Vinitaly & the City is back (March 31 - April 3), the coolest “fringe event” for wine enthusiasts

The official event is the Fair, where meetings and business meetings between companies and professionals (Vinitaly, April 2-5) will take place. First, there is the “fringe event”, boasting a full calendar of not to be missed events, entirely dedicated to the public and wine enthusiasts: Vinitaly& the City is back (March 31st to April 3rd). The event includes a mix of tastings, Masterclasses, talks, meetings and guided tours in the historic center of Verona, amidst cultural, artistic, musical and geographical activities. The triangle area of Piazza dei Signori (Loggia di Fra Giocondo, Loggia Antica, Torre dei Lamberti), Cortile Mercato Vecchio and Cortile del Tribunale will be headquarters, where most of the events and tasting lounges will take place.
The event opens on Friday, March 31st with Akènta Sub from the San Maria La Palma winery in Alghero. It is the first Italian Vermentino to be aged at 30-40 meters deep in the protected waters of the Porto Conte-Alghero Regional Park, and it is the official wine chosen for the inaugural toast. The underwater sparkling wine that has a propitious name (from chent’annos', meaning long life in Sardinian), will re-emerge from the sea to be the star in the piazzas of Vinitaly & the City. On April 1st, instead, under the shadow of Dante, the great “Enoteca di Vivite-Alleanza delle Cooperative” will be the star of the show, “Ready to climb to the stars - The Purgatory song of forgiveness", curated by Franco Nembrini, at Loggia di Fra Giocondo, the heart of Vinitaly & the City, where you can taste varieties from all over Italy. Then, you can venture into mixology in the Loggia Antica, and choose from Bartenders Group Italia, Nespresso, Molinari, Italian Wine Brands, The Organics by Red Bull, Consorzio dell'Asti Spumante and Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Campari, and Acqua delle Stelle by Pernigo.
The Lounge of Banca Passadore & C. (official partner of the exhibition), will illuminate the architecture of the Court of the Signoria degli Scaligeri, while the Consorzio Tutela Lugana DOC will raise the toast bar up to 84 meters, on the panoramic terrace of the Torre dei Lamberti. Made in Italy wine geography has been redesigned, instead, in the Cortile Mercato Vecchio. For this occasion, it will host representatives from Lake Garda, and the Consorzio di Tutela Chiaretto and Bardolino, the province of Treviso, and Consorzio Vini Asolo Montello, the tip of the boot and the Calabria Region. The Vinitaly & the City Wine Talks will also be held here, conducted by the oenologist and wine writer Sissi Baratella, in the space dedicated to debates and discussions between the public and producers. The Vini d'Italia Guide by Gambero Rosso and the Lazio Region, will compete in a review of the main players in the wine scene around the entire Country, with tastings of food and wine specialties.
One of the most suggestive innovations will be the launch of the Vinitaly & the City wine guitar, made from chestnut barrel wood, by Fabrizio Paoletti, the luthier who has made guitars for stars like Bruce Springsteen, Keith Richards and Joe Walsh. Many literary events are scheduled, in collaboration with the Feltrinelli bookshop in Verona. On April 2nd, there will be two presentations on the food and wine theme. At 3 pm, Roberto Valbuzzi (following in his father’s footsteps, chef of the Crotto Valtellina Restaurant, and a famous television figure), will speak about his book, "Cook, restaurateur, farmer", published by Gribaudo, while Joe Bastianich will present the book, "The great tale of Italian wine", written with Tiziano Gaia for Mondadori Electa, at 7pm.
For football lovers, Hellas Verona will host Vinitaly & the City in a yellow-blue location, at the Hellas Store, a stone's throw from the Arena, where you can taste the Bolla Vini wines. You are entitled to two tastings, upon any purchase, to be consumed directly in the store. The guided tours will let you visit historic places in the city, like the Salone delle Feste in Palazzo Balladoro, dating back to the Seventeenth century, or the medieval heart of Verona, and its piazzas of power. The family show, The Wizard of Oz, is dedicated to children on March 31st (Teatro Ristori), where the language of the musical and the modern circus merge into a new dimension.
Info: Vinitaly & the City will be open: Friday, March 31st, 6-11 pm; Saturday, April 1st, 3-11 pm; Sunday, April 2nd, 3-11 pm and Monday, April 3rd, 6-11 pm. Tickets are available starting March 30th (includes 1 glass, 4 tasting tokens, 1 experience token and access to the event lounges), in advance online, for 16.50 euros. You can also buy tickets at the event venue (from March 31st to April 3rd), at the desk in Piazza dei Signori and online (cost: 20 euros).