MINIMALIST TREND: WINE TASTING IS CHANGING TO SIMPLE AND BASIC, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENT AND WALLET FRIENDLY. WINE ENTHUSIASTS ARE STEPPING AWAY FROM THE RITUALS AND CEREMONY OF RECENT YEARS.

Less is more: even among wine enthusiasts the minimalist trend is gaining ground. The race for luxury and appearances is “out” in the worlds of wine and fashion, design and consumption. A simple and basic style, interested in the content rather than the container, is spreading. This new trend will also be presented at one of the most important events in the International wine world, Vinitaly, in Verona from 8 to 12 April 2010. There has been too much ceremony and flashiness around wine and its world of glittery objects, places and behavior has been blown out of proportion. At the beginning, thanks to media speculation, it aroused much curiosity, but now it has become an obstacle to a more natural and spontaneous rapport with wine. The exaggerated phase has subsided and now wine rhymes with simplicity. The “less” wine lovers are interested in more down to earth wine tasting: however, not to be considered banal or trivial - they tend towards less, but want the best. They are knowledgeable and refined, focusing on being environment friendly as well as wallet friendly and they much prefer substance to glamour.

So, it’s time to do away with the overdose of objects which were made to seem indispensable: the decanter offered in various shapes and forms to ensure perfect ventilation of the precious nectar; the corkscrew with a design worthy of a space engineer; special glasses designed to taste Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo, Brunello or Champagne and so on. Actually, all that is needed is a good corkscrew with a solid stainless steel point (all the major wine producers offer one in their catalogs) and a universal glass (all major brands have one in their catalogs), to ensure optimum tasting. So there is a new approach to wine tasting, focused on the senses rather than the rituals, objects and various amenities. The request for a more basic style of wine tasting comes directly from the customers who want to experience their sensations, and instead of being “filtered” and guided by the experts want to express their own feelings. Ultimately, with the simple act of drinking, Italian wine, perhaps more than others, embodies meaning, depth, richness of its origins and its history.

Contrary to what we are often led to believe, the world of wine is relatively simple - it is not music or literature. It is readily available for a fast, direct and unmediated test: drink a glass of wine and immediately verify whether there is something familiar about it and if it can stimulate a thought capable of crossing the narrow confines of the glass itself.
The approach to wine is easier when tasting is transformed from a sensational moment to a pleasurable experience. The conscious use of the senses, sight, smell and taste measure emotions and bring wine to a more immediate and universal plane, which in a period where markets are not encouraging, on the practical side will also help sales.