Italian wine and IEM on tour to consolidate the USA, and cultivate promising Mexico

The objective of the Italian wineries, star players of the “Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour and Mexico”, directed by IEM - International Exhibition Management by Marina Nedic and Giancarlo Voglino, is to consolidate the fundamental United States market, and continue to sow the seeds of the future in the promising (at least for high range wines) market of Mexico. IEM is one of the longest-standing agencies and has the highest level of expertise in the internationalization of Italian wine. The tour will be stopping in New York, San Francisco and Mexico City Between October 7th and 10th. Wineries’ participation on the markets is of course, fundamental especially on the strategic and crucial US market a fundamental and strategic one like the USA, which has been Italian wineries number one market in value, for years. According to ISTAT data, analyzed by WineNews, in the first half of 2024, exports reached 938.8 million euros in value, registering +4.6%growth compared to the first half of 2023, even though it was definitely not a brilliant period on the market, and it was primarily dominated by sparkling wines. the Mexican market is definitely smaller, but absolutely not negligible, as in the first half of 2024, it brought 28.6 million euros to the Italian wineries, and +31% growth compared to the same period in 2023, especially to high-end wines.
“This is a complicated phase on the market even in the USA. It is difficult to interpret because consumer dynamics are changing, while the economic moment and International tensions are not pushing consumption, and young people are more difficult to win over for producers and professionals in the wine business, compared to their predecessors, This is why being present and in direct contact with those who live the market every day is even more important”, Marina Nedic and Giancarlo Voglino stated, on the eve of the “Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour and Mexico”. The large Consortiums, such as Chianti, and Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, and wineries from all over Italy, Siddura in Sardinia, Aldegheri in Veneto, Casalfarneto in Le Marche, Marraniero in Abruzzi, Boccadigabbia also in Le Marche, Cantine Fina in Sicily, Cesconi in Trento, Tenuta di Artimino, the gem of Chianti Rufina, Tenuta Travignoli from in Chianti, Librandi in Calabria, Ricci Curbastro in Franciacorta, and the Amarone della Valpolicella brand Masi, just to name a few will animate the event including classic walk around tastings, Master classes and more.
One of the biggest stars on the IEM by Nedic & Voglino tour in the USA, will be, as mentioned, the Consorzio del Chianti, which in New York will debut the special format, all “pride and the Italian flag”, pairing seven Chianti wines tasted vertically, to various Italian PDO cheeses, to stimulate a discussion at the table about wine and food. The vintage wines, with deviations on Chianti Superiore, will include the more mature Riserve and Vin Santo. There will be Pecorino Toscano, Fiore Sardo, Gorgonzola piccante, Robiola di Roccaverano and Parmigiano Reggiano. The meeting will be led by Robin Kelley O’Connor, Wine Educator USA, together with Luca Alves, Wine Ambassador of the Consorzio del Chianti, who will curate the technical part of the cheeses, especially chosen with the collaboration of the famous Lou Di Palo, owner of the almost century-old grocery store, “Di Palo’s Fine Food” in Little Italy, a real guru of Italian cheeses. In San Francisco, Consorzio de Chianti will bring another new format to the square. It will be Chianti Superiore in a vertical tasting. The stars of the show are the nuances of Sangiovese described in this category of production, not very well known but of great interest to the California audience. The seminar will be led by Shelley Lindgren, food and wine writer and restaurateur, and by the Wine Ambassador, Luca Alves. "New impetus for Chianti on the main US markets, "East" and "West" coast, with fresh, captivating proposals and specific emphasis on wine-food pairing, which has always been part of the denomination”, Giovanni Busi, president of Consorzio Vino Chianti, said, “because this partnership at the table is today, more than ever, crucial to survive the consumer crisis and the consumers' increased ability to choose, and who , consequently, have become more and more demanding”.