Mr. Giancarlo Lamio and Mr. Paolo Trichilo releasing 'Guide' in Delhi

The latest wine book to be released is the Italian Wine Guide 2006, which was released on November 14 th by Paolo Trichilo, the No.2 man at the Italian Cultural Center in Delhi and on November 16 th at Hotel Intercontinental, Marin Drive Mumbai by the Italian Consul General Mr. Giuseppe Zaccagnino and Mr. Vittorio Mecozzi, the Italian Trade Commissioner in Mumbai.

The Guide lists all Italian wines being imported and sold in Delhi and Mumbai with a short description. It has placed all labels in a uniform fashion to demystify the labels and bring some semblance of uniformity in otherwise a vast jungle of confusing nomenclature of Italian wines. The grape varieties have been clearly defined with the proportion, in order to simplify and help drinkers choose their favourite Italian with more confidence. Serving temperatures have been suggested for all wines.

An attempt has been made by the authors to match each wine with suggested foods, taking good care that the vegetarians who, though a declining tribe are still a vocal and an important minority in India.

Mr. Marco Sabellico talking about Italian Wines

Speaking at the occasion the Italian Trade Commissioner Mr. Giancarlo Lamio felt proud of this first time achievement by anyone producing such and extensive book, especially as the data collection was not an easy job in India. His counterpart in Mumbai, Mr. Vittorio Mecozzi said that since restaurants serving these wines had also been listed, it would make it easier for people not only to understand the Italian wines, but also be able to order in the restaurants with more confidence.

The Italian Trade Commission had invited, Mr. Marco Sabellico, senior editor of Gambero Rosso, the well known institution bringing out the yearly wine book, 'ViniItaliani' for the last 20 years, for this occasion. He gave a very interesting and easy to follow talk on Italian wines which was lapped up by all those present in Delhi and Mumbai. Interestingly, the order in which he spoke about the wines is the order in which they have been getting popular in India, namely Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto and Sicily. While

Mr. Giuseppe Zaccagnino and Mr. Vittorio Mecozzi with the IWG 2006 in Mumbai

appreciating the concept of the Guide, he did refer to the 130 people who are behind their project to bring out the annual edition and hoped the Guide in india will hold an equally important positon in the next twenty years.

The Ambassador of italy blessed the Guide sitting in the aircraft circling the Delhi airport on his way back from Mumbai. For more information on the Guide watch out our website and this space or write to info@indianwineacademy.com.

The Italian Wine Guide 2006 was conceptualised by indian Wine Academy in consultation with ICE and Subhash Arora, President and Sourish Bhattacharyya, the former Executive Director of the Academy co-authored the 100-page Guide.