while Vinitaly largely serves Italian wine producers.

As for me, I enjoyed both, mainly because as I was able to try lots of wines that are not available in Hong Kong. I loved the well-organised ProWein and the very well-planned and efficient itinerary arranged by my host, Wines of Germany. Vinitaly could certainly borrow some efficiency from ProWein but our host, Vinitaly International, made up for it with additional programmes, especially OperaWine featuring 100 top Italian producers (although at just two hours long it was way too short), and the various fabulous dinners. Allegrini, with its welcoming laser show and stunning outdoor audio-visual presentation, was something I shall never forget.

Thank you both Wines of Germany and Vinitaly International for providing such wonderful learning and experience.

Impressive dinners and evenings at Vinitaly