Vinitaly 2018: Music and Wine Match by Grandi Cru d’Italia with La Scala

For the first time on the occasion of Vinitaly, the senses of wine and music were paired in a marriage of culture and perfumes of wines when Comitato Grandi Cru d'Italia held a concert at Teatro Nuovo, a little gem of 1845 in Verona and one of the most known opera houses of Italy, by the iconic Instrumental Ensemble of Teatro alla Scala of Milan for a special performance.  

The fourteen members of the Ensemble performed famous pieces like Sinfonia from the opera La Scaladi Seta by Gioacchino Rossini, Fin c'han dal vino and Già la mensa è preparata from the Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Suite from West Side Story ­by Leonard Bernstein, Oblivion and Libertango by Astor Piazzolla and Libiamo ne' lieti calici from the opera La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi.

A book on music and wine simply called the Wine Music book was unveiled in front of the audience that consisted of over 300 invited guests including national and international journalists and buyers, institutions and members of Grandi Cru d'Italia. This new book, written by the well-known wine expert, Cesare Pillon along with the music critic, Luca Zaramella, talks about how the link between wine and music has been created through all the historical periods and shows the ideal pairing of Grandi Cru d'Italia labels with the most celebrated symphonies, magnificent overtures and famous jazz songs.

Here is a list of the wine labels from different produces (right, bold), that were given the names of various compositions and operas.   

Tignanello is La Traviata,  Piero Antinori, Tuscany

Mormoreto is Eroica,   Marchesi de Frescobaldi

Turriga is Boléro,   Cantine Argiolas Sardinia

I Sodi di San Niccolò is L'elisir d'amor ,  Domini Castellare di Castellina Tuscany

Ornellaia is La Bohème, Ornellaia e Masseto Bolgheri, Tuscan Coast

Sassicaia is Le Creature di Prometeo, Sassicaia Bolgheri, Tuscan Coast

Amarone Bertani is The Days of Wine and Roses Bertani, Veneto

 Annamaria Clementi is Concerti Brandeburghesi,  Ca’ del Bosco, Franciacorta

Ben Ryé is A Night in Tunisia  Donnafugata, Sicily

Chardonnay Cuvée Bois is Eine Alpensinfonie  Les Cretes Valle d’Aosta

 Sossò is Il Trillo del Diavolo Livio Felluga, Friuli

Kurni is la Pastorale Oasi degli Angeli, Marche

Sauvignon Sanct Valentin is My Baby Just Cares For Me St Michael Eppan, Alto Adige

Barolo Pianpolvere Soprano Bussia is Il Barbiere di Siviglia Pianpolvere Soprano, Piemonte

Rosso del Conte is Countin' the blues,  Tasca d’Almarita Sicily

Oreno is La Moldava, Tenuta Sette Ponti Tuscany

San Leonardo is Riverside Blues…Tenuta San Leonardo Trentino Alto Adige

Earlier in the morning  Comitato Grandi Cru d'Italia elected Valentina Argiolas as new Chairman of the association: She said, "I am honored to preside over this Committee which represents the beauty, the diversity and, therefore, the richness of the whole of Italy, not only of wine. From small wineries to wine dynasties, they all share a constant pursuit of quality, environmental sustainability and protection of territories and denominations. Those wineries show our "great beauty" to the entire world". Representing the third generation of the 80- year old iconic winery of Sardinia Valentina, Argiolas took the baton from Count Lucio Tasca d’Almarita.

The Comitato Grandi Cru d’Italia was formed in 2005, in line with the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines in order to uphold the tradition of quality wines in Italy. The members are screened before admission, based on their consistent performance by the critics and the market for the last at least 20 years. The original charter had only12 members. Later, 36 more members were co-opted as charter members. The Association currently boasts of around 130 members. The Comitato had previously, also nominated Cav. Subhash Arora, President of Indian Wine Academy, in the Best Foreign Wine Journalist category for 4 years in a row- a rare honour for an Indian journalist.

CLICK for earlier article Indian Wine Academy Website Awarded at Vinitaly

Subhash Arora

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