On Thursday, September 4, the Locanda Verde restaurant, located in the heart of Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, hosted a press lunch organized as part of the Savor Quality from Europe project by the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and APOT (Tuscan Olive Producers Association), which was attended by journalists and food and wine professionals.
Savor Quality from Europe is a three-year campaign co-funded by the European Union that aims to promote two Tuscan agrifood excellences: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOC and DOCG and Tuscan extra virgin olive oil DOP and IGP, represented by the association APOT. The project includes a series of events, tastings and workshops in Canada and the United States, with the aim of strengthening the knowledge and reputation of European certified quality products.
One of the central aspects addressed during the meeting was dedicated to sustainability. In 2022, in fact, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano became the first and only Italian appellation to obtain sustainability certification according to Equalitas standards, which assesses the entire production cycle under environmental, ethical and economic profiles. An achievement that reflects a shared work between companies and territory.
The tasting featured a curated selection of labels belonging to the different appellations of Vino Nobile-from the classic DOCG, to the more structured Riserva, to the territorial expressions of the Pieve category-paired with a seasonal menu inspired by Tuscan cuisine. The tasting provided an in-depth look at the characteristics of the different territorial units of the appellation and the role of microclimates in determining the identity of the wines.
During the presentation, representatives of the Consortium also illustrated the introduction of the new “Pieve” category, which identifies wines made exclusively from indigenous grapes (mostly Sangiovese) from specific geographical units in the municipality of Montepulciano. It was pointed out that the same grape variety, Sangiovese, can tell completely different nuances depending on the microclimate and soil in which it is grown, offering an even deeper look at the complexity and richness of the Montepulciano terroir. These are wines subjected to at least 36 months of aging (of which 24 months in wood) and designed to enhance even more precisely the different expressions of the territory that represents the qualitative apex of the appellation.
The president of the Consortium, Dr. Andrea Rossi, stressed that this initiative also has a symbolic value: “The link between Italy and the United States is strong and deep-rooted, both culturally and commercially. Bringing Vino Nobile to New York means strengthening this dialogue and promoting an agricultural model based on quality, territorial identity and sustainability.” The Savor Quality from Europe project, aims to strengthen awareness of certified products through targeted activities in North American markets. The press lunch in New York was a useful opportunity to present the latest developments in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaffirm the importance of traceability, origin and certified quality. A moment of direct confrontation between professionals of the sector that confirms the concrete interest of the U.S. market for Italian productions.
The article Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Olio Toscano IGP and DOP star in New York: between territorial identity and sustainability comes from TheNewyorkese.
