Welcome to the Italian Wine Masters, a new collaboration among four distinguished DOCG wine producing regions of Italy: Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

First year activities in the U.S. kicked off the first week of February with a tasting and seminars for wine industry professionals and members of the press in Chicago on February 1 at the Chicago Hilton and on February 4 at the Waldorf=Astoria hotel. Anthony Giglio, author of Food & Wine Magazine Wine Guide 2010 and wine columnist for the U.S. edition of La Cucina Italiana magazine conducted master classes in both cities. One session, entitled “Terroir, Diversity, and Complexity of Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano”, featured a tasting of selections from the three appellations of Tuscany. A second, entitled, “The Evolution of Prosecco, Conegliano Valdobbiadene”, showcased different styles of Prosecco wines from Conegliano, Valdobbiadene and Cartizze.

Producers at the grand tastings featured their latest releases which included the 2005 Brunello di Montalcino (four star rating) and 2004 Brunello Riserva (five star rating) the 2006 vintage from Chianti Classico (five star rating), the 2006 vintage from Nobile di Montepulciano (five star rating) and the 2009 release of Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore, considered “outstanding” according to the region’s Consorzio.

For further information or answers to specific questions, please call the Italian Wine Masters at 888.398.5440.

For specific inquiries for each wine region, please click on the consorzio links above.