WINENEWS NOMINATED FOR BEST “FOOD & WINE SITE” ALONGSIDE WINE SPECTATOR AND GAMBERO ROSSO AT THE LUIGI VERONELLI AWARDS. WINNERS CHOSEN JUNE 8 BY CLASS PUBLISHERS AND VERONELLI PUBLISHING IN MEMORY OF THE GREAT FOOD & WINE CRITIC

The internet now represents one of the most consulted sources in the “food & wine” world and precisely for this reason a special prize was created specifically for this sector at the latest Luigi Veronelli Awards that were held on June 8th in honor of the most noted Italian food & wine critic. While Gambero Rosso ended up winning the coveted prize, WineNews (www.winenews.it). was included as one of the three contending sites, alongside Wine Spectator (www.winespectator.com), Gambero Rosso (www.gamberorosso.it).
Alessandro Regoli, director of WineNews confirmed, “this is really an important result for us that fills us with great pride and satisfaction; considering the authoritativeness of the jury that gave out the nominations and the “sacred giants” that we have found ourselves in competition with, we can already consider it a victory. It is important to emphasize that this prize is the fruit of the work of the entire WineNews editorial staff: Irene Chiari, Eleonora Ciolfi, Franco Pallini, Leonardo Roselli, Antonio Boco, Paolo De Cristofaro, Alma Torretta, as well as collaborators Carla Fausta Rossi, Andrea Gabbrielli, Michele Shah, Carla Capalbo”.
The winners were chosen and presented with their awards at a ceremony held in Milan on June 8th. The jury was made up of Paolo Panerai, President, (Class Publishers); Benedetta Veronelli (chief editor for the publishing house founded by her father), Gian Arturo Rota (managing director of Veronelli Publishing and curator of the guide, I Ristoranti), Vice Presidents; Cesare Pillon, journalist (and Awards Secretary); Piero Antinori (winemaker); Angelo Gaja (winemaker); Daniele Cernilli (Director of the Gambero Rosso guide); Gianni Mura (writer and journalist for La Repubblica); Donato Lanati (Professor of Enology at the Università di Torino); Franco Ricci (President of Ais Lazio and director of Bibenda), and Cino Tortorella, television announcer. There was also an eclectic list of other varied participants: Francesco Arrigoni (journalist for Corriere della Sera), Giannola Nonino (grape expert); Gigi Brozzoni (curator of Guida ai vini di Veronelli), Antonio Santini (restaurant owner); Mauro Febbrari (endocrinologist), Gianni Veronelli (entrepreneur); Giacomo Bersanetti (designer), Fausto Borella (olive oil sommelier); Beppe Bigazzi (television announcer); Carlin Petrini (President of Slow Food), Nichi Stefi (writer and director); Attilio Scienza (Professor of General Arboriculture and Arboreal Cultivation at the Università di Milano); Padre Eligio (priest and founder of Mondo X), Giorgio Pinchiorri (restaurant/ wine bar owner) and Sirio Maccioni (restaurant owner).
Besides the prize for best web site, the Luigi Veronelli award was given for best food & wine journalist, best writer, best owner (referring to restaurant owners serving local/regional cuisine), best maître d’, best winemaker (referring to best indigenous grape variety producers), best grappa maker/distiller, best oil maker (for local producers), best enologist, as well as for more varied topics like best film or television program related to food & wine. Recognition was also given for the best and strangest food fairs/events, and for the municipality that made the most efforts to protect its agricultural products.