Dear Anthony, I read with great interest your interview Blog Ziliani, in addition to them my most sincere congratulations on your work, I wanted to ask you some information.
We are a small viniculture ……., and we do our best to bring the best of our quality in our bottles. Lambrusco and produce still wines from native grapes such as Malbo Gentile.
As is seen in the Australian market Lambrusco? If the Vinitaly will be very happy to have them taste our wines, if you want to know something we do not hesitate to contact us.
With the hope of not having disturbed Yours faithfully.
Since Italy’s top wine blogger, Franco Ziliani published an interview https://ilvinodatavola.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/an-interview-by-franco-ziliani-on-vino-al-vino-blog/ on his website http://www.vinoalvino.org I have had over a dozen emails from wineries from Italy contacting me about the possibility of distribution in Australia for their wines via Mondo Imports. This I think is a fantastic thing. They are on the front foot, ready to look for new markets abroad and push their wines front and center in the eye of ‘us’ importers of Italian wine.
However, for some, the past actions of many have tainted the image of their wines and in a tough environment world wide, their job is even harder through no real fault of their own. Lambrusco, Frascati and to a limited extent Chianti have all had their images tarnished by poor decisions made twenty and thirty years ago.
The mind does not forget, generations of drinkers still think that Chianti is the wine in the Raffia bottle. That Lumbrusco is cheap, sweet and fizzy. That Frascati is the wine you drink and pour over your salad. All these massive generalisations exsist because more than a decade ago, the image of a grape variety or style was modified to suit the palate and images of the international market.
I love Chianti, but it is one of the hardest wines to sell in my portfolio. I love Lambrusco, but haven’t dared import it. Same goes with Frascati.
Wineries in Italy and all around the world must remember that your decision today, will not just affect you tomorrow but also the day after. The year after. The decade after. There is no such thing as a quick fix. You must stay loyal to your ideas and beliefs and not take the short road to success. For the majority, it is a small minority that taints the image for so many and it is today that the minority is now working so hard to bring the image of Chianti, Lumbrusco and Frascati back to where it should be.
Let this also be a lesson for the emerging regions, styles and varieties. In regards to Italy, the next decade will all be about the wines of the south and importantly Calabria which will finally get it’s time in the spotlight. For me Calabria is the final frontier for the rebirth of the south.
Last year I wrote a blog post about this https://ilvinodatavola.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/calabria-the-final-frontier/ and for me it is a good reference point to remember that whilst the road to importing and success is long, you must always stay true to your ideals and beliefs. The same applies to the image of Calabria and the rest of Italy. Be careful on how you promote your region and wines as it will have a lasting effect for generations to come.
Do not make wine to please markets, make wine that is a reflection of yourself, your place and your varieties. I do not want to drink Cabernet, Syrah or Chardonnay from Sicily, Puglia, Tuscany or any other Italian region. I want to drink the grape varieties that have lived for centuries on your land and that illustrates your region. These are the wines you should be showcasing to the world and these are the wines that success will be built on for generations to come.