A complete exhibition centre, an international crossroads of trends and business, for 4,400 companies from 19 nations: after two years of forced stop, Vinitaly 2022 is back on stage at VeronaFiere from April 10th-13th.
This year will mark the event’s 54th edition, further solidifying it as the appointment as the main market for the demand of Italian wines, from the most well-known and mature to the those just emerging on the scene. The Vinitaly 2022 edition will see about 700 buyers from 50 nations in attendance, with the largest delegation coming from North America.
A map, the one envisaged by the huge incoming plan created by the Verona-based company and the Ice Agency, covering the most strategic areas from the Atlantic to the Pacific to Europe and, as of this year, also Africa; a campaign that, over the course of the months, has had to take into account both health developments and the unexpected geopolitical scenario.
“After an absence of two years, Vinitaly returns to its original location, with an exhibition framework that ideally takes it back to the pre-pandemic editions,” declares Maurizio Danese, President of VeronaFiere. “An unexpected result that, in confirming the centrality of the event, rewards Vinitaly’s development plan begun as early as 2018 and perfected precisely in the last two years. Strengthening of business at the fair, selection of operators and increase in the foreign share are the lines of work that will further engage the Verona fair in the medium term.”
“In these two years,” continues Giovanni Mantovani, General Director of VeronaFiere, “with companies, we have defined the outlook for the Vinitaly of the future. A strategic project that had its first test with the special edition last October and that acts as a discriminating factor compared to the past. In particular, we are recording an even stronger alliance with Vinitaly companies, which this year have already joined the initiative of incoming buyers that are tailor made, meaning that they are selected directly by producers and invited by the fair.”
Among the start-up novelties in the 17 pavilions, fixed and temporary, specifically dedicated to the 54th edition of Vinitaly, in addition to the area of the ‘fourth color of wine’ on orange wine, those of “MicroMegaWines- Micro Size, Mega Quality”, the new section reserved for niche productions of limited edition and very high quality, Organic Hall, which implements the offer of Vinitaly Bio, and Mixology.
As far as Vinitaly 2022 events are concerned, there are about 30 conferences scheduled in Verona and 76 super tastings. Opening the calendar is “Iconic Women in Italian Wine,” the most inclusive tasting of the year led by journalists Monica Larner and Alison Napjus, for the first time together to tell the story of six female Italian wineries, as well as the walk around tasting of Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri 2022.
“Native Italian Reds, the Power of Lightness. A contemporary opportunity for renewed success on international markets” is, instead, the theme chosen by the first Italian Master of Wine, Gabriele Gorelli, who will lead in tandem with Spanish MW Almudena Alberca.
The generational change is the focus of the grand tasting “From father to son: the future of Italian wine,” the tasting by Riccardo Cotarella and Luciano Ferraro that brings into the glasses the history of some of the most representative companies of Italy where the passing of the baton is in progress, and “Young to Young,” the three tasting sessions organized by Paolo Massobrio and Marco Gatti.
Confirmed also are “Vinitaly Tasting – The DoctorWine Selection” and “Tasting Ex… Press”, the appointments with the foreign press in collaboration with Vinitaly. Among these, the tasting of Champagne varieties by the French magazine Gilbert&Gaillaird, while the great vintages of bubbles from beyond the Alps are interpreted by Sarah Heller, the youngest Asian Master of Wine, in the tasting of International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Vinitaly 2022 will also host foreign exhibitors in the International Wine Hall, the pavilion reserved for international production. Present this year are France, Brazil, Slovenia, Argentina, Spain, Serbia, Macedonia, Lebanon and South Africa. In addition, there will be tastings at the 4,400 stands of companies that, to date, have registered more than 17 thousand labels on VinitalyPlus, the VeronaFiere business platform open all year round.
Finally, April 9th will see OperaWine, the Vinitaly event at the Gallerie Mercatali organised with Wine Spectator. There will be 130 top Italian producers representing all regions, selected by the American magazine for the 11th traditional preview announcing the International Wine and Spirits Exhibition.
Other events that will be held alongside Vinitaly, look for Sol&Agrifood, Enolitech and Vinitaly Design, while wine lovers are expected at the Fuorisalone Vinitaly. A schedule of various tastings will also take place from April 8th-11th around the beautiful streets of Verona, the stunning host city.