The army of independent wines

There are 400 trolleys waiting for you. Shopping trolleys, you mean? Indeed. This November 28th and 29th, you can do your wine shopping at Mercato dei Vini dei Vignaioli, the market event promoted by Fivi, Federazione italiana vignaioli indipendenti. Having been to all the previous 4 editions except one, we can say that yes, indeed among the wine producers’ stands there’s lots of people moving around with a trolley. Whether one is thinking ahead in view of Christmas or making provisions of all of 2016, it is clear that even underneath an ugly exhibition warehouse something very positive can happen for the world of wine.

«Out of a total of 900 members, there will be 300 producers with their wines. More than one third, and we even had to limit registrations or we wouldn’t fit in here». Matilde Poggi, third mandate as president of Fivi, tells us about the success of this association of independent producers who in fact strongly depend on one another in this beautiful adventure based on reciprocal respect and common interest in making their same voice heard.
The voice of the wineries who control the entire chain: from vineyard work to wine sales.

«We’re a very defined category, with a strong group identity becoming stronger and stronger every year. Our battles start from our needs as Fivi wine producers but of course apply to everyone, even those who are not members. As with the one won last year, thanks to which I can now write on my website or in my communication that my winery is located in Veneto even though I don’t produce a wine under the Veneto igt appellation».

On top of the wild shopping, thanks to very competitive prices, the fifth edition of this friendly Mercato promises the chance to meet wine producers in person, discovering their stories and tasting their wines. And should you find some empty stand, don’t worry and don’t get angry, the wine producer is certainly away for a quick tasting of someone else’s wines. «I love white wines from Campania and verdicchio. As for red wines, pinot nero and schiava from Alto Adige. I drink elegant but not over-structured wines». The president, on top of revealing her tastes, confirmed an idea we had about what’s most trendy these days: the most authentic wines, those that best represent a territory. They’re the result of little intervention in the vineyards (less weeding and more work on the lines of vines), and of a vinification in cement and in containers that facilitate oxidation without “bestowing” anything to the wine, or very little.

On top of the wine producers, you will also be able to meet 10 Food Craftsmen and match their culinary specialties with the wines. There will also be 4 themed tastings guided by the wine producers themselves, already sold out a few days ago. The Romano Levi Wine producer of the year award will also be handed to Elisabetta Fagiuoli, wine producer in San Gimignano (Siena). A lifetime achievement award given from Fivi to a woman that has been a point of reference in Italian wine growing for years now.