The “Week of Anteprime di Toscana” towards postponement. Vinexpo Paris confirmed

There is still no official word, but the “Settimana delle Anteprime di Toscana” (Week of the Tuscan Previews), according to the latest rumors collected today by WineNews, is moving towards a postponement: the current situation is too confused - with the numbers of contagions now out of control and the new decree-law that will come into force from February 15, 2022 - to guarantee the “natural” development from February 12 to 18. Work is underway to reschedule it for the first ten days of March, i.e. a couple of weeks before ProWein in Dusseldorf (scheduled for March 27-29). The aim is to guarantee the program that has been anticipated for some time, with the opening evening (presumably Saturday, March 5) in the “Salone dei Cinquecento” in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, with the great gala dinner with all the Consortia gathered together, and then the events between Florence and the various territories, with tastings and presentations of Chianti, Chianti Classico, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Nobile di Montepulciano and other Tuscan denominations. The announcement by Avito, the association that brings together all the wine consortia in the Grand Duchy, and Regione Toscana, which have met several times over the last few days, is expected shortly, but what is emerging is perhaps the only sensible solution that would allow Tuscan wine to “anticipate” the major international fairs, guaranteeing the presence of journalists and professionals from Italy and the rest of the world when the peak of contagions is overcome (forecast by immunologists and epidemiologists at the beginning of February).

On the trade fair front, today’s news comes from “Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris”, which has officially confirmed the smooth running of the first international event in two years, at full capacity, from February 14 to 16, with 2,800 exhibitors from 32 producer countries. Obviously, in order to ensure that the event runs smoothly, the security provisions (very similar to those in force in Italy, ed.) will be enforced with the utmost rigor: a “Green Pass” (or other recognized vaccination pass) will therefore be required to access the “Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris”, as will a mask, which is compulsory, while air cleanliness will be guaranteed by a continuous recirculation and cleaning system. An important factor in this decision was the official confirmation from the Paris Government of the end of the restrictions on indoor events from January 27 (as planned), which limited access to 2,000 people. Thus, access is guaranteed to operators and journalists, including masterclasses and tastings, conferences and themed areas, from “Be Spirits”, dedicated to the world of spirits and mixology, to “Wine Tech Perspectives”, between digitalization and innovation, while “La Nouvelle Vague” will bring young wine-making talents to the center. On the other hand, “Millésime Bio”, the exhibition dedicated to green products in the Mediterranean, scheduled for January 24-25 and postponed by five weeks, from February 28 to March 2, while waiting for the epidemic wave to pass. There is no question of Vinitaly 2022, confirmed in Verona on April 10-13, just as ProWein in Dusseldorf (March 27-29) seems to be safe from possible moves.

Returning to the rest of the “Wine Previews” panorama, according to well-established rumors, intercepted by WineNews, “Grandi Langhe”, the kermesse organised by the Consorzio di Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, in partnership with the Consorzio del Roero, scheduled for January 31 and February 1, is almost certainly going to be postponed. There is still no news or official announcements, but the most plausible and sensible option is still to move the event between ProWein in Dusseldorf ( Marc 27-29) and Vinitaly (April 10-13): much will depend on the availability of the Ogr - Officine Grandi Riparazioni in Turin, a splendid location chosen to present the new vintages of Barolo and Barbaresco. The new vintages will be unveiled to US wine professionals on March 15 and 16 in Los Angeles with the “Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening”, which has so far been confirmed on the calendar. Just like the US stage of “Benvenuto Brunello”, which will be in New York, in the setting of the Altman Building, on February 23 and 24, with a very exclusive business-to-business format modeled on the one staged in November 2021 in Montalcino: there will be 50 producers in all, 23 of whom will be present, with entrance limited to 80 sector professionals per session (for two sessions a day), who will be served at the table, in maximum security. Canceled, and still awaiting rescheduling, according to WineNews rumors, is “Anteprima Amarone 2017”, which the Consorzio di tutela dei Vini della Valpolicella had planned for February 4 and 5 (and where the physical presence of producers was already not foreseen, ed). The official decision is expected next week, when the Board of Directors will meet and decide on the new dates.