From 10.000 € in Copertino in Puglia to 600.000€ in Lago di Caldaro in Alto Adige there are all sorts of prices in Italy.

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Montalcino_Wine_area

A recent article in the “Corriere Vinicolo” (26 November pp.20-21) creates a map of value of Italian vineyards, underlining the decrease in sales but also the stable prices regardless of the economic crisis our Nation is facing. The report carried out by Inea points out how in Italy, from the beginning of the Millennium, the value of vineyards has increate by 28% consequently more than inflation, so in real terms, it has grown by 2% and all of this regardless of the contraction in prices which took place after 2008.

The average value of one hectare on a National level is of 36.000€ which means a lot more than that of other cultivations which is o f about 19.400€.

What does this survey say then about the period  2010-2011: negative period for prices of vineyards for  Veneto and Tuscany regions  In the latter the land for producing  Brunello and Chianti Classico have decreased in value , even if just a little.

Benvenuto Brunello 2012 is only five days away and I would like to explain why I’m against moving this event to Florence and want to keep it in Montalcino

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Montalcino - old picture

During the past few days and during a recent mission to the USA with the Consorzio del Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the producers of Brunello and mostly I have been often solicited so that the previews of the Tuscan red wines became a large event to be organized in the Stazione Leopolda in Florence. I have underlined to everyone and everywhere how contrary I am, as I did to the Regional councillor Gianni Salvadori a few months ago.

During “Buy Tuscany” the previews of the great Tuscan red wines: Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Donatella Cinelli Colombini - introducing "Benvenuto Brunello 2012"

La series of events to present the new vintages of Brunello, Chianti Classico and Nobile is a marathon that lasts 9 days and that will involve journalists and operators from all over the world.
It begins Monday 20th in the great Chianti region, then moves to the fortress in Montepulciano, and the grand finale in Montalcino where 220 journalists are expected, half of which from abroad and 4000 buyers. The will taste the wines of 140 wineries.

February 8th, the new Brunello in a preview tasting in San Francisco with 40 Montalcino wineries. Together with their colleagues from Prosecco,

San Francisco - Donatella Cinelli Colombini - presenting Brunello

Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile.

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

The event location is not very large but very refined with respect to where the tasting took place two days ago in New York. The public is also decidedly more elegant, evidently aesthetics count more here than in the big apple.

At the seminary, the 150 seats are nit sufficient, other than the operators and experts already booked, another 30 people arrive. We decide not to send them away and offer them a stand up tasting, they seem satisfied even though, among them, there are two master sommelier.

Getting a lesson from “Balzac” the producers of Brunello, Chianti Classico, Prosecco and Vino Nobile to face the largest and most competitive market in the world.

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini – chronicle of the mission to New York

New York: the seminary is a spectacular place: Apella a building looking over the Hudson river where every

Apella - New York - Workshop regarding the American market with Balzac

architectural element and furnishing is by great architects

The seminary regarding the American market is held by the communication and events society Balzac, one of the best in USA where Paul the owner organized courses in the most prestigious university for wine lovers, Davis.

In the American market there are 100.000 types of wine on sale and of these 5.000 (of which 1.000 Italian wines) have obtains ratings above 90/100inl “Wine Spectator” . It is understandable that it is a crowded market where the importers have difficulty in selling the wines that they already have in their portfolio. This makes thing s difficult for those wishing to begin exporting.