International wine competition held annually in Italy
Entrance to the 2011 VinItaly expo.One of the many "press meetings" held by producers, officials and organizations that happen throughout the VinItaly exposition when new partnerships are announced or wine industry awards are given.
Vinitaly is an internationalwine competition andexposition that is held annually in April inVerona city, region ofVeneto, in northeast Italy. The event is exclusively for wine professionals featuring an average of 3000 wines from several dozen countries.[1] First held in 1967, VinItaly has been called the "most important convention of domestic and international wines"[2] and the "largest wine show in the world".[3][4]
For producers in the Italian wine industry, attendance and the reception that their wines receive is considered a barometer for measuring the health and success of the market, particularly for emerging Italian wine regions. The event is also used as an opportunity by wineries to release new wines and wine styles or announce partnerships with universities,organic andbiodynamic wine organizations or even other wineries.[5] Along withVinexpo, which is held every other year in theFrench wine region ofBordeaux, VinItaly is considered one of the premier international wine events.[6][7]
One of the tasting and judging panels at VinItaly.
The wine competition aspect of VinItaly involves asensory judgement of wines grouped within their own category—dry wine,sweet wine, still wine,sparkling wine,fortified wine, etc. The wines are judged by five member panels which usually includes two Italian judges, two members of the international wine press and an additional, non-Italian judge. After calculating the average of the scores received by the five judges, with the highest and lowest scores tossed, wines are awarded medals (in descending order of prestige) of Grand Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze.[8]
Visitors outside the exhibition halls which includes several buildings to house wine exhibits from across the globe.Attendees of the 2011 VinItaly expo visiting some of the presenter booths staffed by participating wineries.
In addition to awards giving to individual wines, the VinItaly expo also host the award presentation for several industry awards in the field ofwine journalism. These awards includeBest Foreign Magazine which has been won by such wine publications asWine Enthusiast Magazine (2010) andDecanter (2012),[9] Best Young Journalist won by wine writers such asMonica Larner (2008 and 2010)[10] andMatt Skinner (2012),[9]Best Italian Journalist won byIan D'Agata[9] andBest International Journalist, also won by Larner (2012).[9]
Since 1996, VinItaly has also given out a topInternational Vinitaly Award to wineries and individuals who have contributed to spreading wine culture international. Previous winners of this award have included:[11]
^Bill Nesto & Frances Di SavinoThe World of Sicilian Wine pgs 41, 62, 123, University of California Press, Feb 9, 2013,ISBN9780520955073
^Thom Elkjer and Tony AsplerAdventures in Wine: True Stories of Vineyards and Vintages Around the World pg 100, Travelers' Tales, 2002,ISBN9781885211804
^Alice Feiring"The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization" pgs 140-141, Mariner Books (May 5, 2009)ISBN0156033267
