Gianni Fabrizio: “I seek a new wine story: more emotion, fewer scores without disowning them”

Telling the story of wine in a different way than it has been done so far, more closely connected to emotions and people, and less to critics scores. This is the new path chosen by one of the longest-standing and most authoritative voices in Italian wine, Gianni Fabrizio, who, after having been a leading figure in the field for over 30 years, is stepping away from the road of criticism and scoring (though without disavowing it) that he himself helped shape, first with Arcigola and Slow Food, and later with Gambero Rosso. He is therefore parting ways with Gambero Rosso after signing, for the last time, the guide “Vini d’Italia” in its 2026 edition (co-curated with Marco Sabellico and Giuseppe Carrus, ed). A new chapter, explains Gianni Fabrizio to WineNews, driven simply by the desire for new stimuli and to devote himself to a different kind of wine storytelling, “addressing an audience who is as broad as possible beyond industry insiders”.
“I informed Gambero Rosso (on Monday, March 16th, ed), in my role as co-curator of “Vini d’Italia” guide, of the end of our collaborative relationship. Like all major choices, it was a painful decision, carefully weighed over a long period; for some time I had been thinking about new paths and new stimuli, and I believe the time had come. For more than three decades  - explains Gianni Fabrizio to WineNews -  I have worked in Italian wine tasting criticism: it has been a long journey during which I learned a great deal and had the opportunity to meet and get to know many interesting people, as well as devote my time to my great and visceral passion: wine in all its forms and in all its beauty. I would also like to thank Arcigola-Slow Food and Gambero Rosso, who, long ago, gave me a very significant opportunity for my professional growth, and, from the bottom of my heart, my colleagues, whose names I will not mention for fear of forgetting someone with whom I spent unforgettable years, across different eras and many changes. Together we tried to contribute to the affirmation and enhancement of quality Italian wine, a segment of made in Italy which has allowed us to be known and appreciated all over the world. To them, my very best wishes go for the future”. But now - explains Fabrizio - the desire is to go beyond the criticism of reviews and scores looking for a different language and narrative, something which, as we often report, is one of the most pressing needs for the wine world if it is to become more popular and engaging again, and less exclusive and confined to super-enthusiasts or industry professionals.
“Over my long experience, I have witnessed the development of wine criticism, with scores and symbols that have helped give the subject an “agonistic” profile; true rankings, moreover, applied to a “living” product and therefore difficult to evaluate through a fixed snapshot, since it is in constant evolution. Without wishing to deny their usefulness - first as indispensable guidance for budding wine tourism enthusiasts, later as important reference points for international buyers - I believe that “Wine” with a capital “W”, can find other ways of being told - still affirms Gianni Fabrizio - looking for new stimuli, I have once again become deeply passionate about the stories of the people connected to this world, and above all about the different territories in which these stories draw their lifeblood. All the emotional aspects that revolve around our product can and must become, like scores, reasons for interest, study and, why not, ultimately even for sales, also involving collectors. In this way, wine, unlike the cold number associated with the outcome of a tasting, takes on a human and cultural value and can truly have a future in being understood by new generations. This is what I will mainly be dedicating myself to, with some new projects, within a world for which I still feel so much passion”.