On the Wine Trail in Italy: "The Hottest Vinitaly in 40 Years"

A bit of a mixed bag regarding Vinitaly 2011. First off, there are a lot of amazing people here (see pictures after the post). Some of them I got to talk with and taste their wines. There never is enough time. Seems like next year there will be even less.

For those who care to know, Vinitaly 2012 will be held in Verona, again, but this time the wine fair will start on Sunday April 1 and go through Wednesday April 4. (Thank you, Luca Zaia). The thinking was that it needed to be open more during business days so that the restaurant owners could come on their off days. It means one less day of the fair.

However in 2012 Easter falls on that following Sunday, April 8. So it will be Holy Week in Italy. As well it will be the week of the en primeurs 2012 tastings in Bordeaux. Which makes it impossible for journalists and folks who try to cover both events.

It has been unseasonably warm here. On Saturday April 9th, the temperature hit 90 degrees F. That along with a hotel shower than wouldn't produce warm water were interesting counterpoints to this 45th Vinitaly, to which I have been coming since 1984.Talking to a friend who has been coming since 1969- he said it has been the driest, hottest Vinitaly he has ever attended.

Vinitaly has gotten so big, so big that one can never take it all in, except in large swaths. The idea of going from booth to booth and "conquering" the stands is impossible. Paolo Librandi said it like this,"When things are changing this fast, you need to stay as still as you can."

And so it is this time. There is too much of everything and the challenge is to find those moments when one can connect with a young winemaker here, an industry veteran there, trying not too make too much wind in the pavilions. But in these days to hold out the hope for a few moments to read the signposts and to try and grasp where Italy and wine and all these people that make up the wine trail are going.