Silvia Angelozzi and Loredana Santagati are the “Migliori Enotecarie d’Italia” of 2023 (“Best Wine Merchants of Italy” 2023)

The role of wine merchants in the wine consumption market is fundamental: they are on the front lines, answering the questions and needs of more or less expert consumers, ready to spend 15 or 500 euros, lovers of whites, reds and bubbles, advising the right bottle for everyone, there are them, with a wealth of knowledge that, more often than not, would make a Master of Wine pale. A professionalism to which, since 2022, the Associazione Enotecari Professionisti Italiani (Aeip), with the collaboration of Vinarius - Associazione Enoteca Italiane, has dedicated the “Miglior Enotecario d’Italia” award, supported by the Consortiums Vini delle Venezie, Vini del Trentino, Toscana, Cirò e Melissa, Chianti Classico, Friuli Colli Orientali Ramandolo and Vini Collio. In the 2023 edition, to assert themselves Silvia Angelozzi of Alba Adriatica (Teramo), of the Wine shop “Bellariva Enoteca Bistrot”, in the wine shop with pouring category; Loredana Santagati of Misterbianco (Catania) of the “MisterCoffee”, in the bottle wine shop category; to Matteo Bertelà of Vigevano (Pavia) of “Metodo Froma Bottega”, the special award dedicated to the “best wine merchant under 30”; Daniele Leopardi of the “Tentazioni” wine shop in Paris, in the Montmartre district, is confirmed as the best wine merchant abroad.
“Loredana Santagati - explained the jury of experts, chaired by Stefano Caffarri and composed of Chiara Giovoni, Leila Salimbeni, Cristian Deflorian and Giuseppe Vaccarini - stood out for her deep knowledge of the functioning mechanisms of the activity, maturity in the management phases and for the passionate adherence to the practice tests. Silvia Angelozzi has demonstrated an enthralling ability to manage critical situations with a problem-solving mindset, for the intensive investigation of the products and their sales proposition”.
The category of wine merchants has “proved to be very lively, ready for new challenges, and aware of their own abilities”, according to Francesco Bonfio, president of Aepi. Congratulations to whoever won, it’s a competition and only one candidate wins. It is a law of life. However, each category’s three finalists were all excellent professionals who explained to the jury what it means to be a winemaker. And I like to think that the winner is a “primus inter pares”, who soared with the winning flash”.