No longer a province and not yet a metropolis, Bologna is certainly one of the capitals of Italian food. Strangely, given the importance of food-wine pairing in Italian gastronomic culture, it does not enjoy the same fame from an oenological point of view.
The Bologna Wine Week was born in 2023 also with the aim of filling this gap, making wine the protagonist in the city for five days. At the center of the event are the 32 estates, half of which come from the Emilia Romagna region and half from the rest of Italy, that offer their wines for tasting for enthusiasts,
“We have transferred to the consumer the classic model that allows trade operators to taste multiple wines in a single place, at the same time” says Gian Marco Gabarello, co-owner of Ebrezze wine shop who organizes the event “However, we support responsible and reasoned consumption, for this reason consumers buy tokens with which they then pay directly at the winery tasting counter for the tastings they carry out”.
The idea of making wine the protagonist in the city is also reflected in the choice to hold the event in the historic and central Piazza Minghetti, thanks to the collaboration with the Municipality of Bologna.
In the first edition, over 10,000 visitors crowded Piazza Minghetti during the event, a clear proof of the Bolognese people’s interest in wine.
“This year we have added the BWW Enoteca in Palazzo Isolani” continues Gabarello “where on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th we will hold sponsor classes dedicated to sector operators and tastings open to the public. In this way we respond to the requests of the wineries, who always show great interest in meeting the trade. However, we recommend not to underestimate the direct relationship with the consumer, also to activate visits to the cellars.“
From Friday to Sunday, Piazza Minghetti will be filled with wine tasting stands and talks of in-depth analysis, with two conferences on the dynamics of the sector, and entertainment, with live concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings.
In concluding our chat with Gian Marco Gabarello, we also asked him the two questions from our 2024 survey:
What is the biggest threat to wine today? “Climate change certainly, a problem on which we all must work.”
And the biggest opportunity? “Working on all-round quality, not only with regard to the organoleptic characteristics of the wine but also in the service to customers and consumers, in marketing and communication”.
All the information and details can be found on http://www.bolognawineweek.it
