Chinese winemakers make a splash at Italy's top wine fair

Chinese winemakers have put their expertize to the test at Italy's most prestigious wine fair, Vinitaly, in the city of Verona.

‌The event is a chance for producers, exporters, and buyers to taste the best in the businesses.

‌Andrea Lonardi, who recently received the honorary title Master of Wine, says it's not just an expo but a chance to express the country's culture and tradition.

‌"What we try to convey is a message of what it means to be Italian and why our wine is unique," he told CGTN.

‌In addition to 4,000 Italian wineries, there were brands from 30 countries, including China.

‌Shanghai-based industry expert Michelle Liu says women are playing an increasingly important role.

‌"We are very happy to see more and more winery owners from China, and many are women actually."

‌Emma Gao owns one of China's most renowned vineyards, Silver Heights. She told CGTN that Vinitaly is an important opportunity to connect with the international community.

‌"Italian people are quite open to discovering wine from all over the world. I'm quite happy to see the faces and the feedback of the professionals in Italy," she said.

‌Italian professionals also learnt from their Chinese counterparts.

‌A mixology masterclass hosted by renowned consultant, educator, and buyer, Vincent Xu, explored the heritage, production, and flavour of Baijiu.

‌"The key for Baijiu tasting is not to drink too much because the alcohol level is normally more than 50 percent. Actually, in China we consider smelling is the key to Baijiu, not the palette," he told the Vinitaly audience.

‌Organizers say the four-day event attracted 97,000 visitors with top buyers from the U.S., UK, Canada, and China.

‌However, despite the strong turn-out at Vinitaly this year the industry isn't without its challenges, such as climate change and higher production costs.

‌Leonardo Pizzolo is the owner of Abruzzo winery Valle Reale. He told CGTN that in the past 20 years, due to warmer weather, his harvest has been brought forward one month.

‌"It's is enormous if you think in the next 50 years what can happen. The only way for us to fight this climate change is to find a place where we can put the vineyard at a higher altitude."

‌While visiting Vinitaly herself, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged to help the sector adapt to protect both its economic and cultural importance.

‌It's a challenge for winemakers world-wide and a theme sure to be discussed at the next industry event, 'Wine to Asia' in Shenzhen in May.

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