Italian wine conquering Asian cuisines for a new improvement in quality in export

For Italy highest-quality and most prestigious wines, the main commercial channel is the restaurant sector, both in Italy and around the world, thanks to the countless Italian restaurants spread across the globe. Italian cuisine is not only among the most loved in many foreign countries, but can now also boast Unesco recognition. Yet great Italian wine, which has always made food pairing one of its key strengths, must seek to take a further step forward by becoming an ideal match with cuisines from all over the world. Starting with Asian cuisines, which are numerous, diverse, rich in nuances and cross-cultural influences, widely diffused and much loved everywhere, and deeply rooted in tradition, just like Italian cuisine itself. It is in this spirit that the book “I Grandi Cru d’Italia incontrano le cucine di India, Cina e Giappone” - “Italy great crus meet the cuisines of India, China and Japan” was created: an editorial project that brings together three great world cuisines and the finest wines from the members of the committee led by president Chiara Lungarotti and executive vicepresident Paolo Panerai. The Committee unites the most representative producers of excellence in Italian winemaking, namely, those wineries that for at least 20 years have been producing wines with the highest ratings resulting from cross-referencing the major and most authoritative Italian and international wine guides and magazines. This wine and food journey (which took place in Verona during Vinitaly) featured contributions from Japanese-inspired chef Anthony Calò of restaurant Sachi, Chinese chef Zhang Guoqing of restaurant Bon Wei, and Indian chef Ritu Dalmia of restaurant Cittamani, all based in Milan, Italy most international city. The project also included communication by Sonal C. Holland, India first, and still only, Master of Wine, and one of the country’s leading wine experts and educators. She explored the relationship between Italian wines and the Indian market, highlighting how clarity of communication, presence and education are the key factors for engaging such a vast and promising market, also thanks to the recent trade agreement between the European Union and India, which will see a drastic reduction in duties on European wines exported to the major Asian country.