Antinory going to unveil new winery

Antinori group, the major Italian wine family company (138,2 mio euros 2007 turnover), is going to unveil in a couple of years a new winery with a total surface of 37.000 square meters (23.000 indoor). It has been designed by Marco Casamonti (Studio Archea), and is going to host the new company headquarters, that after decades move from the old Palazzo Antinori, located in the centre of Florence. The new architectural complex is in Bargino, in the countryside surrounding Florence, and has been specifically built not only as a winery, but also as a tourist destination. There will be a museum showing how wine is produced and stored, an olive oil crusher, a bakery, a barrels production plant, a Tuscan food shop, and a restaurant. The idea is to give life to a contemporary Tuscan farmhouse, that "has taken the form of a volume built completely underground, conceiling all the elements that are usually part of urban constructions, and attempting to achieve a difficult but necessary reconcilement between natural and artificial. The result is a new earth surface covered by vineyards, marked by two horizontal cuts that, following the curves of the hilly land, rise to allow light to enter, and to offer a view of the surrounding scenery".

New wineries are often built with the purpouse of becoming "tourist destinations". This trend was born in the New world about 50 years ago (remember Mondavi?), and has now been completely assimilated by the Old world, including Italy. But something is still changing. The destination, in fact, is no more the winery itself, with its original architecture style, but the building set in a unique landscape. Modern wineries like the Antinori one, in other words, try to emphasize the natural aspects of winemaking, and focus their attention to viticulture more than they did in the past.

Italian architecture + wine and food. In Tokyo

The communication strategy of the Italian winery Bava (Asti province - Piemonte) is known to be very creative: for example they are on YouTube at http://it.youtube.com/TheFunManager. On Thursday, May 29th, Roberto Bava, owner of the winery, is going to present the first event "Architects in kitchen" at the Tokyo Armani Ginza Tower. Each event of the festival, dedicated to the Italian wine and food promotion, will bring togheter one great architect and one famous chef. The first ones will be the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and the well known Italian chef Henry Derflingher, who will cook dishes accompanied by Bava wines. "The greatest chefs and architects have in common the hard effort in making unique their work. We have accordingly decided - has explained Roberto Bava - to call two great artists to work side by side, not only to create 'unique works', but also to show that .. the shape can change the taste". The event will take place in the new Armani Restaurant, designed by the Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksass.

Edward De Bono "lateral thinking" could be very usefull to organize new and original projects to promote our wines abroad. The "Architects in the kitchen" event testifies the creativity of many Italian producers, that understand the importance of linking wine with other aspects of everyday life, like food and architecture, but also music, sport, books, ... Internet can teach a lot at this regard.

Sensorial communication for Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico returns to the USA with "The Tuscan Nose", the event organized by the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, introducing the most recent Gallo Nero vintages to the American market. More than 100 Chianti Classico labels from 41 wineries were on display in Manhattan 583 Park Avenue, New York. The Chianti Classico area covers 7,100 hectars of Tuscany, stretching from Florence to Siena, and houses brands like Badia a Coltibuono, Banfi, Barone Ricasoli, Castello di Ama, Cecchi, Dievole, Felsina, Fontodi, Isole e Olena, Rocca delle Macie, Ruffino, San Felice and Vignamaggio. The journalist David Lynch addressed the American public a seminar on “Chianti Classico Terroir: A Taste Map”, while Marco Pallanti, President of the Consortium, took the opportunity to present “Essences of Chianti Classico according to Villoresi”, a new, unreleased perfumes' range created by the famous Florentine house Lorenzo Villoresi. All proceeds from entrance ticket sales were given to support the activities pursued by Terra Madre/Slow Food project.

(adapted from http://www.chianticlassico.com/english/index.asp)

Sight, smell and taste are the three elements commonly used to determine the quality of a wine, but each one of them can also be separated from the others, and become a useful tool to promote the uniqueness of a brand or an appellation. In an old Rotari metodo classico advertising, for example, the sparkling wine bottle was transformed in a flower pot. With the "Tuscan nose" event the Chianti Classico consortium has gone in a similar direction, trying to describe its appellation in an original way, where the smell becomes synonimous of aristocracy and subtlety.

Territorial marketing for Piemonte at Liwf

Piemonte, North-Western Italian region, is attending for the first time the London International Wine & Spirits Fair with 20 wine producers and consortia. At the Italian Pavillion (stand U50), Piemonte will be displaying its best oenological production, inviting all visitors to taste wine and spirits paired with food specialties. In addition Piemonte will also organise conferences and tasting sessions at the Italian Wine Seminar Area. With 44 different Doc (registered designation of origin) and 13 Docg (registered and guaranteed designation of origin) wines, covering 80% of the total production, Piemonte produce wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco. A snapshot of the wine industry shows 53.000 hectares of land under vines, with an average annual production of 450.000 tons of grapes, mainly from autochthonous vines, processed into around 3 million hectolitres of wine. Piedmontese wine and spirits sector also confirms its international vocation: 60% of the production is in fact destined to foreign Countries, headed by the United States and Germany. In 2006 the regional export reached around 1 billion euro, representing 20% of the national total, which is expected to grow in 2007 for a supposed 12%. Uk is the first destination for the Piedmontese beverage sector - wine, alcohol and spirits, mineral water and soft drinks - representing 20% of the Piedmontese exports, so as nearly 225 million Euros, and a third of the regional total to the European Union.

(adapted from http://www.centroestero.org/EN/Page/t02/view_html?idp=303)

The Italian wine industry is moving its first steps towards territorial marketing. In this view a region/appellation should be managed as a brand, with a unitarian image and a coherent price positioning. A brand that covers not only wine, but also food, tourism and handicraft. Probably one of the Italian regions that are more ahead in territorial marketing is Alto Adige. Piemonte has a much more pronounced diversity, but it's worth while to have a try.

Yellow future for Italian wines?

In 2007 Italian wine exports grew by 7.8% after a 6.5% increase in 2006. The increase in demand was particularly strong in emerging markets: +55% for a value of 15 million euros in China and +35.5% for a value of 6.6 million euros in Hong Kong. Therefore the presence of Italian wines at the next edition of the Vinexpo-Asia fair, that will take place in Hong Kong from the 27th to the 29th May has a particularly high strategic value. Ice (the Italian Trade Commission) has organised an official delegation to Vinexpo-Asia with the aim of developing and consolidating trade links with the Asian regions, where demand grew sharply in recent years. In February 2008 Hong Kong has announced a reduction on wine import duties, with the intention of transforming the former British colony into a mature market, a world class wine centre on par with London and New York. The 72 million dollars reduction in tax revenues should boost the local market by 500 million dollars. One must look into the future to understand the prospect for Italian wines in Asia and in the Far East in particular. According to a recent study carried out in Hong Kong, wine imports will increase on average between 10% to 20% in the next five years, peaking to 100% in some regions. The main areas for growth should be China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore. Excluding Japan, the turnover for the wine sector in these countries should reach 130 billion Hong Kong dollars in 2012. The real boom is expected to happen in the following five years: by 2017 the market should reach the level of 210 billion Hong Kong dollars. There is another reason why China represents a sensational opportunity for Italy: pro capita consumption of wine is still low. Currently there are just over 10 million regular drinkers but the estimated potential is huge: 5% to 10% of the population, i.e. over 100 million consumers under the best scenario ready to drink 750 million bottles in 2009, which should become over 1 billion by 2011.

(from http://www.italtrade.com/countries/americas/usa/business/index2.htm)

Today I cannot write anything else but offer to Chinese people all my heart-felt condolences upon the quake that has toppled buildings and schools in central China, killing more than 12,000 in Sichuan province alone. Thousands more people are still trapped in mounds of concrete, steel and earth in the worst quake in three decades.

Vinitaly, to Russia with wine

Exponential growth for wine and agro-food products from Italy to Russia. From June 9th to 11th the New Manege Exhibition Centre in Moscow will host the 5th edition of Vinitaly Russia, organised in partnership with Cibus and Ice. On June 11th there will also be a workshop and some tastings in St. Petersburg, at the Perinnye Ryady Business Centre. Last year Vinitaly Russia gathered more than 100 Italian producers, and attracted more than 2.000 trade operators, including importers, distributors, retailers, caterers, journalists and opinion leaders. In 2007, wine exports were more than 57.5 million euro, up by 43% over 2006, for a total of 237.000 hectolitres (compared to 96.000 hectolitres in 2005), with an increase of 18.8%. Particular success has been achieved by sparkling wines, that posted a total of 23.6 million euros (+69%), with 70.000 hectolitres (+76%). Italian sparkling wine by now covers one-third of the Russian market, well ahead of France, and the early months of 2008 are confirming this positive trend. Italian wine and food products still focus on luxury consumption, and Italy consequentely ranks only fifth for wine imports, with a market share of 6%, and fifteenth for agro-foods, with 2%. After Russia, the World Tour organised by Vinitaly will resume in Chicago, New York and Washington from October 27th-30th. The 2008 Vinitaly international calendar will end in November in Japan (Tokyo) and China (Peking, Shanghai and Macao).

(adapted from http://www.vinitaly.it/comunicati_en.asp?area=news&id=3028)

In one of the most fragmented markets in the world, the biggest wine fairs are becoming global brands. Vinitaly is no exception: born as the first national wine fair in Italy, now it has become a promotional chanel in many countries of the world. The need of networking and aggregation is very much perceived by Italian wine producers, but are fairs really usefull to explain/comunicate the distinctiveness of each region and appellation?

Morellino di Scansano celebrates its Docg at LIWF

The Morellino di Scansano Docg Consortium will attend for the first time the London International Wine & Spirits Fair, to be held from 20 to 22 May 2008. Morellino di Scansano is the most recent "Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita" (Docg) wine approved in Tuscany, and in the last years has been able to conquer an increasingly broad range of fans, not only in Italy but also in the international markets. The Consortium has recently decided to support and consolidate this phenomenon, that since now has developed spontaneously. The first step will be London, where the new institutional bottle of Morellino di Scansano, designed to represent a unique coherent image on the markets, is going to be launched. The UK currently represents 13% of the Morellino di Scansano export share in Europe.

The value of a name, easy to pronounce even by non-Italians. A very peculiar geographical position, near to the sea. And a new Tuscan alternative to Chianti, Montalcino and Maremma. The recent success met by Morellino di Scansano Docg in Italy and abroad has originated by a complex mix of circumstances. Now it's time to put good luck aside, and decide a medium term strategy, with a unique image, a clear price positioning... It's the hardest work for an Italian Consortium.

Italy at the London Wine Fair

After the surge of bad news that has struck during Vinitaly (to read more on this, clik here), Italy appears to be rather determined to defend its market shares on the British market, and, why not, expand them. The London International Wine Fair (LIWF), May 20-22, 2008, sounds like the place to be to do so and most wine regions of Italy have indeed invested in the Fair's program. Workshops and 45 minutes presentations will explain British wine professionals all there is to know about Sardegna, Sicily, Tuscany, Lazio, Lombardia, Piemonte, and Abruzzo, introduced by the most respected Italy specialists in Britain, such as Peter McCrombie MW, Michele Shah et Charles Metcalfe.

(from http://www.vinimarket.com/index_v4.php?elettre=1&langue=en&mode=avb&art_id=53990)