Let’s all go to Merano

A few days ago, during the presentation of Guida di Identità Golose 2014, Oscar Farinetti was praising Paolo Marchi and all his team. With his teasing intelligence, using only a few words, he caught the truly distinctive character of the guide and of the “Marchi-approach”. “You analyse knowledge in depth, you don’t judge: in one word, you recommend”. A recommendation that has a great value, because everything starts from a desire of deeper knowledge. This dynamic can be found also in the origin of the Merano Wine Festival, and is probably the main cause of its freshness and longevity.

Let’s think about it for a second: not creating a shortlist is something that shakes even the hidden laziness of those who participate. Should there be one, wouldn’t you too start from those with the highest points, from the restaurants that seem more noble, at least on paper? Without any declared votes, we all need to make at least a small effort. We need to select ourselves. Because in Merano everyone is on the same level – of excellence. This year, having reached the 22nd edition, 9 tasting-teams of examiners opened the gates of the Kurhaus to 320 wines among the 900 participating.

As tradition goes, today, glasses will start to be filled during bio&dynamica, the event in which 60 wine producers from Italy and Europe, who follow organic, biodynamic and “natural” indications, will participate. As of tomorrow, Saturday 9th, all of Italy will be represented in the beautiful rooms of the Kurhaus and the scent of the great indigenous and international grape varieties will be celebrated with a style that hardly belongs to fairs. The wine tables, all identical, will allow a greater participation among the participants and a more intense keenness to listen to the great stories of wine.

The 30 vignerons of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, an organisation that this year celebrates its 40th anniversary, will return with their great wines from France. Thanks to the presence of 5 wineries from Georgia, personally selected by Köcher because of the unmatched quality of their wines, it will be like taking a journey on a time machine and go back to the early beginnings of wine culture when amphorae where watching over the maturation of our beloved nectar.

There will also be some great, guided wine-tastings, 14 to be precise. They will be conducted by Ian d'Agata, one of the greatest experts of Italian wine. For instance, there will be a tasting of 8 vintages, between 1971 and 2008, of Brunello di Montalcino Biondi Santi, in memory of Franco Biondi Santi. Or a sui generis tasting that includes some great Italian, French and Alsatian wines in a “match” between those who write about wine and those who serve it and recommend it daily in restaurants. A large parenthesis will replicate the success of the 2012 edition, and will be held thanks to Club Excellence, the Association of national importers and distributors of excellent wines and spirit. At Hotel Terme, rare vintage champagnes and difficult to find bottles will be served on Sunday 10th and Monday 11th.

There will also be signature cuisine: in the Gourmet Arena the show will be that offered by the talent of great chefs such as Errico Recanati or masters of leavening such as Renato Bosco.