The Wine and Flavours Festival returns on Sunday 29 September at the Loggia dei Mercanti in Palazzo Andreani (MN) with a food and wine and social mission.

On September 29, 2024 , Mantua will become the meeting point of Lombardy’s food and wine excellence with the Festival of Wines and Flavors . Organized by the Federation of the Roads of Wines and Flavors of Lombardy , the Festival will take place at the historic Loggia dei Mercanti of Palazzo Andreani , in via Spagnoli in Mantua . Participants will be able to discover and taste the typical products of the eleven Roads, immersing themselves in the unique flavors of every corner of the region. The Festival will also have a significant charitable goal : all proceeds from the event will be donated to the social cooperative Onlus Il Ponte, which offers daytime services for people with disabilities.

The event will bring together the eleven Roads of the Federation through tastings and samplings, offering an in-depth look at the world of Lombard excellence.

“It is a wonderful sign that the Roads of Lombard Wines and Flavors meet in Mantua – commented the deputy mayor of Mantua Giovanni Buvoli -. In fact, in recent years our territory has done a lot at all levels, both institutional and professional operators to promote our very important food and wine, both by teaming up with Cremona, Bergamo and Brescia in the East Lombardy project and by promoting our products, which characterize an important food and wine tradition that attracts further tourist flows to our territory”.

During this day, visitors will be able to learn about, taste and buy the identity products of the Lombardy region in a location of art and elegance. After the first edition in Broni, at the Enoteca Regionale della Lombardia, this year the Festival moves to the suggestive Renaissance center of Mantua, the city “worthy of a thousand miles of travel to see it”, as Torquato Tasso described it, which together with Sabbioneta constitutes a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Federation of the Wine and Flavor Roads of Lombardy will gather in a single mosaic all the food and wine excellences that coexist in Lombardy. During the Festival you will be able to discover the Valtellina Wine Road , with the Nebbiolo of the Alps, the Valcalepio Wine Road and flavors of the Bergamo area , with its DOC wine of the same name and the Franciacorta Road , a wine that in 1995 became the first Italian territory and wine produced with the method of refermentation in the bottle; from the Botticino DOC and Montenetto DOC wines of the Colli Longobardi Wine and Flavor Road to the Mantuan Rice and Risotto Road , with its famous Risotto alla Pilota, cooked by absorbing water and subsequently adding pork pesto; again, from the Strada del Vino del San Colombano and the Flavours of Lodi , with the famous raspadüra, to the Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG of the Strada dell’Oltrepò Pavese . Also present are the rice of the Strada del Riso dei Tre Fiumi and the Cremonese mustard with the Strada del gusto cremonese nella terra di Stradivari . Visitors will also have the opportunity to taste the refined Garda oil, a product of excellence of the Strada dei vini e dei sapori del Garda . Finally, the Strada dei vini e sapori mantovani will be present, which will offer the public the opportunity to taste Lambrusco Mantovano, the wines of the Colli Mantovani and Parmigiano Reggiano. This is just a taste of what can be discovered in the rich Lombardy region.

“ With this Festival , the Federation aims to enhance the various Lombard expressions , making them known first of all to the final consumer – says Gianni Boselli, President of the Federation -. It will be a day of celebration, in which the protagonists will be the Lombard identity products, those authentically linked to the territories that are immediately associated with an area, in a city like Mantua , a true jewel of the Renaissance famous throughout the world for its history, food and wine, art treasures and natural beauty, and awarded, not by chance, the title of Italian Capital of Culture for the year 2016”.

Finally, the Festival represents the opportunity to bring together the Wine and Flavor Roads that operate in the East Lombardy territories, a brand that unites producers and restaurateurs who guarantee the culture of healthy, sustainable food that respects local biodiversity. East Lombardy, a brand of the Eastern Lombardy gastronomic region, aims to promote the evolution of food and wine in the four provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona and Mantua, supporting the notoriety of the excellence of its producers and restaurateurs at a national and international level.

The third weekend of November in the Emilian capital three days dedicated to wine where you can taste, buy, participate in masterclasses and dedicated focuses. Online pre-sales already active.

From 16 to 18 November 2024, the Fiera dei Vini returns to Piacenza Expo . Over 200 companies – from all regions of Italy and beyond – have been selected to participate in the event to date. In the 2024 edition, the market exhibition will present an even richer program for visitors who will be able to move among the stands to discover new wine-making realities but also make purchases in view of the holidays, take part in masterclasses conducted by expert wine and oil tasters, follow in-depth studies on the relationship between wine, tourism and territory, discover new projects and interesting publications in the dedicated arena and participate in collateral exhibitions. Monday will be traditionally dedicated to sommeliers, operators and professionals with specially designed proposals. The masterclasses, two per day and purchasable online at 25 euros each, with a focus on different categories, will be an opportunity to discover some of the excellences of the producers present at the fair. Participants will be accompanied in these evocative explorations by four ambassadors of taste: Antonello Maietta , Former President of AIS (Italian Sommelier Association), journalist and food and wine popularizer, Roberto Donadini , President of FISAR (Italian Federation of Sommeliers, Hoteliers and Restaurateurs), Vito Intini , President of ONAV (National Organization of Wine Tasters) and Luigi Caricato , writer, journalist and director of the magazine Olio Officina . Among the activities of the exhibition, which also aims to promote the cultural aspect of the wine sector, it is worth mentioning – building on last year’s success – the return of Filari di Libri , the space reserved for book presentations in the main pavilion of the fair. 30-minute windows will be available to independent authors who wish to present publications on the themes of wine and wine tourism, publishing houses and bookstores specializing in oenology, gastronomy, travel, the history of wine and agriculture, to engage with an audience of enthusiasts. The online ticket office for entry to the Fiera dei Vini 2024 is already active at the link piacenzaexpo.vivaticket.it/it/tour/fiera-dei-vini-2023/3582 , in advance sale until October 30 at the discounted price of 20 euros for the daily ticket. The cost of the daily ticket without reductions is 25 euros, but it is also possible to opt for the cumulative ticket solution, at the price of 40 euros for access to two days of the event. For those who are affiliated with the sector associations AIS, ONAV, FISAR, ASSOSOMMELIER, a reduced daily ticket is reserved at a cost of 15 euros, which can be requested by writing to ufficio.commerciale@piacenzaexpo.it .

Piacenza, Wine Fair in brief

When : Saturday 16, Sunday 17 and Monday 18 November 2024 Where : Piacenza Expo Opening hours to the public : Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 to 19.00 – Monday from 10.00 to 16.30 Entrance : 25.00 euros including a glass for tastings – reduced 15.00 euros for agreements with industry associations. Minors do not pay admission and cannot taste ​Parking : free Useful information : shopping carts available; discounts for visitors on entry to city museums ​Organizing Secretariat: Piacenza Expo Alessandra Bottani fieradeivini@piacenzaexpo.it – 0523.602711

Analysis by the Consortium for the Protection of Primitivo di Manduria.

Novella Pastorelli , President of the Consortium for the Protection of Primitivo di Manduria, has made official the conclusion of the 2024 harvest. Despite a drop in production of around 40% compared to the previous year, the quality of the grapes harvested remains excellent as always.

“We started the harvest two weeks earlier than in previous years with a reduction in production of about 40% but we have undoubtedly maintained an excellent quality for our grapes . – declares Novella Pastorelli – The prolonged heat and the overbearing drought have affected the size of the bunches which are smaller but their state of health is extraordinary and the early ripening has allowed us to obtain grapes with a higher alcohol content than in previous years. I would like to express sincere thanks to all the winemakers of the 18 municipalities of the area who, with their constant work and dedication, have made the success of this harvest possible. Their daily commitment, even in the face of complex climatic conditions, is essential to preserve and promote the excellence of Primitivo di Manduria”.

“We are going through a delicate moment, marked by a global wine crisis of a cyclical nature, in which, unfortunately, as every year, there is no shortage of unscrupulous speculators who practice unfair economic policies to the detriment of our winemakers who, for various reasons, often find themselves forced to sell off their product at a low price.

The Board of Directors, in recent years, has adopted all the measures required by current legislation to protect the common good. However, it is important to remember that it is not the prerogative of the Consortium to intervene in private negotiations. The natural decline in production pressure on the DOC and the consequent reduction in IGP yields will, we are sure, bring positive results on the stock front that is currently gripping many of our wineries. I am confident because crises often pave the way for progress. We continue to work together, not only to keep the name of Primitivo di Manduria high, but also to protect and enhance this winemaking heritage on a global level. The new challenges will allow us to explore new markets and attract new consumers, thus ensuring a solid and prosperous future for our denomination. – concludes Pastorelli – Our Consortium continues to carefully monitor the quality of production and to ensure that Primitivo di Manduria remains a symbol of tradition, passion and quality in the international wine scene. The 2024 harvest stands out for the high quality of Primitivo di Manduria, confirming the indissoluble bond between the land and its producers. This bond, rooted in tradition, continues to strengthen thanks to the commitment of those who work every day to keep an ancient and prestigious winemaking history alive”.

wineries associated with the Umbria Wine Tourism Movement as part of Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia, an experiential version of the successful format created by the Wine Tourism Movement.

Many activities and experiences are proposed on Saturdays 21st and 28th and Sundays 22nd and 29th September, during the most important moment of the wine-growing year.

From hand-picking to foot-pressing, whether they are direct experiences that require first-hand involvement or that allow you to witness the processing phases up close, Umbria offers wine lovers the chance to participate in Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia again this year. Dozens of wineries that are members of Movimento Turismo del Vino Umbria are taking part in the initiative on Saturdays 21 and 28 and Sundays 22 and 29 September, an experiential version of the successful format created by Movimento Turismo del Vino. Not just educational grape harvesting, but also entertainment, tastings and experiences – including tasty snacks based on typical local products, picnics immersed in the vineyards and brunches in the cellar with garden products -: for two weekends the Umbrian wineries are opening their doors for a sensory journey that celebrates the arrival of the autumn season and the grape harvest. ” Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia is certainly a precious event for all wine enthusiasts who can become ‘winemakers for a day ‘”, underlines the President of Movimento Turismo del Vino Umbria Giovanni Dubini . ” The cellars, in fact – he continues – reveal themselves to visitors allowing them to get to know the complex production process behind a bottle of wine. The protagonists are not only the great Umbrian wines but also the Dop, Igp products and the traditional specialties that the MTV cellars offer, for a journey into the most authentic taste of the territory “. The Umbrian cellars that adhere to the initiative are 15 : Terre Margaritelli, Roccaforte, Le Cimate, Terre de La Custodia, Goretti, Azienda Agricola Carini, Saio, Moretti Omero, La Veneranda, Tenuta Alzatura, Agricola Mevante, La Fonte, Palazzone, Chiorri, Arnaldo Caprai. The detailed programs of the Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia dell’Umbria are available on the website www.mtvumbria.it and on the social media of the Umbria Wine Tourism Movement