Wine tastings for both professionals and amateurs will be, of course, the event's key strength, with more than 17,000 wine labels registered so far. About 700 top buyers from 50 countries are already accredited, and the map set out for the large-scale incoming plan created by Veronafiere and ICE Trade Agency covers the most strategic areas, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, including even Africa. Of course, all Italian regions will be represented at the wine fair, and winemakers from Friuli Venezia Giulia will be attending too.
Along Vinitaly, in the very same days visitors will be able to attend Sol&AgriFood, the 26th edition of the international quality agro-food exhibition, with a bountiful display of extra virgin olive oils, craft beers and regional, local produce.
«After two years of absence, Vinitaly returns to its original time slot, with an exhibition framework that ideally recalls pre-pandemic editions – said Maurizio Danese, President of Veronafiere – Strengthening business at the trade fair, selecting operators and expanding the international share are the guidelines that Veronafiere will focus on in the medium term».
«We teamed up with companies to define Vinitaly's outlook for the future – confirmed Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere – This year, they joined the incoming “tailor-made buyer” initiative, elected directly by producers and invited by Veronafiere. This special effort enables us to achieve the goal of further expanding our international professional audience, one of the strengths of the event». More and better international buyers, more widespread use of online tools to promote b2b, better adaptation of the logistics services of the city: it's the full-scale business plan for Vinitaly 2022, especially focused on wine professionals.
Vinitaly going international
At the International Wine Hall, exhibitors from France, Brazil, Slovenia, Argentina, Spain, Serbia, Macedonia, Lebanon and South Africa will showcase their wines. Plus, 630 Italian wine “super buyers” from all over the world will be attending Vinitaly 2022, joined by a further 50 profiled market operators who will travel to Verona for the first time thanks to a new tailor-made project.
The US lead the way with 130 confirmed top buyers, but the Asian market will be there too with buyers coming from Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and China. Also operators from South America will travel to Verona, representing Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Chile. New entries at Vinitaly 2022 also include Africa, with professional collectives from Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Angola. European countries of course will send their delegations: Germany and Northern countries such as Denmark and Sweden will also be the protagonist of the b2b agenda for organic produce promoted by Vinitaly and Sol&Agrifood. Buyers from the UK, Austria, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovenia are on their way too.
On Saturday 9th April, just before the official opening day on Sunday 10th, the special event OperaWine, organized with Wine Spectator, will take the stage at the Gallerie Mercatali. The 11th edition of the preview will feature 130 top Italian producers from all regions selected by the American magazine.
Innovations at Vinitaly 2022 include the Orange Wine Festival's master class and walk-around tastings, scheduled on Monday 11 April, and the master classes in the Mixology Area focused on the rising trend of using wine in mixing cocktails (in collaboration with Bartenders Group Italia). Another debut are the tastings of MicroMegaWines, the new section by wine writers Ian d'Agata and Michele Longo, dedicated to high quality, small-volume and niche productions in limited editions: three sessions are scheduled to discover unique wines and terroirs (10 to 12 April). And the Organic Hall will offer a deeper insight into the ever-expanding world of organic wines.
And, of course, there'll be a lot of wine tastings going on. Events include about 30 conferences and 76 super-tastings, starting with the exclusive Vinitaly Grand Tasting, Tasting Ex...Press in collaboration with the most important international trade magazines, tastings from around the world in the International Hall and the Vinitaly Tasting-The DoctorWine Selection coordinated by journalist Daniele Cernilli, designed for buyers and operators in the HO.RE.CA. sector.
Plus events like “Iconic Women in Italian Wine”, guided by international wine journalists Monica Larner and Alison Napjus (from Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator), the Tre Bicchieri 2022 walk-around tastings by Gambero Rosso and “Italian native reds – The power of lightness” presented by the first Italian Master of Wine, Gabriele Gorelli.
Vinitaly and the City (Into the Wine)
The off-show wine event in the historic centre of Verona, from April 8 to April 11, will bring wine and wine culture all around the city: four days packed with wine tastings, master-classes, show cookings, performances, musical and cultural events, theme talks, live shows, flash mobs, concerts, DJ sets, tours and guided visits.
The city centre will become an open-air theatre with installations, theme sets and performances, a full immersion stage for wine storytelling: the river, the monuments, the historic gates and towers, the city walls, the network of Civic Museums, streets and squares, shops and catering businesses will all be involved into telling the story of wine in all its forms, with a beautiful route between tastings and shows.