Twelve Years of Events Dedicated to Wine

 This month I take the liberty of writing about a particular aspect of our activity associated to the spreading of wine culture. You will pardon me, dear readers, in case this editorial will seem a little vain or appear as an act of self celebration. These are things that, generally speaking, I do not like, therefore I do apologize in case my words will make you think so. One of the activities started with the foundation of DiWineTaste, is the organization of events dedicated to wine and wineries reviewed in our Guide. This activity about the spreading of wine culture, is also connected to the organization of classes and seminars that, in the course of the last twelve years, we have done together with our readers and for our readers. Of all of these activities, I would like to talk about events which are, in particular, the meetings we organize frequently and with a certain continuity.

 I have always believed the best way to understand a wine is to taste it, by evaluating it through our senses. This is obvious, many will say. This is obvious, it is what I say too. Words, fundamental elements on which it is based communication and what you are reading, no matter how rich and exhaustive they are, cannot precisely tell an emotion. Not only for the fact emotions are absolutely subjective, but also because senses can be understood through senses only. Also words, of course, can cause emotions and stimulate our senses, however emotions taking life from aromas and flavors, can be hardly and fully expressed by words. Moreover, everyone of us has a very personal relationship with wine, almost intimate, and therefore each one of us feels emotions and understand wine only by tasting it. By uncorking a bottle, pouring the noble liquid in a glass and to listen to its tale, its story.

 Our events have a long story, something which started twelve years ago. Indeed, before the foundation of DiWineTaste, I was already involved in the organization of enogastronomic events, then, from 2002 on - the year I founded this publication - it was pretty natural to associate this activity to the editorial one. Also the choice of the place has been, like to say, natural. My professional activity of that time, allowed me to meet the managers of Locanda dei Golosi - near Perugia - and this allowed us to start a strong collaboration as well as a genuine and dear friendship. With Locanda dei Golosi's friends there have been, since the beginning, a perfect idea about goals and the vision of how a wine event should be. Something which is still alive today and encourages us all to improve what we do, being aware of the fact there is always something to improve.

 I am proud of the fact, in twelve years of DiWineTaste activity, we have favored the meeting of our readers with many of the most significant representatives of wine enology, well known and less known wineries, always with the same passion and commitment. All for the spreading of wine culture as I strongly believe this is the best way to understand a wine and its producer, as well as the interpreter of a territory and of wine making vision. The organization of every event takes a lot of time and work, something in which we all are involved in. The beginning of the organization happens about one month before its date: our efforts are certainly rewarded both by the satisfaction and gratitude of participants, as well as by the ones of guest wineries. If we can talk about success, the merit equally goes to everyone working from the organization to the end, with no exception, all of us being equally indispensable in order to achieve a result.

 DiWineTaste events are mainly organized in Perugia, Italy: not only this is the city where our offices are located at, but also, geographically speaking, a central place of Italy, thus facilitating the participation of readers coming from outside Umbria. On this regard, the accommodation service offered by Locanda dei Golosi is fundamental: readers coming from outside Umbria have the opportunity to stay overnight, therefore avoiding to drive back home at the end of the event. Since many years we are also making a video interview with the protagonists of our events in order to give, also to the readers who could not participate, a chance to better know wines and guest winery. Our interviews, besides meeting our goal of spreading wine culture, are also made in order to allow consumers and producers to meet, by allowing them to tell their territory and wines.

 Let's then start 2014 with a renewed enthusiasm - few days ago took place the event dedicated to Castello Banfi - while wishing all of our readers and friends to keep on following what we do and to appreciate the wineries protagonists of our events. I would also like to thank all the wineries that, in the course of the last twelve years, believed in our project and took part to our events: without them, each one of them with no exception, we would not be here. Of course, I would also like to thank my friends Emiliano, Manuele and Roberto - brilliant managers of Locanda dei Golosi in Perugia - for the support and collaboration they grant us each month. Likewise, I would like to thank, and this is equally important, all the staff at Locanda dei Golosi: without their precious contribution and professionalism our events would not be the same. Last but not the least, my gratitude to all of our readers and everyone who took part to our events in the last twelve years. I wish them all to appreciate our future events, to discover and know new wines and producers. We will do our very best. As always, of course.