Grandi Langhe 2023: The Two-Day wine event in Torino hugely Successful
An event organized with the same size and style of tables that were divided into 4 circular sections with the complete information given before-hand to the visitors so they could set up the appointments with the producers and taste an array of wines that varied from around 4-9 wines, had the owners or English speaking senior marketing officers of most wineries, giving it a very international look.
The event in its new avatar and organized by Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe Dogliani and Consorzio Tutela Roero was organized for the second year in running and gauging from the success, will no doubt become extremely popular with Italian and international buyers, wine merchants, restaurateurs, importers sommeliers and journalists who could taste the new vintages of Barolo, Barbaresco and other DOCG and DOC wines from the hills of Lange and Roero in Piemonte (Piedmont). The organisers claimed it to be the largest tasting dedicated to the Langhe and Roero denominations.
Unlike in India where most professionals do not deem it necessary to taste every new vintage, in all the established industries, it is a ritual to taste as many as possible, the new vintages from the favourite producers-even the competitors line up to taste the wines of the fellow producers, making the even very important in their scheme of things- this was certainly one of such important events.
The 240 wineries (the number was capped and one could find a few disappointed producers who had delayed renting the space and could not present their wines) presented more than 1500 labels, including the latest harvest of Barolo (2019) and Barbaresco (2020) among others, during the two days of Grandi Langhe which has established itself as an important event for the territory and an increasingly relevant international showcase, thanks to Torino City Administration and the Piedmont Region also supporting the event. Consorzio Nebbiolo Alto Piemonte also participated this year with wines from the Northern part of Piemonte.
There was a gala dinner for the international visitors at Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Museum of Cinema) called Mole Antonelliana, on 29 January where around 50 wines were served with finger food, also affording an opportunity to the visitors to go to the top of the 85 meter high Dome via an elevator. The panoramic terrace offers breath-taking views of the city at night and the surrounding Alps during daytime.
The organisers had organized adequate quick- food for the visitors with plenty of coffee to keep the tired toes some break. The relaxing area in the middle was an interesting set up though one had to spend most of the day standing. One wished there was an extra day to wade through more of the 1500 wines presented. But ostensibly, there are administrative issues with that schedule.
The next edition of Grandi Langhe takes place on 29-30 January 2024 at the same venue. Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and white wines like Roero Arneis are already popular in India but the eye openers were the Red Nebbiolo DOC wines from Langhe which are the only grapes used in Barolo and Barbaresco but from the specified areas with stricter regulations and yet offer a great price-to-quality ratio, especially in the Indian market where the import duties are very high, besides excise duties that vary from state to state.
History
The winemakers of Barolo and Barbaresco came together to protect their production in 1908 when they wanted to create a “certificate of origin” issued by an association operating under the control of provincial administration and the wine union of Piemonte. The Italian Parliament promulgated the law in 1924 to define typicity of these wines and establish consistency and characteristics had to be constant and defined by the consortium statutes. For almost a century, the Consorzio has been a witness and protagonist of the technical, economic and human path of the winemaking reality of the Langhe. In its current Avatar, it is responsible for the wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani (primarily Dolcetto area).
Today the Consorzio protects the collective marks of the Denominations, carries out market surveillance, manages the policy of the Denominations and deals with the Disciplinaries, promotes the knowledge of the wines and their conscious consumption, enhancing the territories of origin and interpretation of the present and the future with the style of each individual company respecting the long traditions.
With 542 members, the Consorzio (an Association of producers) it has about 66 million bottles in its purview in the surface area of 10,000 hAs (24,000 Acres).
If you are a qualified wine professional and interested to participate in next year’s edition to be held at the same venue ORG Torino on 29-30 January, 2024, you are welcome to visit the website or write to me at arora@delwine.com to share my experience.
Subhash Arora
