ORGANIC WINES EXPO
PRESENTED IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK--The second edition of the International Organic Wine Expo featured a seminar hosted by leading Italian wine producers who presented 80 organic wines.
The program included a wine tasting and seminar, a press luncheon, a symposium with international experts, a grand tasting for trade and press and a black-tie gala dinner and awards ceremony.
A highlight of the event was the seminar attended by more than 50 wine editors who were asked to participate in a blind tasting of organic wines. At the end of the seminar, attendees were served a luncheon menu of organic wines and foods.
Later, internationally renowned experts held a symposium to discuss the major issues related to organic wine production. The speakers were Roberto Pinton, editor of Bollettino Bio magazine and member of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements); Paul Chartrand, a pioneer in importing organic wine to the U.S. since 1985 and who presented a selection from his own production; Richard Figiel, one of the few organic wine producers in the America's North-Eastern region; Steven Damato, owner of Nora’s restaurant in Washington D.C., America’s first certified organic restaurant; and Allen Katz, member of the Slow Food Organization. The symposium moderator was Luisa Del Giudice, president of the Italian Oral History Institute in Los Angeles.
The second day of the event opened with a Grand Tasting held at the New York Marriott Hotel. More than 450 wine professionals attended, including restaurateurs and retailers, along with a limited number of consumers.
Twenty-five leading organic wine producers presented over 80 wines.
After the wine tasting, a reception was held which was followed by a black-tie gala dinner, for 120 selected guests. Among the guests were the Consul General of Italy in New York, Hon. Giorgio Radicati, the President of the Italian Wine & Food Institute Dr. Lucio Caputo, the Vice-Consul Ms. Laura Carpini, the President of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Mr. Joseph Cerell, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber Ms. Paola De Mari, the Secretary of the New York Chamber of Commerce Mr. Franco De Angelis, the President of ICE of New York Mr. Roberto Luongo, Ms. Linda Gras, representing New York Mayor Bloomberg and the Director of the New York City Commission at United Nations Mr. Kris Royer.
The Marriott Marquis chefs had arranged an organic dinner menu, to be enjoyed with the wines presented at the Tasting. During the evening Dr. Caputo, announced the names of the wine producers and of the wines selected as the best by wine editors at the blind tasting held on Wednesday. For each of the four categories--Sparkling, White, Red and Dessert wine--Gold, Silver and Bronze Certificates were awarded. The Consul General of Italy, Hon. Giorgio Radicati, awarded the four prizes “Best in Category” to those wines that scored highest in each category.
The award winning wine producers were: Azienda Agricola Bonezzi Gianni (Gold and Silver Medal for white wines, respectively with Trebbiano di Modena IGT 2001 and Pignoletto dell’Emilia DOC 2001), Azienda Agricola Fasoli Gino (Best in Category for white wines with Soave Superiore “Pieve Vecchia” DOC 2000, Gold Medal for white wines with Soave Superiore DOC 2001, Silver Medal for white wines with Bianco Veronese “Liber” IGT 2000, Bronze Medal for white wines with Chardonnay del Veneto “Ca’ dell’Ara” IGT 2000 and Silver Medal for dessert wines with Recioto di Soave “ San Zeno” DOCG 1999), Azienda Agricola Fongaro (Silver Medal for sparkling wines with Lessini Durello Riserva DOC 1996), Azienda Agricola Rugra’ (Silver Medal for white wines with Gavi DOCG 2001), Azienda Agricola Torelli Mario (Best in Category for sparkling wines with Asti “Di Michela” DOCG 2001, Best in Category for dessert wines with Moscato D’Asti “San Gro’d” DOCG 2001, and Bronze Medal for red wines with Dolcetto D’Asti DOC “Bricco Rocchetto” 2001), Corte D’Aibo (Silver Medal for white wines with Pignoletto Frizzante IGT 2001 and Bronze Medal for red wines with Merlot Barrique DOC 2000 and Barbera DOC 2001), Fratelli Rovero S.S. (Best in Category for red wines with Barbera D’Asti Superiore “Rouve” DOC 1999, Gold Medal for red wines with Barbera D’Asti Superiore “Vigneto Gustin” DOC 1999, Silver Medal for red wines with Monferrato “Rocca Schiavino” DOC 1999, and Bronze Medal for white wines with Monferrato Villa Drago DOC 2000), Sassotondo (Gold and Silver medals for red wines, respectively with “Rosso Franze” Sovana DOC 1999 and “San Lorenzo” IGT 1999) and Santero (Silver Medal for red wines with Barbera del Monferrato DOC 2000).
The IOWE 2002 was held with the Patronage of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and under the auspices of the Consul General of Italy in New York, and was jointly organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West and the Italian Wine & Food Institute.
