Wine: Exhibition Debut For Vinitaly in the USA, Appointment with IWE From 22 October In Chicago

(Verona - Italy, 20 October 2023). Vinitaly makes its exhibition debut in the United States. Thanks to collaboration with Italian Expo, the Chamber of Commerce of Chicago and the Midwest and ICE-Italian Trade Agency, Veronafiere - the organizer of the main annual event in the world dedicated to Italian wine - for the first time is a partner of the International Wine Expo (IWE), scheduled 22-23 October in Chicago. More than 200 Italian companies are taking part in the trade fair, presenting a total of well over one thousand labels at the business event. They will be matched with 350 specialist buyers (already registered) arriving largely from the Midwest, an area with a high concentration of demand for Italian wine. A strategic bridge between Italy and the largest market in the world (Italian exports to the USA in 2022 were worth 1.8 billion euros), complete with 4 master classes, including the iconic tasting conducted by Michaela Morris of Decanter with Italy's top six wines given the highest score at the magazine's World Wine Awards. Mention must also be made of the Vinitaly Tasting area - the wine point created to present a selection of 65 Italian labels to an audience of international operators.

"The debut of this trade fair in the United States," said the President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo, "is the result of ongoing dialogue with new partners as well as Italian institutions. This decision follows up the plan to pursue constant international expansion of Veronafiere's skills. Our leading trade fair events must consolidate their guiding role in Verona itself and at the same time activate coordinated system action with public and private partners abroad. Wine obviously plays a central role with our Vinitaly show - and this event in Chicago is a fine example, joining Wine to Asia in China and the debut by the Italy Area at the Wine Vision event in Belgrade 16-19 November.

"We want to contribute," said the Managing Director of Veronafiere, Maurizio Danese, "to help grow a trade fair that already comes forward as the 'Italian home' for the wine business in an area where our wine is by far the leader in imports, with a market share of 42%. Last year sales in the Midwest by Italian wine companies came close to 200 million dollars, well above the share taken by France, which stood at 101 million dollars. Together with Italian Expo and ICE-Italian Trade Investment Agency - with whom collaboration is becoming increasingly rewarding - we intend to consolidate our leadership in this macro-region and progressively turn IWE with Vinitaly into the landmark trade fair for Italian wine on the entire North American market."

"Doing business in our country," said the President of Italian Expo, Maurizio Muzzetta, "often has something heroic about it. Italian Expo's mission has been - for fifteen years - to provide Italian companies with platforms to approach such a dynamic market full of opportunities as the United States. We can especially mention the Italian Fashion Week in Dallas, numerous festivals promoting 'Made in Italy' and the IWE itself. They are all important showcases for Italian products. Against this background, collaboration with Vinitaly will enable IWE become a focal point for the wine offering in North America, making the most of the efforts of Italian producers whose wines are a source of pride and excellence on a global scale every day."

CineCity Studios, where the trade fair is hosted, will also welcome a gala dinner (21 October) organized by the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago and the Midwest. Prizes will be awarded "for the extraordinary results achieved and their input as Italian leaders" to Joe Perillo Bill Terlato, both from Chicago respectively an entrepreneur in the automotive sector (Perillo Automotive) and a wine importer (Terlato Wines). The gala dinner will be attended, among others, by Vice Governor of the State of Illinois, Juliana Stratton, as well as the Secretary of State of Illinois, Alexi Giannoulias. The 2-day event will also include master classes dedicated to Campania, Sardinia and the Veneto, the all-Friuli tasting-cooking show and tastings of produce from companies managed by women. Other events include a focus on wine tourism and sustainable wines, as well as the presentation of the Italian Hospitality Award.

www.internationalwinexpo.com/

VINITALY 2023: ARCHIVES PHOTOS

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Benny Lonardi (393.455.5590; direzione@ispropress.it) Simone Velasco (327.9131676; simovela@ispropress.it)