At Expo 2015, Slow Wine will be telling a fascinating story, that of the diversity of Italy’s wines, grapes and vignerons.
European viticulture boasts rich biodiversity. In Italy alone, over 600 grape varieties are still used to make wine, from Nebbiolo to Sangiovese, Perricone to Fiano. At the Slow Wine Enoteca within the Slow Food space, the selection of wines, curated by the Wine Bank in Pollenzo, will offer drinkable proof of this diversity, with a list of over 100 wines on rotation over the six months of Expo — a lineup totaling more than 300 producers from across the peninsula.
The wines on offer will be based on producers selected for the Slow Wine guide: small-scale winemakers who are using traditional techniques, working with respect for the environment and terroir, and safeguarding this biodiversity of grape varieties. Ninety-nine percent will be wines made from grape varieties that are indigenous to Italy.
Following the cheese tasting in the Slow Food space, for two euros more, visitors can continue with a tasting of an Italian wine (a choice between four: two white and two red). Sommeliers from FISAR, the Italian federation of sommeliers, will be behind the bar, offering explanations of the wines on offer. FISAR is a long-time collaborator with Slow Food, manning the Enoteca spaces at Slow Food’s major events such as Cheese and Slow Fish. For those who are thirsty for more, the Slow Wine website (optimized for smartphone and in English and Italian) will contain descriptions of all the producers, regions and stories behind the label.
Find out more about Slow Food at Expo.