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Vinitaly International Academy USA announces three new Italian Wine Ambassadors in the USA

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VERONA, ITALY (PRWEB) – On September 15th VIA certified three (3) new Italian Wine Ambassadors. Those newly appointed to join this passionate community are Limor Fikel, Michael Wyant and Enoch Ling. To date, there are now 90 certified Italian Wine Ambassadors and 3 Italian Wine Experts based in USA.

Limor Finkel, a Northern California Sales Manager based in Mill Valley commented, “I’m honored to be a part of the VIA community alongside a group of people so deeply committed to Italian wine, history, and culture. The VIA course was incredibly rigorous and I can’t wait to keep learning from my fellow Italian Wine Ambassadors—hopefully in person soon and on the ground in Italy, too!”

Based in Arlington, Michael Wyant is a Sommelier and Wine Educator with almost 10 years of experience in the wine industry. He also shares his comment, “I’m very excited to be a part of the VinItaly International Academy. The program itself was a deep dive into the world of Italian wine, history and culture with some impressive teachers. The fun part was getting to try hundreds of benchmark Italian wines made from native grape varieties, meeting the winemakers themselves and hearing their stories, and of course meeting fellow students and ambassadors from all over Europe, Asia and the Americas who share a passion for Italian wine.”

Enoch Ling is an Investment Analyst based in Hong Kong and a member of the Knights of Alba, which exposed him to the world of wine on the side of his main profession. He added, “The VIA program provides me with opportunities and resources to explore some hidden gems of Italian wines that can be rarely found in my market. I’m proud to be part of this professional and passionate community as IWA!”

Despite the increasing pandemic condition in the country, Vinitaly International Academy made it possible to hold its 20th edition on September 13th. The Certified Italian Wine Ambassador course was held in three different venues across the United States to join Faculty member Henry Davar IWE as he led the tasting sessions that would act as recap of the theory and preparation for the upcoming exam.

Whilst Davar led these sessions live in Boston, he was connected with other participants in Houston and Seattle via Zoom, and of course with the VIA team in Verona. More than 40 wines were sourced by the tasting centres to give students a broad tasting experience, a solid basis for their exam and of course to showcase as many Italian varieties, denominations and producers as possible in two days.

Due to the spread of students, venues in Boston (hosted by Gianluca Quieroli IWA), Houston (Giorgio Caflish IWA) and Seattle (Hayley Black IWE) were selected, and the coordination of materials, wines and session timings began. One of the biggest challenges was building wine lists with as many of the same wines being shown in each venue. As Davar commented, “It’s always worth reminding people that there is a large supporting cast back in Verona that make the Vinitaly International Academy go! Our team is composed of Italian wine lovers, many of whom are VIA certified Italian Wine Ambassadors as well. They truly understand Italian wine and they know how to source truly representative samples for our course. The wines we tasted this past week were especially notable and I think the students and staff at the three tasting centers all remarked about this.”

Fortunately, working with Ambassadors and Experts who are not only familiar with Italian wines, but also the VIA Program, allowed for more than 40 wines to be shown, and suitable wines selected for the blind tasting portion of the examination.

As this 20th Edition has demonstrated, building a strong community not only supports those within it, but also pays dividends in challenging times when it pulls together to aid the cause of Italian wine education. It is an asset not only to those joining the programme, but everyone involved, and VIA will continue to build editions that grow and support this community globally.

Vinitaly International Academy to establish physical Tasting Centres

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VERONA, ITALY (PRWEB) – News is coming for the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA), the gold standard of Italian wine education for foreign professionals. Created in 2014, the organization trains Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts by delivering courses all over the world. This year, VIA had to adapt its activities to the new international situation caused by the COVID-19 emergency. During 2020, the course was revamped twice: back in June, with the introduction of the Agile Edition, and now, with the establishment of Tasting Centres starting from the next scheduled courses.

The Italian Wine Ambassador Certification Course is made up of two modules, the first theoretical and the second practical. The first module has students explore each and every Italian region: the wines produced here, its viticulture, the wine making methods, the culture and the regional dishes related to each territory. This section, that has been delivered online since the last edition of VIA Verona, is now on-demand and accessible through an educational platform.

The second module is dedicated to the hands-on part of the course, the Guided Tastings. During this section and under the guidance of VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar IWE, students get the chance to taste a variety of wines coming from some of the best Italian wineries. During the Tastings, future ambassadors learn how to promote Italian wine by personally experiencing it, getting to look, sniff and taste the wines they had previously studied during the theoretical lectures. The second makeover of VIA will allow these sessions to place safely and socially distanced thanks to the addition of Tasting Centres.

Starting from the 2021 USA courses, VIA is planning on establishing physical centers in each of the countries where courses are usually held to facilitate the Guided Tastings. In these so called “Tasting Centres”, future Ambassadors will have the chance to meet and taste wines in total safety. The VIA Community will play a fundamental role in the setting up of these physical centers. The running and the managing of both Tasting Centres and Guided Tastings around the world will be up to a number of VIA Italian Wine Ambassadors operating locally. With this manouvre, VIA will shorten both the geographical distance between the delivery of the course and the students, as well as the one between the old and new members of the VIA Community. Final exams will also be held in the new Tasting Centres.

Since its inception, VIA has been supported by ITA – The Italian Trade Agency, which shares the organization’s objectives and contributes to the realization of its courses. Together with the Faculty, the Community, Supporters, Advisory Board and the Scientific Director, ITA makes up the VIA Ecosystem: a body that operates the Academy from start to finish. Scientific Director Attilio Scienza commented on the introduction of the Tasting Centres:

“We know that the theory behind these grapes and wines is fundamental, but it does not mean anything if you do not have the opportunity to taste them, to experience them. These Tasting Centres and the Ambassadors who will host them are an asset to the new formatted programme”.
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The introduction of Tasting Centres will help VIA in pursuing its mission: providing the world of Italian wine with qualified ambassadors capable of mastering and promoting the culture, history and variety of Italian wine around the world. To get more information on the certification, contact the VIA staff at via@vinitalytour.com.

Next VIA Courses include:

VIA USA
Module 1: December 2020-January 2021
Module 2: 1-3 February 2021 in San Francisco, Houston and Las Vegas; 29-31 March 2021 in New York, Boston, Memphis, Princeton and Florida

VIA HONG KONG
Module 1: December 2020-January 2021
Module 2: 8-10 March 2021

About: Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIA’s main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International. The new VIA ecosystem avails of the guidance of Italian trade associations Federdoc, Federvini, Vignaioli Indipendenti FIVI, and Unione Italiana Vini as members of the Institutional Advisory Board. Italian vine genetics scholar, Prof. Attilio Scienza, oversees VIA’s scientific and educational direction as the Chief Scientist. VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar teach the flagship Italian Wine Ambassador course. The following trade associations in the Italian wine industry have also joined as VIA Supporters: Italia del Vino; Italian Signature Wines Academy; Le Famiglie del Vino, Wi-Fi Wine from Irpinia, Consorzio di Tutela Vini del Trentino; Consorzio di Tutela Sicilia DOC; Franciacorta; Consorzio di Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo. To date the VIA community comprises 215 certified Italian Wine Ambassadors and 15 Italian Wine Experts. Since its foundation in 2014, over 615 candidates from all over the world have taken VIA’s courses.

Vinitaly International Academy proclaims 12 Ambassadors in New York City

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VERONA, Italy (PRWEB) – After an intense week of lectures and tastings as well as a final examination in New York city, Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) has just certified 12 new Italian Wine Ambassadors. The new Ambassadors are all operational in the United States:

  • •    Rose Thomas Bannister, Sommelier, Rose Thomas Bannister, New York;
  • •    Bobby Domenick, Sommelier, Vetri Cucina, Philadelphia;
  • •    Tiziana Forni, Brand Ambassador, Dark Star Imports, New York;
  • •    Paola Pavan, Marketing & Sales, Italian Trade Commission, New York;
  • •    Matteo Bolla, US & Canada Development Manager, Valdo USA, New York;
  • •    David Pinzolo, Marketing & Sales, Ca’ di Rajo USA, New York;
  • •    Gianluca Queiroli, Wine Director, Wine Empire, Ashland, Massachusetts;
  • •    Susannah Gold, Marketing & Sales, Vigneto Communication, New York;
  • •    Amy Ezrin, Wine Consultant, Amy Ezrin Consulting, New York;
  • •    Alessandro Boga, Importer/Distributor, Wilson Daniels, New York;
  • •    Diane Heck, Importer/Distributor, Southport Wines LLC, New York;
  • •    Stefano Campanini, Marketing & Sales, Wine by the Bay, Miami.

The re-formatted, tasting-intensive VIA Italian Wine Ambassador course saw the participation of 39 highly-qualified candidates, who joined the VIA Faculty and Team in New York from June 26th to 30th. The 2019 New York cohort featured wine professionals who are active players in the New York wine and restaurant scene, as well as importers and marketing specialists operating, for the most part, in New York city and states such as Florida, Massachusetts, California, Nevada, Texas, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. The group also included a small number of professionals from Canada and the U.K..

VIA New York proceedings were officially opened by Gioia Gatti, the Head of the Wine and Food Section at ICE – Italian Trade Agency in New York. In 2019, ICE – Italian Trade Agency supported also the Los Angeles and Verona editions of the Italian Wine Ambassador course. During the New York course, students sampled 215 wines: 70 during the guided tastings led by Faculty members, and 144 during the additional tasting sessions labelled “Tasting Labs” which of walk-around tastings with wines offered by VIA Supporters Italia del Vino, Italian Signature Wines Academy, Famiglie del Vino, Wi-Fi Wine from Irpinia, Consorzio Franciacorta, Consorzio Vini del Trentino, Consorzio Vini d’Abruzzo, and Sicilia DOC.

The 70 wines sampled during the guided tastings and studied for the blind tasting component of the Italian Wine Ambassador final exam represent benchmark Italian wines and have been carefully selected by VIA Faculty and team of specialists to reflect global market trends combined with local winemaking expertise. In New York, candidates trained their palates and improved their tasting skills with benchmark wines from key denominations across the 20 regions of Italy, native grape varieties and different styles. VIA Faculty Henry Davar commented on the wine selection: “With every new edition of the Vinitaly International Academy Ambassador Course, thanks to the continuing participation of our producer, supplier, and consorzio partners, we’re able to offer benchmark wines from the top producers in the most important wine growing areas. In our the section on sparkling wines for example, we had the opportunity taste iconic wines such as Ca’ del Bosco’s Franciacorta Annamaria Clemente and Ferrari’s TrentoDOC Riserva del Fondatore. I’d say that was a pretty good start!” Candidates also availed of the new VIA Tasting Schematic booklet, VIA’s standardized tasting grid with descriptors which are specific to Italian wine. The selection of benchmark wines per categories, VIA’s Tasting Schematic and the increase of the number of wines sampled in both guided tastings and Tasting Labs partake in VIA’s mission to maximize international candidates’ exposure to Italian wines.

Additionally, In New York, VIA’s constant commitment to become the gold standard of Italian wine education was reflected in the course’s attention to market niches such as the Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural wine markets. During the five-day of lectures on Italian wines, VIA guest lecturer and Biodynamic wine expert Monty Waldin, led a module on “Biodynamic and Organic Wines in Italy.” Waldin commented on the importance to learn more about this category: “Italy is one of the world leaders in terms of the surface area of its organic vineyards, so it is natural for VIA students to immerse themselves in Italy’s burgeoning organic and Biodynamic wine categories. Understanding how such wines are grown and made and how they taste enhances a deeper understanding of their intricacies and attributes to both trade and private buyers.”

The next VIA Italian Wine Ambassador course will be held in Hong Kong from November 3rd to 7th, 2019, a few days before the International Wine and Spirits Fair (November 7th to 10th) where Vinitaly will also organize a dedicated expo of Italian wines (Vinitaly Hong Kong). Applications to the VIA course in Hong Kong are currently being received.

About: Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIA’s main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International. The new VIA ecosystem avails of the guidance of Italian trade associations Federdoc, Federvini, Vignaioli Indipendenti FIVI, and Unione Italiana Vini as members of the Institutional Advisory Board. Italian vine genetics scholar, Prof. Attilio Scienza, oversees VIA’s scientific and educational direction as the Chief Scientist. VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar teach the flagship Italian Wine Ambassador course. The following trade associations in the Italian wine industry have also joined as VIA Supporters: Italia del Vino; Italian Signature Wines Academy; Le Famiglie del Vino, Wi-Fi Wine from Irpinia, Consorzio di Tutela Vini del Trentino; Consorzio di Tutela Sicilia DOC; Franciacorta; Consorzio di Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo. To date the VIA community comprises 202 certified Italian Wine Ambassadors and 14 Italian Wine Experts. Since its foundation in 2014, over 560 candidates from all over the world have taken VIA’s courses.

New York dominates the global scene in the 2018 World’s Best Wine Lists Awards

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New York City sweeps a total of 50 three-star awards in the 2018 World’s Best Wine Lists Awards, with establishments including: Bar Boulud, Morrell Wine Bar & Café, Terroir and The NoMad Hotel receiving the honors in addition to having already been awarded, respectively: Best Short Wine List in the World; Best By-the Glass Wine List With Coravin® in the World; Best By-the-Glass Wine List Without Coravin® in the World; Best Spirits List in the World during the ceremony which took place at Vintners’ Hall on September 11th 2018. Other New York based three-star winners included: The Modern, Tribeca Grill, Restaurant Marc Forgione, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, The Lambs Club, Ai Fiori and Restaurant DANIEL.

Photo: The World of Fine Wines on Facebook.

London is second, picking up a total of 44 three-star awards for establishments including: 28°-50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen, Maddox Street (also winner of Best Micro Wine List in the World) and La Dame de Pic (also winner of Best Medium Size Wine List in the World); Hélène Darroze at The Connaught; 67 Pall Mall; Sager + Wilde, Paradise Row; Sketch (also winner of Best Spirits List in Europe) and HIDE (also winner of Best By-the-Glass Wine List Without Coravin® in Europe). In the UK capital, other three-star honors recipients included: Seven Park Place by William Drabble, Bubbledogs, Château Latour at Ten Trinity Square, Hakkasan Hanway Place and MASH London.

Other global recipients of the prestigious three-star honors include among others: The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TE (also winning Wine List of the Year 2018 and Champions’ League World’s Best Wine List 2018); Pilu at Freshwater, Sydney, AU (also winning Best Regional Wine List in the World 2018); Pix Pâtisserie, Portland, OR (also winner of Best Champagne & Sparkling Wine List in the World 2018); Bern’s Steak House, Tampa, FL (also winning Best Dessert & Fortified Wine List in the World 2018); Nº5 Wine Bar, Toulouse, FR  (winner of the Best Wine Bar List in the World 2018); Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient Hotel, Pretoria SA (also winner of Best Hotel Wine List in the World 2018); The World Residence at Sea (also winner of the Best Cruise Ship Wine List in the World 2018).

Numerous restaurants around the globe received jury prize recognitions, including: Ai Fiori, New York; The Lambs Club, New York; The Modern, New York; Masani Italian Dining & Terrace, Carlton, Australia; Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney; The Cut Bar & Grill Sydney; Vue de Monde, Melbourne; Geranium, Copenhagen; The NoMad Hotel, Los Angeles; Tartine Manufactory, San Francisco; Petrus Restaurant at Island Shangri-La Hong Kong; Pampa Roja, Argentina; La Gaffe, Saint-Florent, France; and TENSHINO at Pullman Bangkok King Power.

In its fifth anniversary year, the World’s Best Wine Lists Awards’ prestigious judging panel – chaired by Neil Beckett, Editor of The World of Fine Wine – featured: writer and broadcaster, Andrew Jefford; award-winning sommelier, Andreas Larsson; publisher and writer Ch’ng Poh Tiong; wine writers Elin McCoy, Francis Percival and Alder Yarrow; sommelier, Luciana Girotto; wine writer and lecturer Anne Krebiehl MW; and WSET International Training & Development Advisor, Jeremy Wilkinson. They have assessed over 1,000 of the world’s best wine lists to determine the shortlists and winners.

All of the finalists in the World’s Best Wine Lists Awards must reach certain standards in relation to a range of criteria, among which the most important are: the breadth, depth, interest, quality, and value of the wine selection (relative to the nature and size of the list and any specialism).

A three-star award recognizes a great wine list and takes into consideration a very high proportion of leading producers, established and emerging; a very good mix of vintages in terms of age, maturity, quality, and style; an extensive by-the-glass and half-bottle program; and clear evidence of originality, personality, and vision.

Since their inception in 2014, the awards have gone from strength to strength, and are “rapidly becoming as coveted as Michelin Stars,” according to former World Sommelier Champion Gerard Basset MS MW OBE. On the awards, The World of Fine Wine’s Editor, Neil Beckett, commented, “In its fifth year running, and at its first live ceremony, the World Best Wine Lists Awards was honored with the presence of guests from every continent apart from Antarctica. I think that the geographical spread of our top winners speaks volumes for the global spread of fine wine and also for the global scope of these awards”.

For the full list of winners please click here.

Release of New eBook, Italian Wine Unplugged: Grape by Grape

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New York, NY (PRWEB) – A new ebook that unpacks the biodiversity of Italian wine and its grapes has just been released online on Amazon in its beta version. Italian Wine Unplugged: Grape by Grape offers a concise yet comprehensive cultural and scientific introduction to Italian wine and its hundreds of native grapes in a visually compelling layout.

grape-slider-04Compiled by a team of Italian wine experts and educators, the ebook analyzes over 430 Italian native grape varieties in accessible and easy-to-remember entries. Designed to offer the contemporary wine lover a new reading experience, it includes an extensive visual apparatus featuring grape variety flash-cards, mind maps, photographs of grape bunches, and maps of Italian wine appellations. The ebook provides introductory chapters that offer essential historical, cultural, geographical and scientific information necessary to understand the richness and complexity of Italian grapes and their wines. It is also a schematic reference tool that will help readers and students of Italian wine find order in the seemingly chaotic world of Italian grape varieties.

With 591 officially recognized indigenous grape varieties and more being discovered, Italy has more native grapes in its national territory than any other country in the world. Bernard Burtschy, wine expert and author at Le Figaro Vin, emphasizes how the ebook achieves the important goal of teaching about native Italian grapes. “The corollary of the return in force of the diversity in Italian native grapes is the learning of these varieties. All these grape varieties, we will have to tame them, understand them, love them, make others love them. The ebook fulfils a huge and crucial task.” Similarly, Adam Teeter, co-founder of Vine Pair, stresses the importance of continuing to communicate Italian wine and its biodiversity: “Italy is one of the most fascinating wine countries in the world, but many people, including top wine professionals, are still confused about the plethora of indigenous grapes that make Italian wine so special. Italian Wine Unplugged: Grape by Grape finally brings these grapes into the light in a way everyone can understand.”

The mastermind behind Italian Wine Unplugged is Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International. Kim has engaged a team of experienced authors and Italian wine educators coordinated by Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of the Vinitaly International Academy and author of the award-winning treatise Native Wine Grapes of Italy (Univ. of California Press, 2014 and winner of the 2015 Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Award as Book of the Year). Kim and D’Agata’s dream team includes Geralyn Brostrom, co-founder and education director at Italian Wine Central in Napa, California; Lingzi He, wine educator and journalist based in France and Hong Kong; Michaela Morris, wine writer, educator, and presenter based in Vancouver, Canada. Brostrom, He, and Morris have distinguished themselves within the Vinitaly International Academy exam, earning VIA’s highest certification title, “Italian Wine Expert,” attesting to their profound knowledge of Italian wine and its grape varieties. Some of the ebook’s sections have also been curated by Michele Longo, Italian wine writer, sommelier, and experienced judge for wine competitions. JC Viens, Deputy Editor of Spirito di Vino Asia and WSET Educator, contributed the mind maps in the final section. The Italian Wine Podcast host and wine writer Monty Waldin wrote the preface to the ebook. All contributors met and worked together thanks to the educational work of the Vinitaly International Academy, the international institution and community committed to explaining, divulging, and broadcasting the science and culture of Italian wine around the world.

The ebook is aimed at wine lovers and professionals all over the world who would like to begin discovering Italian wine and Italian grape varieties. The ebook will also be used as a course book for the entry-level Italian Wine Maestro course, a new course soon-to-be organized by the Vinitaly International Academy.

The ebook version released on Amazon is a pilot version designed to elicit feedback from the international Italian wine community, with the aim of publishing a definitive digital version and a paperback version by the end of 2017. Stevie Kim comments on the collaborative spirit underpinning the project, stating, “In the collaborative and convivial spirit of the Vinitaly International Academy that has brought together the contributors, the publication of Italian Wine Unplugged in beta version first also aims to foster connections and intellectual exchange to improve its content.”

About Italian Wine Unplugged:

Written for both wine lovers and wine professionals, Italian Wine Unplugged: Grape by Grape is a concise yet comprehensive cultural and scientific introduction to Italian wine and its hundreds of native grape varieties. The ebook analyzes over 430 native Italian grape varieties in accessible and easy-to-read entries. It also features color-coded grape variety flash cards and an extensive visual apparatus with mind maps, photographs of grape bunches, and maps of Italian wine appellations. Available on Amazon in beta version.

Vinitaly Hong Kong closes with the coronation of two Italian Wine Experts and a Wine Ambassador

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The 7th edition of Vinitaly Hong Kong put wine education as the main focus of the promotional activities during the Hong Kong Wine and Spirits Fair. Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of Vinitaly International Academy, in fact, conducted a number of Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) Executive Wine Seminars as well as other educational tastings, while wine2wine Asia provided educational and networking opportunities for exhibitors. VIA students living in Asia came to Hong Kong prepared to sustain their final oral exam administered by Ian D’Agata. Two VIA students, Jinglin Zhang (Beijing) and Wai Xin Chan (Singapore) were named Italian Wine Experts, while Shirley Tan (Shanghai) achieved level two Italian Wine Ambassador.

13040834_10153477660341373_2871464617989052927_oIan D’Agata was pleasantly surprised by the results and remarked, “the level of proficiency that I witnessed during the oral exam of both Wai Xin Chan and Jinglin Zhang were nearly the best or best that I have seen since the academy opened.” He added, “perhaps the most wonderful aspect of VIA, is the community that is being created through the shared experience of Italian wine education. All over the world, VIA students are connecting and making lasting friendships.”

Wai Xin Chan from Singapore, left a career in Information Technology and dove into the wine world, where he has established himself as a successful wine communicator. Among his qualifications, Wai Xin is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and a French Wine Scholar (FWS). Wai Xin attended the Academy in Verona, last March 2015, and was the first to be awarded the title of Italian Wine Ambassador in South East Asia. He also reports on the local wine scene in a number of Singapore magazine and on-line publications

Jinglin Zhang, left North Eastern China for studies in France. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business and went on to obtain a master degree in Marketing. She holds a WSET level 4 diploma, currently works at Berry Bros & Rudd in London and recently launched a new blog, “When Bach Meets Barolo”. She has a passion for wines from smaller producers, and hopes to start an export business with e-commerce distribution back home in China.

Shirley Tan got her start in the wine business as a sales manager with Veuve Clicquot China. After six years with the LVMH group, she went on to launch a successful Wine import and distribution company, East Meets West Fine Wines (EMW) in 2003. After 10 years of rapid expansion, she relinquished her stakes in the company to found the China Knot Consulting firm. China Knot has worked with various wine organizations and businesses, including Istituto Grandi Marchi, Decanter, Gaja, Pio Cesare and more.

The third and final day of Vinitaly Hong Kong opened with the last session of wine2wine Asia, the educational business forum dedicated to exhibitors and visiting wine industry professionals. Debra Meiburg MW moderated “ABC to wine trade in China” with Jonathan Mather, Hong Kong based ASC Fine Wines Import, Giulia Chen Federexport, Alan Hung Executive Director PACCO and Chengdu Shangri La organizer, Shirley Tan China Knot Ltd., Fabio Piccoli Wine Meridian.

JC Viens, founder of Grande Passione and a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, ran the third day of back-to-back wine tastings with hardly a seat empty. True to the name of his company, he brought “grande passione” to each session, with an approach to wine that offers technical “pro” insight while at the same time, involving the audience with story telling, colourful anecdotes, and folklore.

Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, is pleased to see the positive reception of the various initiatives that Vinitaly International was able to bring to Hong Kong this year. She explains, “At Vinitaly Hong Kong, in addition to the traditional B2B booths represented by Italian Wineries, we were able to finally connect the dots and connect to the world by showcasing both wine2wine and the Vinitaly International Academy. Spreading the gospel about Italian Wine in this part of the world is often challenging, especially compared with the wines from French or the New World, and hence can be aided by adding a touch of “La Dolce Vita”.”

Made-in-Italy was also the protagonist of the Vinitaly Lounge where attendees were able to taste some typical Italian food thanks to the collaboration with TUTTOFOOD Milano World Food Exhibition with whom Vinitaly International will be carrying out a number of initiatives in 2017.

“We hope that the Vinitaly Lounge with Italian Food and Lifestyle setting, coupled with Vinitaly Wine Bar represented by awardees from 5StarWines, engaged the attendees enough to trigger further interest in the Italian Wine community and hopefully have them also come visit Italy,” adds Stevie Kim, concluding, with a tongue in cheek, “when more attendees come to visit Italian Wineries, to discover its territory, it is one step further toward making America great again.”

wine2wine Asia sessions were recorded live and can still be viewed on our Facebook page: @vinitalyinternational

About:
Veronafiere is the leading organizer of trade shows in Italy including Vinitaly (http://www.vinitaly.com), the largest wine and spirits fair in the world. During its 49th edition, Vinitaly counted some 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000 square meter area and 150,000 visitors including 2,600 journalists from 46 different countries. The next edition of the fair will take place on 10 – 13 April 2016. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine (http://www.vinitalyinternational.com) “Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers,” will unite international wine professionals on April 9th in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998, Vinitaly International has traveled to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014, Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA), with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA has now also organized its very first Certification Course with the aim of creating new Ambassadors of Italian Wine in the World.

New Goway Trips Lure Foodies to the World’s Most Exotic Travel Destinations

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Glendale, CA – Asia has been a favourite of foodie travellers since Marco Polo. Not to be outdone, other exotic travel destinations such as Australia, New Zealand, and the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans offer their own culinary treats and traditions.

10462709_10152479842762450_6444600131724638768_nKnowing that good food can be a highlight of any trip, Goway Travel has harnessed the flavours of Asia’s most exciting foodie destinations. Bangkok for Foodies is all about fresh street food, including a half-day class at a Thai cooking school. Hong Kong for Foodies includes a walking tour that combines the history and culture of Asia’s World City with a leisurely culinary adventure through the best local eateries. Taipei for Foodies is all about unique flavours after dark, both cultural and edible, including those found at the famous Huaxi Street Night Market.

Each makes an ideal short escape on its own, or can be combined with other trips for a foodie’s ultimate Asia vacation. Alternatively, Globetrotters with a taste for fine dining might consider Japan. Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo each have more Michelin-starred restaurants than Paris. Still, one doesn’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy Michelin-starred dining. One hawker stand in the all-new Singapore guide lets travellers enjoy a Michelin starred meal there for under $3!

Globetrotters with a taste for both luxury and adventure may want to consider a Maldives vacation at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort. Named the Indian Ocean’s Leading Culinary Resort in 2015, the Conrad boasts over 1,400 different labels of wine in their cellar, and a dedicated cheese bar. Conrad Maldives was also honoured at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards in 2016.

It’s no longer any secret that Australia and New Zealand produce some of the world’s best wines. Australia is the fifth largest exporter of wine in the world (Only French, Italian, Spanish, and Chilean wines are in higher demand), while New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc has secured a reputation as arguably the world’s finest. Australia’s most famous wine regions are the Hunter Valley, just a few hours from Sydney, and the Barossa Valley, a stone’s throw from Adelaide.

Not to be outdone, New Zealand boasts exceptional wine regions on both the North and South Islands. Perhaps the ultimate way to see them is on a wine trail self-drive. Goway’s New Zealand wine trail takes Globetrotters from the Art Deco stylings of Napier, through the vineyards of Martinborough, then across Cook Strait to Picton and Blenheim, gateway to the famous Marlborough wine region (and its Sauvignon Blancs). It also includes time in Wellington, the cultural heart of New Zealand.

Since 1970, Goway has been providing unforgettable travel experiences to Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Central & South America, Idyllic Island destinations and Europe. Today Goway is recognized as one of North America’s leading travel companies for individuals, families and groups to select exotic destinations around the globe. Goway has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Sydney Australia.

For reservations and information, visit http://www.goway.com, or call 1-800-387-8850.