Italian wine and food regions launch three-year joint campaign

Etna DOC, Alto Adige DOC and Pecorino Romano PDO launched their ‘Europe for the Senses’ initiative at a wine pairing lunch in London.

Trade figures, including journalists, specialist retailers and Michelin-starred restaurant sommeliers, gathered in London for the first event in a campaign promoting the three denominations. Industry leaders from each region opened the proceedings, while Giuseppe d’Aniello, recently named Best Sommelier 2023 by the UK Sommelier Association, acted as emcee.

The event marked the opening of a brand new campaign, targetting the UK and Swiss markets. Billed as a “selezione eccellente from unique landscapes”, organisers see it as an opportunity to showcase the three denominations and evidence quality across Italy’s system of quality-labelled products. The three year process marks the first time the three regions have worked together.

The programme will encompass training, tastings and informational campaigns, built around the common thread of fine products from varied Italian landscapes. In particular, the regions will target professionals in the quality off-trade and quality restaurants, creating advocates to reach consumers. Funded by the three consorzia and the EU, the campaign will run in both countries through to 2026.

At the inaugural lunch, six courses demonstrated the quality and versatility of Pecorino Romano cheese. The traditional sheep’s cheese was presented in every dish, with both its young expressions and the aged versions featured. The menu, a broad selection of the country’s cuisine, included classics such as cacio e pepe and risotto with beef tartare.

Meanwhile, two wines arrived with each course. The pairings (two sparkling wines, four whites and six reds) highlighted common ground between the two regions while also accentuating their differences.

The Etna wines showed the many options afforded by its leading varieties, Nerello Mascalese for reds and Carricante for whites. While every wine predominantly featured one of the two varieties, they substantially varied according to their blending partners and ageing regimen. The tasting also evidenced Etna’s system of contrade, the 142 defined sub-regions that articulate the area’s complex volcanic terroir.

Alto Adige, on the other hand, presented six wines that covered six of the DOC’s 20 permitted varieties. Reflecting its position as a border region, the wines included internationally recognised grapes such as Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc alongside local specialities like Schiava and Lagrein. The Dolomite influence was also in evidence, with the producers presented operating anywhere between 200 and 800 metres above sea level.

According to Eduard Bernhart, director of the Consorzio Vini Alto Adige, “we started the idea simply from north to south.” However, the similarities, from mountain landscapes to indigenous varieties soon became clear. Above all, Bernhardt sees the three regions united in scale: “we are small, so we have to focus on quality and handwork”.