A “niche” with a centuries-old history and modern values: here is the “Amphora Revolution”

A legendary history, which is inextricably linked to that of wine, as a precious container for its conservation and transport; a “pioneer” object, also in communication, with the different forms that allowed its origin and identification with a territory. Wines in the amphora are a varied heritage of experiences that embrace vines, soils and terroir, but also something self-referential because the amphora itself has a decisive role. In fact, there are producers who use the amphora during fermentation, others only for refinement, there are those who produce wines refined entirely in amphora and others who make a passage through it and, finally, the amphorae themselves can be different, for shapes, volumes, materials (terracotta, stoneware) and porosity. A fascinating universe that will be the protagonist of “Amphora Revolution”, the new event created by the Merano WineFestival in collaboration with Vinitaly, scheduled in Verona (Gallerie Mercatali of Veronafiere, 7-8 June). This is the first wine event dedicated to the world of terracotta jars and the excellence of this particular niche of enology. Over 100 Italian wineries producing wine in amphora were involved together with a selection of Georgian wines, protagonists of a tasting journey that leads to the discovery of an ancient winemaking technique, today considered revolutionary, because it is innovative in response to the challenges of sustainability and increasingly concrete climate change. And then scientific and research panels, round tables and masterclasses that explore and deepen the techniques, biodiversity, secrets and approaches regarding the oenological art of wines in amphora, its evolution over the years and in the reference territories. Helmuth Köcher, patron of the Merano WineFestival, said that the “Amphora Revolution” was born “to stage a new trend in the world of wine: the recovery of an ancient technique as an innovation that many Italian and international companies are experimenting with in the last 10 years. It is an event that aims to support and enhance wine in amphora, an expression of authenticity and naturalness, and which also represents a special opportunity for comparison and debate, both scientific and research, on vines, techniques and approaches, to give direction and a future for this niche in the wine sector”. For Maurizio Danese, Ceo Veronafiere, “the Merano WineFestival and Veronafiere-Vinitaly collaboration is based on a common combination of action: support the wine sector and to create opportunities. “Amphora Revolution”, which represents a valuable niche with sustainable DNA, fits fully into both Vinitaly’s new course started in 2023 and Veronafiere’s strategic plan “One 2024-2026”. A challenging three-year project that includes development events and actions also on Vinitaly. “Amphora Revolution” presents itself as a small Davos for the development of a sector and a trend that finds more and more admirers, among producers and consumers”. Raul Barbieri, commercial director of Fiera di Verona, added that the “Amphora Revolution” wants to “give visibility to a sector that is also attraction a lot of attention on a commercial level. For this first edition we achieved the exhibition objective with 101 companies from all Italian regions plus producers from Georgia, France and Slovenia. A complete offer that makes “Amphora Revolution” the main b2b and b2c marketplace for this particular wine production”. Attilio Scienza, one of the world’s leading viticulture experts, underlined that “this event is a very important communication tool for consumers who drink more with their brains than with their mouths. At this moment characterized by climate change and dispersion of consumption by young people, attracted by other drinks or by the new low alcohol ones, amphora wines can be a response both to the challenges of the climate and to restore consumers’ relationship with the wine. The “Amphora Revolution” allows us to return to the origins, to the ancient vines while also spreading their culture, especially among young people who, I believe, could be the first target of wine lovers of the event”.