PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO, “EUROPEAN WINERY OF THE YEAR” AND PAOLO VAGAGGINI, "WINEMAKER". THESE ARE THE ITALIAN NOMINATIONS FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS 2013 "WINE STAR AWARDS" BY THE POPULAR AMERICAN MAGAZINE "WINE ENTHUSIAST"

Produttori di Barbaresco has been nominated for "European Winery of the Year", and the oenologist Paolo Vagaggini for "Winemaker". These are the Italian nominations for the prestigious 2013 "Wine Star Awards" by the popular American magazine "Wine Enthusiast" (www.wineenthusiast.com, the new "Italian Editor" is Kerin O'Keefe), which annually recognizes the world's top wineries and personalities that have distinguished themselves. In 2012 crowned the Umbrian brand Caprai was crowned "European Winery of the Year".
And so, waiting to find out who will be nominated for "Lifetime Achievement Award" (in 2008, Piero Antinori), the Piedmont winery and the Tuscan winemaker will hold the Italian flag high.
Together with Producers of Barbaresco also nominated are the Spanish Marqués de Riscal, the Portuguese João Portugal Ramos, and the French Vins de Michel Gassier (Rhone Valley) and Axa Millésimes (winery owned by the insurance company Axa, with properties in Bordeaux and Languedoc, but also in Portugal and Hungary, in the Tokaj territory).
Vagaggini, considered one of the greatest experts on Sangiovese (and rightly so, "Wine Enthusiast" indicates as one of their motivations, since he works with almost a third of the companies in Montalcino, as well as Montepulciano and Chianti Classico), will “compete” with Benoit Gouez, "chef de cave" of the famous maison du Champagne Moët et Chandon; Cristina Mantilla, Spanish winemaker who collaborates with Maior de Mendoza, Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes, and Adegas Valmiñor; Louisa Rose, head of the wine team from the Australian winery Yalumba and Charles Smith, Founder among other things, of K. Vintners in the State of Washington. To be noted, Campari is in the race for Italy in the category "Spirit Of The Year".

Focus – All the “Wine Star Award” 2013 nominations by “Wine Enthusiast”

Person Of The Year
Barbara Banked
Charles Banks
Paul Draper
Lurton Family
Bill Price

Winemaker Of The Year
Benoit Gouez
Cristina Mantilla
Louisa Rose
Charles Smith
Paolo Vagaggini

American Winery Of The Year
Hope Family
Paumanok
Ponzi
Rodney Strong
Schramsberg

European Winery Of The Year
AXA Millésimes
João Portugal Ramos
Marqués de Riscal
Produttori del Barbaresco
Vins de Michel Gassier

New World Winery Of The Year
Craggy Range Penfolds
Reyneke
Viña Cobos
Viña Santa Carolina

Wine Region Of The Year
Douro
Paso Robles
Rías Baixas
Stellenbosch
Walla Walla

Importer Of The Year
Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
Kysela Père et Fils
Vias Imports Ltd.
The Vintner Group
Vintus

Retailer Of The Year
Astor Wines & Spirits
K&L Wine Merchants
The Kroger Co.
Total Wine and More
Trader Joe’s

Spirit Of The Year
Bushmills
Campari
Hudson Whiskey
New Amsterdam
Suntory

Sommelier Of The Year
Laura Maniec
Daniel McCullough
John Ragan
Alpana Singh
Dustin Wilson

Mixologist Of The Year
Jacob Briars
Simon Ford
Jack McGarry
Leo Robitschek
Claire Smith